Retail disc into OEM disc

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
  1.    #11

    As stated earlier the Administrator of the forums does not wish this method to be discussed here.

    You still haven't explained why you cannot clean reinstall using the Product Key on COA sticker. I explained that there are advantages to this: MS will protect your license for the life of the computer without interference from your OEM, most of which do not support clean reinstalls or support change of bit-version even though this violates their EULA.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #12

    To be honest, im starting to think it is more hassle then what its worth. Sorry if im infringing on forum rules, I thought that since my laptop is from dell if anything was to go wrong i i needed to send it back to them if there was a OS different from the one they installed it may void any help from them, thats the only reason i want to keep it exactly the same. But hey it's probably easier to go with a method that is most common to everyone.

    If i download the latest official Win7 installer ISO with SP1 can i make that automated by adding the answer file or would it just be easier to keep it as it is and burn straight to dvd?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       #13

    For the third time of asking, using this method really is your best solution.

    Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

    Why the reluctance to do otherwise?
      My Computer

  4.    #14

    If you want an installer which auto-activates run built-in Factory Recovery or boot the Factory Recovery Disk(s). Make your Recovery Disks now so you retain that option.

    Otherwise you can save externally a Win7 backup image of what you have now which will in most cases hold activation when re-imaged, taking about 20 minutes.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #15

    @seavixen32
    I was reluctant because i thought if there was a hardware failure and i had to send the laptop back to dell for repairs, and they noticed that it wasn't exactly the one they gave to me, they might decline repairs or charge me. So other then a image of my system i wanted a re installation disc for a clean install but still keeping it exactly how they sent it to me. Thats really it. thats what all the fuss was about. If i used the coa key rather then the oem key i thought they might say i tampered with it and voided the license agreement with them and would charge for repairs.

    but i appreciate all the help everyone has provided
      My Computer

  6.    #16

    Then you should have asked us since we are the top forums on the web for clean reinstalls of factory OEM and have handled thousands of these cases.

    No, they cannot void your hardware warranty. Sometimes they will require you restore to factory condition if you are able to do so before shipping it back under warranty. This is why we advise to always make your Recovery Disks or save an image of factory install.

    But courts have ruled clearly that they cannot refuse hardware warranty due to a clean reinstall, only tech support, and none will even try that I've heard.

    For this reason I do not tell them that I've clean reinstalled if for some reason I need to call OEM Tech Support. However there is rarely a reason to call them since most OEM tech support is grossly inferior to the help you can find here, or even Google.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #17

    UltraSoul said:
    ........I used Macrium Reflect to make a image of all my partitions including the recovery partition so i can easily repair my computer. But if the image on one of the disc become corrupted or scratched i wanted a win7 oem disc specifically for my laptop which i could just insert and run unattended to re install my laptop fresh......
    I appreciate the fact that you have imaged your complete system so that you can restore it to the factory condition, even if your Recovery partition and/or Recovery Disks fail to restore, which more so often happens.

    I am just curious to know whether you have at anytime tried to restore using 1. the recovery partition. and 2. the Recovery Disks you had created. If not check now but before that image your system drive and keep it so that you can restore it back after this exercise.

    As for as activating by phone using the COA-SLP Key after a clean install, IMO, Microsoft has not revealed its policy on such activation a) whether future activations too will require a phone activation b) whether there is a limit to the number of such activations and whether the frequency of reactivations have a bearing on that ( Well some may want to do a clean install every month. Why not?). Different people say what they "think" on COA-SLP Key activation but there is no authentic source. I have been looking out for actual user experiences but could not find any. It still remains a grey area. In the circumstances I will consider it only as a last option when all else fails.

    My two cents will therefore be on preserving the OEM activation in tact.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       #18

    UltraSoul said:
    @seavixen32
    I was reluctant because i thought if there was a hardware failure and i had to send the laptop back to dell for repairs, and they noticed that it wasn't exactly the one they gave to me, they might decline repairs or charge me. So other then a image of my system i wanted a re installation disc for a clean install but still keeping it exactly how they sent it to me. Thats really it. thats what all the fuss was about. If i used the coa key rather then the oem key i thought they might say i tampered with it and voided the license agreement with them and would charge for repairs.

    but i appreciate all the help everyone has provided
    If the hardware failure happened to be the hard drive then there would be no way to re-image your system before you send the computer back to Dell anyway, so your argument is self-defeating.

    Please, trust gregrocker on this one. He is our top expert on this particular subject and when he says you'll get far superior support here than you will from Dell he is 100% correct - and you get it free of charge.

    Carry out a COA install and let us help you.

    For the record, whenever I've had problems with a Dell I've always offered to self-repair if they send the parts, and while the computer was under warranty they've always agreed as it's cheaper for them.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #19

    @jumanji At one point evrything was fine, then one day i had problems with my laptop so used the recovery patition and it gave me a error code and i was unable to recover. Luckily i had the recovery media dell told me to create... But that to gave me a problem with a corrupted image. So that was 2 down. But just in case of that situation i used windows 7 to make a image of my derive with its own in built utility. Luckily that restored it and everything was fine. Since then i don't want to take any chances. I made a factory image of when i just brought the PC with Macruim Reflect, And i made another image with Marcium reflect after i installed all my programs. Then i keep a current backup with windows 7 in built backup utility. So i have 3 back ups

    I have checked them and made sure they work. So youd think im safe with the 3 back ups. Problem is they are all on 1 external HD if i were to burn the images to disc i would need from 4-10 disc's. Depending on the size of the image.

    Thats why i have been obsessing a bit about having a windows 7 OEM disc. So that i have 1 disc that will restore it to how the manufacture sent the laptop to me. Just i case my external HD decides to corrupt the images i have made. And it's that 1 disc i have been trying to make and was asking all the questions about. Just in case the worst happens, my images fail to work, and i re install with the COA key, have to send the laptop to dell and they refuse to help because its not how they sent it to me with the OEM key. Thats my reason for trying to make a OEM disc. but since im having so much trouble i will just have to use the method that has been suggested to me.

    Thanks to all those that offered advice
      My Computer

  10.    #20

    Let's also not miss the point normally made that the Clean Reinstall is a much superior install without the throttling bloatware and useless factory utilities which have better versions built into Win7.

    I admire the thoroughness of your backups as they show a level of expertise that normally also prefers clean reinstalling factory OEM for ultimate performance.
      My Computer


 
Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:05.
Find Us