Windows 7 starter reinstallation from w7 ultimate

The Smart Man · 23 Aug 2013

Some time ago, my computer's HDD broke down and I took it to the technicians to be repaired. Then I was using a Windows 7 starter x32, but they installed w7 ultimate instead. Initially I didn't care, as everything worked about fine.

Now, however, I've started noticing several problems, networking and otherwise, that did not exist with the w7 starter. Therefore, I want to reinstall my old Starter edition.

I try to tap F4 during startup to start recovery, but it shows "please wait" and resumes loading windows as per usual. I tried to search the computer for "Samsung Recovery" and other such phrases but it gave me nothing. Therefore, the recovery package is not in my computer.

MY computer is a laptop, so I could not use a recovery disk even if I had one.

Initialy my computer had some stickers on the botton showing the windows key, but as it is more than 3 years old, there is almost nothing left of them.

I understand this could be a chellanging situating, and hope somebody will have some kind solution to this catch-21.

Thanks in advance.

bobafetthotmail · 23 Aug 2013

Can you post a screenshot of your disk management window? Write "disk management" in the Start menu searchbox and then press Enter to bring it up. It will tell us if there is or not a recovery partition. If the hdd was changed, I'm pretty sure there isn't anymore, but it's still worth checking.

Try taking a pic of the sticker, with some image tweaking and some guesswork we can help extracting the license key (if possible at all).

If your sticker is unreadable and the original installation is overwritten, you need to buy another license from some internet retailer that still has windows 7 installation disks (and their activation code) in stock.
Starter is not sold afaik, the lower one you can buy is Home Premium.

There are two versions, the OEM disks that link permanently the installation to the device once installed, and the Retail that allows you to move the windows 7 to another device if you want to.

As a sidenote, I'm 99% sure that the ultimate you are using is counterfeit, and that the techs that did that were morons, as anyone in the trade knows has all-in-one windows 7 installation disks.

gregrocker · 23 Aug 2013

Samsung Recovery no longer works after a reinstall. I wonder why they installed Ultimate since it is expensive and would have cost you a lot. Was it an illegal version because if so they committed a serious theft if they charged you for it and provided no COA sticker.

You know if an OS is installed legally by builder or support because it must be accompanied by law by a COA sticker attached to the PC showing the licensed version and Product Key to use to reinstall.

To reinstall the licensed version on the COA sticker for that PC download the ISO and tool to burn to DVD or write to flash stick from Steps 1 and 2 of Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 then follow those steps to get a perfect reinstall.

For Starter version, download also and run the eicfg removal tool on the Home Premium version ISO, which will unlock all other versions so you have a menu to choose Starter during the reinstall.

Also during the reinstall, at steps 7 and 8 in Clean Install Windows 7 use the Drive Options to delete all partitions, then from the Unallocated Space, create New as you wish and Format before installing to the first OS partition (ignore the 100mb boot partition it creates).

theog · 23 Aug 2013

Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?
How to use Samsung Recovery, make Recovery disks:
Samsung PC Software - Samsung Support Center - YouTube

You can order the Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from your OEM manufacturer's website.
How to Order Recovery disc.
Page Not Found - SAMSUNG

Samsung