New Hard drive

[Kay]

My old hard drive was 500 GB and it started locking up on me. I took it to the shop and the guy replaced it with a new 300GB. The problem is he installed a copy of windows that says it only has 28 days left. I am able to access the recovery part of my old hard drive by hooking it up through a usb to sata/ide cable. It appears that the recovery part is not impaired. The problem is I don't have a clue as to how to use the recovery through the usb drive. I tried booting to that drive but it did not work. Is it possible to put the recovery on disks? Or create a boot on a usb stick to boot to the H: drive which holds the recovery? I absolutely appreciate any advice anyone has to offer.

 

[theog]

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create
​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?



You can order Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from your OEM manufacturer's website.
How to order Microsoft official Dell OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks.
Manuals | Dell US
RouteTo
Customer Support | Dell US

 

[Kay]

No I didn't make the recovery disks. I did make a backup image to my external hard drive. Would that help me any? or would it be a problem since the old hard drive was 500gb and new one is 300gb?

 

[theog]

Try using the backup.

 

[Kay]

ok. I've never done this before so I hope I don't mess up and not even be able to search for another solution if it doesn't work. I kind of figured that would be the only way without waiting for disks from Dell. Thank you for your advice.

 

[whs]

Your easiest bet is to make an image from the old system on the USB attached disk and restore that to your new disk. Here is an easy program you can use:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

The advantage of that approach is that you get exactly the system as it was before your disk was exchanged.


Note: You can do the imaging and the recovery with the Macrium WinPE disc. You can download the .iso from my Skydrive site. You then burn that to a CD and boot from this CD. It contains the complete system that can do the job and you are completely independent fron your current system.
But even if you do not use this WinPE disc to make your image, you will still need it for the recovery. So you should get it in any case.

 

[Kay]

ok I will try that right away. Thank you for your help.

 

[gregrocker]

If the Win7 version installed is the same as your licensed version then you can insert the Product Key at the Computer>Properties activation link, from the COA sticker on the bottom of laptop or under the battery if its readable.

This should have been done at the shop. The owner otherwise had no right to install another version on your PC which is illegal as well as unethical. He may only install a version you pay him for, for which he must affix a COA sticker proving it's Genuine and used for reinstall; or the licensed version you already own on the PC.

What repair shop would reinstall an unactivated Win7 version when you already own a copy of Win7 which is stickered to the PC? Look under the battery or on the bottom to see that the Product Key is still readable so you have the option to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. Everything needed is in the blue link to get a perfect install.

 

[Kay]

well installing a completely pirated windows is what he has done. I did not know this until I turned on the windows updates and installed them. That is when it told me my windows does not have a valid product id. This seems like it would have been so much easier for him to have copied while the old hard drive was still installed. Now I cant seem to get anything that's free to work or I'm just not doing something right.

 

[Kay]

well I did what you said and checked for my own product key and put it in windows and it said it activated. I certainly hope this repairman didn't share my product id with others. Thank you for the info. I'm glad I have a legal product now.

 

[whs]

If he stole the product key from your COA sticker and reused it, then you have a problem. The only chance then is if your original system is a preinstalled OEM version because that works with a generic factory key. If you deal with that as I pointed out in my post #6, you may save the day.

Update: You seem to be safe.

 

[gregrocker]

Glad it helped.

Compare the install you have with the perfect one compiled in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
which we can help you achieve if you decide you want it. Otherwise the more you stick with the tools and methods given, the closer you'll have to a perfect install.