HP Pavilion g6-1d73us Notebook - installing Windows 7/Worn Product Key

RickJM · 10 Aug 2014

My brother sold me his HP Pavilion g6-1d73us Notebook for cheap because it had a bad hard drive (also did not come with Windows 7 CD). I am going to purchase a replacement hard drive and get the laptop up and running. The notebook originally had Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit on it. I currently have a copy of Windows 7 Professional 64/32 bit full retail, which is used on my desktop and a OEM Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit, used on my other desktop. Will either of these CDs work for my g6 once I purchase a new hard drive (I know I have to use the laptop product key). I didnt know if my product key on the bottom of the laptop would work with the Professional version even though the laptop came with Home Premium. Last question, About 5 of the numbers/letters is worn off from the bottom of the sticker on the laptop. My brother didnt write it down or anything for a backup. What can I do about that? Thanks.

Mark Phelps · 10 Aug 2014

Sorry, keys are version specific -- the Professional key will not work with a Home Premium version.

There's not really a lot you can do with the drive being bad on the laptop. IF it were working, there are apps you can run to display the current product key, which can then be saved to a file. But, with a nonworking drive, unless the product key is printed somewhere else (inside the battery compartment, for example), those apps are of no use.

You might be able to get restore media from HP (for a LOT less than buying it retail), but you would need to check with them to see if it would automatically activate. Tell them the hard drive has crashed and you want to restore the machine to working order -- they might give you a deal on restore media.

gregrocker · 10 Aug 2014

Everything needed is here to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 if you can get the Product Key.

I'd put that COA sticker under a bright light and magnifying glass and see if there's any way you can put together the Product Key to use the license which came with the PC which is worth $100+ dollars.

If not then you'd have to use a retail Win7 and if its one of the others you mention you'll need to delete its partition off the old PC first. Then during reactivation (which may require phone assistance) it will record the new hardware ID for the laptop overwriting the old PC's.