Can I install a preiously installed Windows 7 CD on a second PC?

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  1. Posts : 27
    Windows 7 Home Premium(64 bit)
       #1

    Can I install a preiously installed Windows 7 CD on a second PC?


    Without a long and boring story, I let soeone who works for an ISP remove my Windows disc and reinstall a different Windows 7 OS without a key(not genuine). I have a second PC with a genuine Windows 7 OS CD with the original 25 letter key. Can I just install that disc and get it activated using that 25 letter key or must I buy a new Windows 7 CD??
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  2. Posts : 19,383
    Windows 10 Pro x64 ; Xubuntu x64
       #2

    Each PC must have its own unique product key - you cannot use an existing one that has already been activated on one computer, to then activate a second PC. You will need to purchase an additional Windows licence.
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  3. Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       #3

    Does the PC you want to install on have a COA sticker and is it for Windows 7? If so, you can use it to install with.
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  4. Posts : 19,383
    Windows 10 Pro x64 ; Xubuntu x64
       #4

    Ztrucker has a good point.....perhaps I misunderstood you? Does the first PC that the ISP botched have its own COA sticker and product code? Like this?

    Can I install a preiously installed  Windows 7 CD on a second PC?-coa-stickers.gif
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  5. Posts : 2,752
    Windows 7 Pro x64 (1), Win7 Pro X64 (2)
       #5

    thailen said:
    Without a long and boring story, I let someone who works for an ISP remove my Windows disc and reinstall a different Windows 7 OS without a key(not genuine). I have a second PC with a genuine Windows 7 OS CD with the original 25 letter key. Can I just install that disc and get it activated using that 25 letter key or must I buy a new Windows 7 CD??
    If the genuine Win7 OS DVD with the legitimate product key for the second PC is an OEM key, then it can ONLY be used on THAT machine and no other. Period.

    If instead it is a RETAIL key, then it can only be USED AND ACTIVATED ON ONE MACHINE AT A TIME.

    So if that second machine is currently activated and truly using the installed Win7 on it (from that legitimate Win7 installation DVD), then you CANNOT use that same key to also install and activate Win7 on your first machine. You would need to first deactivate Win7 on the second machine, and then you'd be able to activate the install on the first machine in order to use the same product key. But of course then you wouldn't have a usable second machine.

    If you previously had a working Win7 system installed and activated on the first machine (the one which your ISP friend installed a non-genuine Windows on), why can't you reinstall your originally present Win7 on that machine? If the machine has its COA certificate you can use that key to reinstall and activate on that very same machine.
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  6. Posts : 32
    Windows 7 64-bit
       #6

    I believe that you can legally only activate windows on one machine at a time. So if you have a retail copy you can put it on a new computer if that key isn't still being used on an old computer. However, if it is an OEM copy of windows it is probably tattooed to the motherboard or hard drive. This means that it will most likely only work on the computer and drive that it came on. This is a huge annoyance if you want to change hard drives.

    If you need a legal copy of window 7 you can download one off a site called Digital River. You obviously still need a valid key.
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  7.    #7

    Yes of course you can reinstall the licensed OS on that PC.

    As stated if it is OEM then use the Product Key on the attached COA sticker to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

    If it is retail, then follow the same steps as above but use the Product Key from the COA sticker on the retail packaging.

    Be sure to do a booted install, if necessary using the media provided in the tutorial above along with tool to write to flash stick or burn to DVD. Delete all partitions using the Drive Options pictured in Steps 7/8 of Clean Install Windows 7, create New as you please, format and isntall Win7 to the first partition.

    Let us know if you have any other questions. We will stick with you until it is working perfectly.
    Last edited by gregrocker; 05 Mar 2014 at 23:20.
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  8. Posts : 318
    Windows 10 x64
       #8

    "Can I install a previously installed Windows 7 CD on a second PC?"
    Yes. You can even install it on 100 other PCs.

    "May I install a previously installed Windows 7 CD on a second PC?"
    NO!
    7 CD on a second PC

    7 CD on a second PC
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  9. Posts : 27
    Windows 7 Home Premium(64 bit)
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Sorry for My Late Reply...


    The PC in question has the Microsoft sticker: Winbdows 7 Home Premium OA
    Acer Grou[p with a bar code CO.7P201.001
    Product Key: ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
    Bar Code X16-96072
    00196-139-232-047

    How can I remove the current bad OS and install a second Window 7 OS, hopefully as cheaply as possible?(That PC has a DVD slot). The only Windows 7 DVD I have(obviously from another PC) is a Professional - not a Home Edition - DVD.





    gregrocker said:
    Yes of course you can reinstall the licensed OS on that PC.

    As stated if it is OEM then use the Product Key on the attached COA sticker to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

    If it is retail, then follow the same steps as above but use the Product Key from the COA sticker on the retail packaging.

    Be sure to do a booted install, if necessary using the media provided in the tutorial above along with tool to write to flash stick or burn to DVD. Delete all partitions using the Drive Options pictured in Steps 7/8 of Clean Install Windows 7, create New as you please, format and isntall Win7 to the first partition.

    Let us know if you have any other questions. We will stick with you until it is working perfectly.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 6,741
    W7 Pro x64 SP1 | W10 Pro IP x64 | W8.1 Pro x64 VM | Linux Mint VM
       #10

    thailen said:
    The PC in question has the Microsoft sticker: Winbdows 7 Home Premium OA
    Acer Grou[p with a bar code CO.7P201.001
    Product Key: ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
    Bar Code X16-96072
    00196-139-232-047

    How can I remove the current bad OS and install a second Window 7 OS, hopefully as cheaply as possible?(That PC has a DVD slot). The only Windows 7 DVD I have(obviously from another PC) is a Professional - not a Home Edition - DVD.
    Download the ISO for your relevant OS from Digital River, then create a bootable USB stick with that ISO using the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool from Microsoft. Boot your machine from the USB stick and enter the product key attached to the machine.

    Be sure to follow all of the steps in the Clean Install Windows 7 tutorial by Brink.
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