Installing Windows 7 Home Premium OEM on a new hard drive

rumpled103 · 25 Aug 2016

Ok, so I have a computer that came pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Now I was trying to backup the computer using Acronis True Image, but during the beginning of that, it gave me a lot of sector errors, so I just chose to ignore all of them. The backup operation completed after an hour or so. Now, I was told that I may have to do chkdsk /r, it will try to fix the bad sectors as well as any errors. But I might end up losing all my data. I was also directed to an Acer website from the UK with a hard disk checker. It also reported bad sectors and gave me the option to repair them. I chose no. Here's the link: http://acer--uk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11... Now, I am thinking about getting a new 1 TB hard drive, my current one is 640 GB and made by WD. Now I have an .iso file for Win 7 Home Premium which I got from getintopc. And I would need to be able to install Windows on the new hard drive. But I don't wanna do that because I'm afraid it'll be detected as a new computer and it'll see that I still have an activated Windows on the old hard drive, thereform not allowing me to activate Windows on the new hard drive. So how do I go about uninstalling Windows on the old hard drive and reinstalling and activating it on the new one? Do I need to format the old hard drive?

Edit: Sorry if you see any typos, I was on my phone.

TheLovleyGuy · 25 Aug 2016

rumpled103 said:

Ok, so I have a computer that came pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Now I was trying to backup the computer using Acronis True Image, but during the beginning of that, it gave me a lot of sector errors, so I just chose to ignore all of them. The backup operation completed after an hour or so. Now, I was told that I may have to do chkdsk /r, it will try to fix the bad sectors as well as any errors. But I might end up losing all my data. I was also directed to an Acer website from the UK with a hard disk checker. It also reported bad sectors and gave me the option to repair them. I chose no. Here's the link: http://acer--uk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11... Now, I am thinking about getting a new 1 TB hard drive, my current one is 640 GB and made by WD. Now I have an .iso file for Win 7 Home Premium which I got from getintopc. And I would need to be able to install Windows on the new hard drive. But I don't wanna do that because I'm afraid it'll be detected as a new computer and it'll see that I still have an activated Windows on the old hard drive, thereform not allowing me to activate Windows on the new hard drive. So how do I go about uninstalling Windows on the old hard drive and reinstalling and activating it on the new one? Do I need to format the old hard drive?

Edit: Sorry if you see any typos, I was on my phone.

Hi,

Good to get a new hard disk than the old because the Old hard disk having sector errors

Format C:\ in the old hard disk

Here is a link which haves 5 Ways for formatting C:\

How To Format C From Recovery Console

ignatzatsonic · 25 Aug 2016

rumpled103 said:

I am thinking about getting a new 1 TB hard drive, my current one is 640 GB and made by WD. Now I have an .iso file for Win 7 Home Premium which I got from getintopc. And I would need to be able to install Windows on the new hard drive.

But I don't wanna do that because I'm afraid it'll be detected as a new computer and it'll see that I still have an activated Windows on the old hard drive, therefore not allowing me to activate Windows on the new hard drive. So how do I go about uninstalling Windows on the old hard drive and reinstalling and activating it on the new one? Do I need to format the old hard drive?

Hard drives fail all the time. Replacing a failed drive with a new drive should not have any affect on your Windows license.

But..............

You will have to activate your new installation on the new drive.

To do that, you need to enter a 25 character code that should be on a "Certificate of Authenticity" sticker somewhere on that Acer PC.

It's in the form of xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx. Five groups of five characters.

If you DON'T have that sticker, you have problems and may have to buy a new Windows.

I'm assuming this ISO you got from "getintopc" is legitimate. If it is not, you may have more problems. I have no idea who that is. If it's a bogus outfit, you should be able to download a legitimate ISO from Microsoft directly.

The only thing you should have to do with the old drive is to disconnect it BEFORE you begin installing on the new drive. You don't want 2 drives connected when you install Windows.

Once the new drive is up and running and activated, you can do whatever you want with the old drive---most likely wipe everything off it or destroy it literally (hammer, blowtorch, saw) and throw it in the trash.

rumpled103 · 25 Aug 2016

I have the COA 25 character product key on the side of my computer case. It's still legible. And if it's not, there's always ProduKey. I have the product ID and product key on a Word document. Now the question is, how do I go and activate the product key? Do I go right-click on Computer > Properties > Activate Product Key, enter it, and then click ok? I heard somewhere that this might actually work. I don't know if internet activation will work with OEM keys. If it doesn't work, then I might have to do it by phone activation.

Oh, and by the way, I can't download legitimate Windows 7 .isos from Microsoft. They ask you to put in a product key, but I tried it and it doesn't work. I don't think it works with OEM keys, only retail keys. It seems as though Microsoft is really trying to make it hard to you to download .isos from them.

ignatzatsonic · 25 Aug 2016

rumpled103 said:

I have the COA 25 character product key on the side of my computer case. It's still legible. And if it's not, there's always ProduKey. I have the product ID and product key on a Word document. Now the question is, how do I go and activate the product key? Do I click on Activate Product Key, enter it, and then click ok? I heard somewhere that this might actually work. I don't know if internet activation will work with OEM keys. If it doesn't work, then I might have to do it by phone activation.

You don't do anything now regarding the Product Key.

The COA must match the ISO you have by type (Home Premium in your case, I assume).

You burn that ISO you have to a DVD or get it onto a bootable USB stick.

Then install the new drive and install Windows onto it using your burned DVD or USB stick.

Then use the Product Key to activate Windows within the new Windows installation after it's up and running. You have 30 days to do that. I think you are offered the choice of doing it immediately during the installation, but you can say no to that and do it later.

You might go to Acer's website now and download their up-to-date drivers. You might not have to actually use them. I'd be sure to get the Ethernet (NIC) driver as it's critical to getting on the Internet. The Windows installer normally provides most if not all drivers.

After the install, get anti-virus going and then do your Windows Updates, install apps, and carry on.

ignatzatsonic · 25 Aug 2016

rumpled103 said:

Oh, and by the way, I can't download legitimate Windows 7 .isos from Microsoft. They ask you to put in a product key, but I tried it and it doesn't work. I don't think it works with OEM keys, only retail keys. It seems as though Microsoft is really trying to make it hard to you to download .isos from them.

You're probably looking in the wrong location.

There is a MS site that only works with retail keys. That must be where you went.

Looky here:

https://heidoc.net/joomla/technology...download-links

rumpled103 · 25 Aug 2016

ignatzatsonic said:

rumpled103 said:

Oh, and by the way, I can't download legitimate Windows 7 .isos from Microsoft. They ask you to put in a product key, but I tried it and it doesn't work. I don't think it works with OEM keys, only retail keys. It seems as though Microsoft is really trying to make it hard to you to download .isos from them.

You're probably looking in the wrong location.

There is a MS site that only works with retail keys. That must be where you went.

Looky here:

https://heidoc.net/joomla/technology...download-links

What is COEM? Is that the same thing as OEM? And is there a difference between Windows 7 Home Premium SPI .iso and Windows 7 Home Premium SPI COEM .iso? Will it make a difference which one I choose?

ignatzatsonic · 25 Aug 2016

I think COEM may be a system builder's license. Not sure.

I'd avoid it.

Just get plain old standard Windows 7 Home Premium, either 64 bit or 32 bit.

The 64 bit version is X17-58997.iso

ThrashZone · 25 Aug 2016

Hi,
Do you have a activation key ?
COEM I believe is a manufactures/ Dell... self activating version
If you have a activation key it's unneeded just get the regular iso without any oem listing the activation key should sort out where it came from :)

Win-7 sp1 Home Premium 64 bit English,
https://software-download.microsoft....fc9b0f8ecd66cd

Link good for 24hrs.

Osprey · 25 Aug 2016

If you are using the product key from the sticker, then you can use either Retail or OEM disks to install Windows 7. It doesn't matter which one you choose.

https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/techno...-download-tool