Slipstream OEM Win 7 (with OEM disc)

Nat1 · 06 Jul 2017

Hello everyone. Before I go on, I'd like to state that I'm a noob and I do apologize if my concerns sound stupid.

So I'd like to perform a clean install. It's a Win 7 Home OEM. For some reason, it wasn't equipped with a recovery partition so I've been looking into doing a clean install and slipstreaming it since I have the OEM disc. However, I'm not sure if it's possible due to a couple of reasons:

1. When I first bought the laptop, the Win 7 was the 32-bit version. I then got my RAM upgraded and the technician switched it to a 64-bit. Will I still be able to activate my Windows despite the changes if I do decide to carry out the clean install/slipstream?

2. From what I've read online, some say it's feasible to slipstream Win 7 OEM while others say it isn't. Hence I'd like to get a definite answer. I'm not sure if having the OEM disc would matter.

Megahertz07 · 06 Jul 2017

Welcome to the forum.

Edit your profile and add ALL your hardware specs. https://www.sevenforums.com/profile.php?do=extra
We have to know what kind of license you have.
Run this software and post the results here. https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012

It seems that when the technician switched it to a 64-bit it cleaned all disk. Post an image of disk manager. Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image - Windows 7 Help Forums

Do you have the Win 7 Home 64 installation disk or only the 32 that came with the computer?
Do you have the COA stick with the key that came with your computer? Look at the side of the case.

Nat1 · 07 Jul 2017

Thank you.

I've updated my profile and added the hardware specs the best I could.

My disk was fine though, nothing in the partitions got deleted. Perhaps they only cleaned the system recovery partition?

I re-checked the OEM disc and it's the 64-bit. I'm sorry if I recalled incorrectly and if it was actually 64-bit all along, it was a long time ago. (Although, I'm pretty sure the person said it was 32-bit unless it was possible to upgrade it without any additional cost?)

And yes, I still have the COA sticker.

AddRAM · 07 Jul 2017

So what is it you want to do ?

1) Your key works for 32 bit and/or 64 bit.

2) If the tech installed 64 Bit you`re good, there`s nothing more to do.

If you want to be sure, click the start orb, then right click on computer and click properties, it will tell you what bit version you have installed.

Once again, Welcome to Seven Forums :)

Nat1 · 07 Jul 2017

Thank you. :)

I've checked and it's the 64-bit.

Well, that only leaves the second half of my concerns.

I'm looking into slipstreaming my Win 7 OEM (perhaps with RT7Lite) but I'm not sure if it's possible. From what I've read online, some say it is while others say it isn't. I'd like to get a definite answer (and if owning the OEM disc itself would matter or not in this case), and if RT7Lite isn't the best program to do it, which program is better suited to accomplish such task.

AddRAM · 07 Jul 2017

You can build any installer you`d like, you just have to know how to do it

Unless you have to install windows on a hundred computers, it`s not worth the effort.

Since you don`t have a recovery partition, it would be wise to create a system image, you can use Windows built in imaging program or download and install Macrium Reflect free edition.

A Macrium image will take up less space on your data partition.

Megahertz07 · 07 Jul 2017

I'm quite sure the technician cleaned all disk as it doesn't have a recover partition.
Is the OEM disc you have a Lenovo or MS disk label?
Does your COA license is *****-*****-WPKCV-K3MQW-V84P9 ?

As you have a Win 7 Home OEM 64 disk and a COA license, you can do a clean install or a repair install.
- Clean install will erase ALL partitions then install Win 7. Clean Install Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums
- Repair install will reinstall win 7, keeping all data and programs. Repair Install - Windows 7 Help Forums

I always do a clean install and reinstall all programs and recover my data from the backup.

I see from MGADiag that you have a Enterprise Office. Do you have the installation disk and Key?
You must do a Data backup on an external disk.
Run this program to find all installed keys and save on an external disk. http://www.klinzmann.name/licensecrawler.htm

My suggestion is to do a clean install.
For the updates MS releases SP2 for Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums

Nat1 · 07 Jul 2017

I have made a system image.

It's just that I saw on a few forums that it's tricky to slipstream Win 7 OEM, but the last post I could find was written in 2011, and I can no longer find the RT7 forum to look this up/post this concern. So I was wondering if there are some things that need to be done in order for this operation to be successful. Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask.

AddRAM · 07 Jul 2017

There`s no reason to reinstall W7, he`s fine.

Creating a W7 installer with all the updates and programs you want, Slip Streaming, as you call it, can be quite complicated to a novice and takes experience and research. Better left to the IT Admins that get paid to do it.

But I believe there are 1 or 2 Tutorials here somewhere. And you can always Google it. :)

Nat1 · 07 Jul 2017

Megahertz07 said:

I'm quite sure the technician cleaned all disk as it doesn't have a recover partition.
Is the OEM disc you have a Lenovo or MS disk label?
Does your COA license is *****-*****-WPKCV-K3MQW-V84P9 ?

As you have a Win 7 Home OEM 64 disk and a COA license, you can do a clean install or a repair install.
- Clean install will erase ALL partitions then install Win 7. Clean Install Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums
- Repair install will reinstall win 7, keeping all data and programs. Repair Install - Windows 7 Help Forums

I always do a clean install and reinstall all programs and recover my data from the backup.

I see from MGADiag that you have a Enterprise Office. Do you have the installation disk and Key?
You must do a Data backup on an external disk.
Run this program to find all installed keys and save on an external disk. http://www.klinzmann.name/licensecrawler.htm

My suggestion is to do a clean install.
For the updates MS releases SP2 for Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums

The only thing I remember is that my files were fine. The Novo key never worked either, even before upgrading my RAM.

The OEM disc is MS.

Yes, that's my license.

I was thinking about doing that, but speeding the process up with the updates and the programs by slipstreaming it. My internet can be slow so I assumed slipstreaming would be a better option.