format win7 hard drive and reinstall win7 Home Premium.

[nodsirrah]

I have a Dell Laptop which came with XP, last year I purchased Win7 Home Premium Upgrade and installed it on the Laptop. I let my stepson use it until today, the User files have been messed with and there is more junk on it than I am willing to work around.
I would like to format the hard drive and reinstall Win7 using the same disc I purchased last year. I still have the Product Key.
I have searched but have not found details particular to my needs, which basically means I am no Techie!

 

[Maguscreed]

I believe you will find this is what you are looking for.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

The system will run much better in general using that method rather than upgrading as well.

 

[gregrocker]

You'll save a lot of time updating if you use the latest installer with SP1: Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download

Burn to DVD or write to flash stick using Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool

Then adapt these steps to get a perfect clean reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7

When you boot the installer to reinstall, it will see the OS on the HD and allow use of Upgrade version Product Key during install - even if you go on to use Custom>Drive options to delete, repartition and format before install.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[nodsirrah]

I am really confused, I downloaded the Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool to my desktop. I clicked on Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download to download it to my desktop and it says it will take 6+ hours to download.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[gregrocker]

You may want to find a faster connection to download ISO.

 

[jumanji]

You are not doing anything wrong. You probably have a slow speed connection but twice as fast as my connection. For me it took something like 12 hours to download it. Six hours is almost half that time.

Leave it to download overnight.

 

[nodsirrah]

Simple reinstall

After hours of being confused I put the Win7 disc in the drive, shut down the laptop and started it up, following the prompts, including formatting, and Win 7 loaded and I have a new start.
Sorry I could not follow all the confusing information posted.

 

[gregrocker]

You might want to try asking a question or two if you're confused, instead of just complaining.

 

[BENZT]

You'll save a lot of time updating if you use the latest installer with SP1: Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download

Burn to DVD or write to flash stick using Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool

Then adapt these steps to get a perfect clean reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7

One quick question unrelated to the initial topic. Is that download file 100% safe to use? I know that downloads of cracked software can sometimes have stuff thrown in with the crack like spyware etc, that's why I ask. Also i phoned my computer shop recently to ask them to make me a vista disc if I showed them the serial number on my pc, but they said it's illegal. This seems the same thing. I'm not trying to be funny here, asking a serious question.

 

[gregrocker]

That is the official Win7 ISO download from Digital River which is the MS fulfiller of Student Upgrade special.

I provided it so you wouldn't have to get one from a torrent or other sketchy source.

This is the top tech forum on the web with some of the tightest standards on piracy of all. We waited longer than MS's own tech forums before being allowed to link to the official Win7 downloads.

If you have a license and you need to reinstall Win7 then what would be illegal about it?

 

[BENZT]

That is the official Win7 ISO download from Digital River which is the MS fulfiller of Student Upgrade special.

I provided it so you wouldn't have to get one from a torrent or other sketchy source.

This is the top tech forum on the web with some of the tightest standards on piracy of all. We waited longer than MS's own tech forums before being allowed to link to the official Win7 downloads.

If you have a license and you need to reinstall Win7 then what would be illegal about it?

That's ok, mate. I just needed that reassurance that's all. Like I said, it was only my local independent computer repairer who told me that despite my having a legit serial number on my PC and offering to show them they would only install Windows themselves, they could not give/sell me a disc.

 

[seavixen32]

If I was in the market for a new computer and was given to understand I wouldn't be getting either a recovrery disc or a Windows disc the company concerned would not be getting my businesss.

Please follow Greg's advice. He is one of our top contributors to this forum and his advice is always pertinent and good.

Were we to provide you with links to pirated software we would be banned quicker than you could put the disc in your computer.

 

[BENZT]

Please follow Greg's advice. He is one of our top contributors to this forum and his advice is always pertinent and good.

Were we to provide you with links to pirated software we would be banned quicker than you could put the disc in your computer.

lol okay fair enough -ISO downloading now... Under an hour not too bad compared to the aforementioned 6 hours someone was stating. :shock:

How many computers does a single W7 serial number allow you to install to?

and

Although I have a Win7 Home Premium serial, I think it is for 32bit version. Will a 64bit version still work with the serial or not?

 

[theog]

That's ok, mate. I just needed that reassurance that's all. Like I said, it was only my local independent computer repairer who told me that despite my having a legit serial number on my PC and offering to show them they would only install Windows themselves, they could not give/sell me a disc.

Incorrect, they can order OEM manufacturer's disks for you. (May be a fee)

I have a Dell Laptop which came with XP,

You can Order Dell recovery disks from here: (Win XP only)
Dell - Support


For the MSI in your spec's
You can order Recovery disks from:
MSI Online Customer Service

 

[theog]

How many computers does a single Windows 7 serial number allow you to install to?

One PC only.

Although I have a Windows 7 Home Premium serial, I think it is for 32bit version. Will a 64bit version still work with the serial or not?

Key is for 32 bit or 64 bit.

 

[nodsirrah]

You might want to try asking a question or two if you're confused, instead of just complaining.

I apologize for what sounded like complaining. What I should have said was that I was so confused I had no idea what questions to ask. I will admit that after attempting to follow your post I was totally lost because I have no training and what sounds logical to you is really gibberish to me!

 

[BENZT]

How many computers does a single Windows 7 serial number allow you to install to?

One PC only.

Although I have a Windows 7 Home Premium serial, I think it is for 32bit version. Will a 64bit version still work with the serial or not?

Key is for 32 bit or 64 bit.

Oops, d/loaded wrong version! One computer, okay well I think I will still download it for my laptop woth the recovery drive and no disc, in case the HDD gets messed up, which is what happened to my girlfriend's laptop. Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

Be sure to use the Product Key on laptop COA sticker, so you don't waste a retail license when you own one for life on that machine.

You might want to try asking a question or two if you're confused, instead of just complaining.

I apologize for what sounded like complaining. What I should have said was that I was so confused I had no idea what questions to ask. I will admit that after attempting to follow your post I was totally lost because I have no training and what sounds logical to you is really gibberish to me!

The steps are written for novices and thousands of novices have completed them successfully, especially if able to interact with questions necessary to get them done. Each step has an illustrated tutorial in the blue links just like a picture-book.

 

[BENZT]

Be sure to use the Product Key on laptop COA sticker, so you don't waste a retail license when you own one for life on that machine.

Are you saying that the number on a laptop is not actually in use?

 

[gregrocker]

No, just that it sounds like you may have more than one Win7 there Key available there. If you have another retail license you do not need to use it here but should use the Key on COA sticker.