Looking for tips and hints when doing Clean Install of Win 7 Ult

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  1. Posts : 19
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
       #1

    Looking for tips and hints when doing Clean Install of Win 7 Ult


    I need to do a clean install of Win 7 Ultimate. I have the disks and COA. It is what is installed now.
    I keep getting "unauthorized copy of Windows" message and can't solve that. In addition Office won't search properly. I am NOT looking to solve this. I NEED to do a clean install.

    I have found several tutorials and threads on the steps for a clean install. I have read them, and will be studying them carefully this week to make a detailed plan.
    These deal with the clean install of Win 7.

    What other things/steps should I consider?
    For example:
    - I will do a full back up. Obviously I need to restore "My Documents" for my username. I am the only username. This has all my files. What else should I think about restoring?
    - I will reinstall all my applications. Should I - do I need to - restore any files for applications? How will I know? Or simply start from scratch for all the applications - resetting preferences, etc. I know to find my Outlook files, my Quicken files. I assume applications put files in the "Program files" and "Program files x86" folders.
    - I have a partition ( F: ) which has the original OEM (HP) recovery files. These are NOT Win 7 Ultimate. Do I need to save this/restore this when I am done? Or can I delete it?

    In general, I am looking for advice and expertise as to what to think about and do, other than all the steps related to the clean install itself. My main programs are MS Office, Quicken, Chrome

    Thanks!!!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,774
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #2

    - I have a partition ( F: ) which has the original OEM (HP) recovery files. These are NOT Win 7 Ultimate. Do I need to save this/restore this when I am done? Or can I delete it?

    --Because you are not planning to ever do a factory spec restore, you can delete this partition.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 2,774
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #3

    Which Office version? Because I was using 3rd party firewall, antivirus, antispy/malware programs, my Office 2013 ceased working properly, went with Libre and Open Office.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #4

    ltrip said:
    I keep getting "unauthorized copy of Windows" message and can't solve that.

    What other things/steps should I consider?

    What else should I think about restoring?
    Is there some remote chance that your Windows copy is not genuine? I wouldn't necessarily assume a clean install would solve the problem.

    You should plan to back up your email and bookmarks/favorites if you have any.

    If you do a clean install, you will have to reinstall and reconfigure all applications. You may as well get the most recent versions of any freeware/shareware applications that you use.

    I don't know what your partitioning setup is, but now is the time to consider changing it if that thought has ever passed through your mind.

    You might go to the HP website and download the newest versions of all drivers for your particular model. Put them on a USB stick. I would probably hold them in abeyance and use them only if I had some functional driver-related issue after the new install was up and running. At a minimum, I would go to HP and download the Ethernet/NIC driver.

    After the install is complete, get anti-virus going and go to Windows Update and get at least all critical and important updates---in batches.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #5

    Where did you get this Windows 7 Ultimate dvd and COA from ?

    It may give us a clue as to why it`s unauthorized :)
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 19
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Great advice...so far!!! The more the better!
    I will put the drives on a USB stick. Thanks!!!
    I will repartition, and scrap the original HP recovery files. Then create a boot/recovery disk when I am all done.

    To answer a couple questions....
    - I used to work for a vendor AT Microsoft in Reno, Nevada. I bought Win 7 Ultimate and Office 2010 Pro via a Microsoft employee from the Microsoft employee store. So I am pretty sure it is genuine! I have the boxes, disks and codes. These about 4 years old. Not ready for Win 8.x and don;t need any special features of newer Office.
    - I am using Norton Secruity for my malware, anti-virus, performance, etc.

    Win 7 Ultimate and Office 2010 have run perfectly fine for those 4 years until recently. One major change which MAY have been the culprit is - I installed a larger HDD and used a utility to clone the hard drive. The new HDD seems to work fine, but the "not genuine" message is appearing, and the search in Outlook doesn't work. I have tried other solutions to no avail.

    Thanks again! Happy to hear more ideas!
    I am now targeting Wednesday or Thursday to do the clean install.

    Cheers,
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 19
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    I took a long time, and will take more time, but I have completed the clean install.
    Backup took a long time. But I did it all to be sure.
    The clean install took about an hour. The updates, via MS Update, took about 18 hours.
    And I had a problem getting update to work.
    I installed all HP drivers. That took some time as well.
    All seems to be working as I slowly install all my program and applications.

    Thanks again!

    I have a question about Outlook that I will post elsewhere.

    Cheers,
      My Computer

  8.    #8

    Apparently you didn't see Clean Reinstall Windows 7 which over 1.5 million consumers have used to achieve a perfect install without a single complaint, because it would have steered you away from installing "all the HP drivers" to a driver-complete OS, and using Norton bloatware.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #9

    Run a system file check, you may be disappointed with the result.

    In Command Prompt type sfc /scannow then hit enter. Let it run, let us know the results.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 19
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    SFC says it must be run by administrator running a console session....or something like that.
    SFC won't run.
    I am the only user on the system. I am the administrator.
    I did a restart and tried again. Same result.
    Thanks!
      My Computer


 
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