Rescue Disc for Win7 Home Premium OEM

bawldiggle · 15 May 2015

I would like to have a Rescue disc on hand if I ever need it.
- but my Toshiba laptop (Satellite C665) has OEM Win7 Home Premium installed on it
- and all the Toshiba crapware that I never use
- no OS CD/DVD
- there is a partition "*:HDDRECOVERY" which I assume is for repairing (?) or reinstalling Win-7 OS

Rescue Disc for Win7 Home Premium OEM-partitions-toshiba.png

If the OS really falls over (or worse the HDD dies) I want to be able to re-install Win7 on a new HDD
- currently I get little glitches -- OS occasionally stalls -- moments of PC old-timers

disease.
- the laptop is 3 years old and is used for about 6 hours per day, (turned off at night)

On Microsoft Software Recovery web page instructions state a 25 character product key.
- but my OEM (on Computer -> Properties) Product ID is 00xxx-oem-8xxxxxx-000xx ... 20 characters
- the Microsoft Software Recovery rejects my "Product ID"

Fortunately I downloaded an ISO from DigitalRiver (Win7 Home Premium - Media ready) before DigitalRiver activities were curtailed by MS.
- (I also have Win7 Pro 32bit + 64bit ISOs

How do I create a "Rescue Disk" ?
- I have spent several hours on the web but have not found anything that is helpful to me.
Would I use the currently installed OS -OR- need the 32bit ISO ?

Thank you in advance :)

derekimo · 15 May 2015

If I understand you correctly, you want create an install disc from the ISO you downloaded.

You can use this tool,

Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

There are other methods as well but the one above will work for what you need.

Rescue disc usually refers to a bootable repair disc.

By the way the Microsoft site wanted the product key not the product ID, the product key is on the COA sticker,

I'm not sure what you mean by that sentence,

bawldiggle said:

Would I use the currently installed OS -OR- need the 32bit ISO ?

As long as it's the same version (Home Premium, Pro, etc.) it will work, if the one you downloaded is a 64bit and you want 32bit then you will need to get a different one.

If you have 4GB RAM you could use the 64bit with your current product key.

bawldiggle · 15 May 2015

Thanks derekimo -- you were a bit quick for me while I did some more research
- it's past my bedtime (health issues)
- I will pick up your suggestions tomorrow
Thank you for your help :)

--------------------------
Posted here for any sevenforums.com guests:-
Based on a SuperUser thread Where can I download Windows 7 (legally from Microsoft)?] dated May-2014
- Microsoft Software Recovery is not available for OEM

Note

Based on the comments from an article on another website users with OEM licenses will not be to be able to use Microsoft Software Recovery tool. Additionally it appears this service is only for those users who purchased the retail version of Windows 7. MSDN and TechNet subscribers won't be able to use this tool also.

derekimo · 15 May 2015

You're welcome, take your time.

Yeah, that Microsoft site hasn't been very useful to anyone that I'm aware of yet, even retail keys get errors there.

I was mainly pointing out that this,

bawldiggle said:

On Microsoft Software Recovery web page instructions state a 25 character product key.
- but my OEM (on Computer -> Properties) Product ID is 00xxx-oem-8xxxxxx-000xx ... 20 characters
- the Microsoft Software Recovery rejects my "Product ID"

Was not the number they want you to input, they want the one one on the COA sticker that is 25 characters.

You are correct that the OEM product key doesn't work there.

GokAy · 15 May 2015

Hey,

You can also consider using an imaging software, free Macrium is very popular here at sevenforums.

Imaging with free Macrium

You can simply take an image of the current state of your Disk 1 to Disk 2. With the amount of data on Disk 1, I guess the image file would be around 55-65 GB (normal compression rate, which is default).

If you take 1 now (keep it all the time), and also take a 2nd one later (update this one with a new one every say 10-15 days, even a month if data won't change much, your call really), the size needed would be around 130 GB, give or take.

Then you can just copy these files to an external drive too.

For the Disk2 data, you can use a file sync program (I use FreeFileSync), which detect changes and update the files on your backup drive.

The HDDRECOVER partition is to revert the OS to the day you bought the laptop, should have an option to enter at boot time, usually with a F-button. But you might have to re-install all programs that you installed yourself again.

Hope this helps.

Ztruker · 15 May 2015

Almost all manufacturers give you the ability to create a recovery disc set, see what's available on your system.

Clean install using the downloaded ISO is the best way to go but it doesn't hurt to have more than one option.

You could also check the manufacturers web site, see if you can order a recovery disc for your computer.

AddRAM · 15 May 2015

You simply burn the iso file with a program like this free one, it works great.

Free ISO Burner

Burn the iso file at no greater the x4 speeds.

Of course your machine has to have a dvd burner, and you need a blank dvd -R or +R

The term for what you`ll end up with is a Windows 7 install DVD, not a rescue disk. :)

You should really create a disk image with Macrium Reflect and store it on your 298 GB drive now.

Macrium Reflect Free