Thank you Gregrocker,
I am running the Diagnostics now, hopefully something good will come from it.
And thank you Theog,
I remember now, this laptop came with windows vista, and one of my friends installed windows 7 on it as a "surprise"...I hope this hasn't ruined my possibilities.
Did your friend provide you with a Product Key? If not do you know how it was activated? If it is not a bootleg copy then you can audit the legal Product Key using Belarc Advisor from the Clean Reinstall tutorial.
If you need to determine whether the install is legit, we can help you do this so you'll know if the key is legit. If after auditing the key the Product ID shows an OEM in its string, then it is likely illegal bootleg.
If you have the Product Key, then after getting the diagnostics results boot the installer provided to reinstall the licensed version, following the steps carefully to get it perfect.
If no Product Key and you can't come up with one or buy another, then I'd reinstall the licensed Vista version following the same steps to get the $100+ value of the license which came with the PC.
My friend did not provide me with a Product Key, he just did the whole thing and handed me my laptop the next day. I have no idea how he did any of it..
I'll try to find one online or something...
It sounds seriously like you have bootleg install since friends don't normally give a $100+ gift like that unless he is in the business and has access to lower cost licenses.
To find out for sure run this program, copy and post back its report: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012
Is the Vista Product Key on COA sticker readable, and do you have access to a Vista installation DVD so you could reinstall the licensed OS if WIn7 is not legal?
Otherwise you will need to buy a copy of Win7 Upgrade version, which you don't need Vista on the HD to install, just another OS for it to see when you boot the installer to Clean Install Windows 7The copy you have on there will suffice, although you should delete all partitions during install using the Drive Options shown in Steps 7 and 8 to get the cleanest install.
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