Installing W 7 onto a new build.

noelw1969 · 06 Jul 2015

My moms computer has died and I am building a new one for her.

What I need to know is if I can install her existing Windows 7 on the new system or do we have to get a new copy ?

I'm not exactly up to speed on how all this works but I gather that the OS kind of attaches it to the hardware and this info is used with activation/registration and that the new install might fail because of the new hardware. So far as I know, this is a retail version of Windows 7.

Any help would be appreciated.

AddRAM · 06 Jul 2015

A retail disc and license can be moved to another pc, it can only be used on 1 PC at a time, so if the other pc died you are fine to use it on the new build.

ignatzatsonic · 07 Jul 2015

noelw1969 said:

My moms computer has died and I am building a new one for her.

Where did you get the dead computer?

Dell?

HP?

You built it for her?

Where did the Windows on that dead machine come from?

gregrocker · 07 Jul 2015

If the old PC comes with a COA sticker with Product Key used for reinstall, then it is a Factory OEM copy which cannot be moved to another PC.

If it was instead upgraded from another OS that came on the PC, or was installed with a full retail copy of Win7, then you'll need the Product Key off the packaging to move it to the new PC.

Let us know which this is and we'll tell you how to proceed.

When you say the PC "died" what does this mean exactly? If only a part like the hard drive or RAM died then these can be replaced preserving the license for reinstall. Only if the mobo died is a license which came with the PC truly invalid and cannot be reinstalled.