Lost your Windows discs? How to get replacement media, legally

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  1. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #20

    bassfisher6522 said:
    My question is; what do you do when the recovery software and hidden OS partition has been deleted.
    You need to buy the recovery disks or do a clean install.

    RE: Clean Install using the COA PID key
    This article seems to be all about Factory recovery.

    Can forum members still provide the link to "My Digital Life" to download the ISO for a Clean Install as was agreed at one stage??
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,660
    Windows 8 Pro (32-bit)
       #21

    bigcitycat said:
    I don't understand Microsofts problem here. They can't be activated without a valid product key anyway.
    That's my thinking. They could simply offer an .iso download directly from their site (and could even offer a <700mb bootable installer .iso that automatically downloads the files as needed. This way they can ensure that everyone that chooses to download Windows will at least get the official build, without any cracks or hidden viruses or anything (it could even include checksums that prevent installation if tampering with the installer is detected).
      My Computer

  3.    #22

    mjf said:
    Can forum members still provide the link to "My Digital Life" to download the ISO for a Clean Install as was agreed at one stage??

    Yes, dispensed individually to OP's who have a working thread requiring Repair Install or Clean Reinstalling Windows 7.

    We need to demonstrate caution so we don't lose the approval to do this, given here, following MS's lead in their own forums.
      My Computer


  4. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #23

    I was referring to the same thread here. Just checking if there had been a policy change since, accepting you reference the link when appropriate.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 8,375
    W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
       #24

    Bertison said:
    Brink said:
    By Ed Bott | January 5, 2012, 3:48pm PST

    Did your most recent Windows PC come with reinstallation media? Many do, some don’t. But contrary to what you might have read, creating replacement Windows discs is easy, and every major PC maker will supply backup discs, sometimes for free. I have details.
    Read more at:
    Lost your Windows discs? How to get replacement media, legally | ZDNet
    Some time ago, I needed to remove all the useless, space-wasting factory crud from my HP lappy and make a fresh install of Win7/64. On the UK "Micromart" magazine forum, I received good advice from a techie working in a large international PC outlet. I used his advice and I pass it on here:

    Backup all the stuff you intend to keep.
    Your original Win7 Product Key is needed. On lappies, it is on the base. For a PC 'Big Box', it should have been a sticker in your original Windows disc case. If not, it may be stuck to the inside of the PC case.Write it down.
    Borrow a genuine Win7 disc, OEM or Full. (Luckily, I had a full copy from my PC.) The disc MUST be same O/S as original: Win7/64, 32, Home Premium/Utimate/Professional/whatever.
    Install the disc and follow the instructions for a complete new Installation. This will remove everything and prepare it for the new installation.
    At activation, when asked for the Product Key, type in the one you wrote down, from your original O/S.
    Follow the instructions on screen, for a shiny, spanking new installation.
    Reinstall your backup stuff.
    What do you do with an old beat up laptop where the OS is history and optical drive is toast as well? That required a usb install key for Vista Home Premium where the drivers for chipset as well as video and sound had to be downloaded separately once a fresh copy of Windows was on.

    The product key was simply taken from the sticker attached on the under side for that portable. The Vista dvd used had to be a genuine disk however for making up the install key not anything found elsewhere and to pass the WGA!

    bassfisher6522 said:
    My question is; what do you do when the recovery software and hidden OS partition has been deleted. How do you recover to factory condition with out those two options. I'm working with a client right now that has a Toshiba laptop with just this problem. There has to be a way to recover to factory condition with out ordering the recovery disc's, mind you, that only comes with the OS and no drivers, which you have to download separately.
    You already mentioned part of the answer for that by locating the correct drivers at the manufacturer's support site. Once hidden recovery partition has been removed the device drivers and all prepackaged softwares are lost along with it including the OEM preactivation.

    The option for recovery back to factory to include what came with it would require attaining an OEM disk direct from Toshiba likely through the dealer/vendor that sold the laptop itself. Often once the customer information is provided you will pay for shipping only.

    One other to further point out is if the laptop or pc OEM comes with the 32bit Home Premium you cannot use a 64bit Home Premium disk. The OEM license only covers the 32bit Windows preinstalled.

    A retail disk with a new license would be needed for seeing the 64bit flavor go on instead. The same applies in reverse for seeing the 32bit version of same go onto a machine that came with the 64bit.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 4,280
    Windows 7 ultimate 64 bit / XP Home sp3
       #25

    Good to know.

    Thanks Fabe
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2,240
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
       #26

    Night Hawk said:
    Bertison said:
    Brink said:
    By Ed Bott | January 5, 2012, 3:48pm PST

    Read more at:
    Lost your Windows discs? How to get replacement media, legally | ZDNet
    Some time ago, I needed to remove all the useless, space-wasting factory crud from my HP lappy and make a fresh install of Win7/64. On the UK "Micromart" magazine forum, I received good advice from a techie working in a large international PC outlet. I used his advice and I pass it on here:

    Backup all the stuff you intend to keep.
    Your original Win7 Product Key is needed. On lappies, it is on the base. For a PC 'Big Box', it should have been a sticker in your original Windows disc case. If not, it may be stuck to the inside of the PC case.Write it down.
    Borrow a genuine Win7 disc, OEM or Full. (Luckily, I had a full copy from my PC.) The disc MUST be same O/S as original: Win7/64, 32, Home Premium/Utimate/Professional/whatever.
    Install the disc and follow the instructions for a complete new Installation. This will remove everything and prepare it for the new installation.
    At activation, when asked for the Product Key, type in the one you wrote down, from your original O/S.
    Follow the instructions on screen, for a shiny, spanking new installation.
    Reinstall your backup stuff.
    What do you do with an old beat up laptop where the OS is history and optical drive is toast as well? That required a usb install key for Vista Home Premium where the drivers for chipset as well as video and sound had to be downloaded separately once a fresh copy of Windows was on.

    The product key was simply taken from the sticker attached on the under side for that portable. The Vista dvd used had to be a genuine disk however for making up the install key not anything found elsewhere and to pass the WGA!

    bassfisher6522 said:
    My question is; what do you do when the recovery software and hidden OS partition has been deleted. How do you recover to factory condition with out those two options. I'm working with a client right now that has a Toshiba laptop with just this problem. There has to be a way to recover to factory condition with out ordering the recovery disc's, mind you, that only comes with the OS and no drivers, which you have to download separately.
    You already mentioned part of the answer for that by locating the correct drivers at the manufacturer's support site. Once hidden recovery partition has been removed the device drivers and all prepackaged softwares are lost along with it including the OEM preactivation.

    The option for recovery back to factory to include what came with it would require attaining an OEM disk direct from Toshiba likely through the dealer/vendor that sold the laptop itself. Often once the customer information is provided you will pay for shipping only.

    One other to further point out is if the laptop or pc OEM comes with the 32bit Home Premium you cannot use a 64bit Home Premium disk. The OEM license only covers the 32bit Windows preinstalled.

    A retail disk with a new license would be needed for seeing the 64bit flavor go on instead. The same applies in reverse for seeing the 32bit version of same go onto a machine that came with the 64bit.

    Yeah..I totally agree with you...but my question was; with out having to buy the disc from the vendor. Even though it's a greatly discounted price. Toshiba charges $29.95 plus shipping. HP charges $19.95 plus shipping and Dell the same if I can remember correctly. And some vendors only have the OS and not the other preloaded software. Hp and Dell are big for that. A small price to pay for the customers peace of mind.
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  8.    #27

    I do not believe it is correct that you cannot clean reinstall 64-bit on an 32-bit preinstalled OEM system, or vice versa.

    Under the EULA you are entitled to either 32-bit or 64-bit with each license but only one at a time.

    No manufacturer can restrict the terms of the EULA even with Win7 factory OEM version - which you own, not them. They may not provide the desired bit-version drivers on their website but in my experience they can almost always be found using optional Updates, googling device model (if necessary using Hardware Identification) or as a last resort the excellent freeware DriverMax. Do not change drivers given by the installer or Updates unless performance dictates doing so - this is not XP.

    When you reinstall factory OEM you should use the Product Key on the COA sticker which changes the activation from OEM-SLP mass-activation method used at factory to OEM-COA which is administered in MS Activation Servers. This removes activation entirely from the purview of the manufacturer and places it with MS which will always protect you under the terms of the EULA.

    This often requires making the telephone robocall exchanging a series of numbers recording the hardware signature for the new OEM-COA in MS servers. It can then be reinstalled as often as you like with normal web reactivation as long as the hardware signature stays within bounds, e.g. no change of mobo.
    Last edited by gregrocker; 12 Feb 2012 at 22:24. Reason: clarified factory OEM
      My Computer


  9. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #28

    gregrocker said:
    I do not believe it is correct that you cannot clean reinstall 64-bit on an 32-bit preinstalled OEM system, or vice versa.

    Under the EULA you are entitled to either 32-bit or 64-bit with each license but only one at a time.

    No manufacturer can restrict the terms of the EULA even with Win7 OEM version which you own, not them. They may not provide the desired bit-version drivers on their website but in my experience they can almost always be found using optional Updates, google with Hardware Identification, or as a last resort the excellent freeware DriverMax. Do not change drivers given by the installer or Updates unless performance dictates doing so - this is not XP.

    When you reinstall OEM you should use the Product Key on the COA sticker which changes the activation from OEM-SLP mass-activation method used at factory to OEM-COA which is administered in MS Activation Servers. It removes activation entirely from the purview of the manufacturer and places it with MS which will always protect you under the terms of the EULA.

    This often requires making the telephone robocall when a series of numbers is exchanged recording the hardware signature for the new OEM-COA in MS Servers. It can then be reinstalled as often as you like with normal web reactivation as long as the hardware signature stays within bounds, e.g. no change of mobo.
    This is also my understanding. As I commented in an old post there are some pros and cons in going from OEM-SLP to OEM-COA. With OEM-SLP your activation is totally self contained. When you move to OEM-COA MS control your activation and you may get the occasional issue requiring a reactivation. The gain you get is a "clean" install if that really matters to you.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 8,375
    W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
       #29

    That's what you end up with! When using a factory provided recovery disk, the utility often provided to create one, or the option on many systems to start the factory restore with a key combination as a boot option you end up back where the system was when first bought. The preactivation and device drivers tucked away on the recovery partition are restored at that time.

    Once you take someone else's disk of the same you then enter the key on the sticker but are then starting off without the device drivers and are required to reactivate using the same key. Then you have to either find the updates at the support site or use a program like SIW to identify board make and model, chipset, and any expansion cards(video, sound) installed in order to locate the drivers, apps for each.

    If you switch from 32bit preinstall to 64bit that's a different story since OEM disks whether branded or non branded for system builders are not retail but one license per disk. The retail package sees both a 32bit and 64bit dvd included. As for an MSDN or TechNET paid subscription download you would need to ask Brink or someone else whether or not you could download both and use one key or only be able to use the key provided along with each download from MS.

    If you own a business on the other hand with many machines you would likely buy a volume license that would cover both without any problem using either or both since the license covers far more.
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