Reinstalling windows 7

[zaktt]

Hello, last year i bought a hp laptop with windows 7 home 64 bit. a few weeks ago for some reason it crashed and the repair disks i got from hp didnt work. due to some missing cmd. so i installed the new ubuntu over windows 7. now my question is, can i get my windows 7 back, and how so? thanks

 

[kegobeer]

Fill out your system specs so we know what hardware you own. Without that, we can only guess at possible solutions.

 

[zaktt]

I have updated everything that I could find about it

 

[AC]

Look at the link in my sig to fill out specs automatically.
But I think this is what you need http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/240376-installing-windows-7-need-help.html#post2005434 (my answer is in that thread)

 

[zaktt]

I know how to install windows 7. But I have worn down my product key an I can't read it. Is there software I can download off Ubuntu to find that key?

 

[AC]

I know how to install windows 7. But I have worn down my product key an I can't read it. Is there software I can download off Ubuntu to find that key?

I don't think there is any other way. Maybe call Microsoft and see if they'll help?

 

[gregrocker]

If you can't read your Product Key then you can't clean reinstall the licensed version without buying another key.

But you can contact HP and have them send your Recovery disks for that model which will self-activate.

 

[zaktt]

Well I have recover disks, but web I use them and it's all finished, it says it wouldn't complete due to a missing cmd

 

[gregrocker]

The most stable way to run Recovery is to run it from it's partition, saving the disks to use only as backup. Did you try that? http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01895783&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en

Have you used these disks successfully before? Make sure they are unscratched or clean them if necessary and try again.

This time wipe the HD with http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html from Win7 DVD or Repair CD first, accessing http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/119713-diskpart-pc-startup.html?ltr=D

I don't know why you'd want the HP factory install with all it's preinstalled bloatware which is the worst in the PC industry. Much better to http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

 

[zaktt]

I have used the disks 2 times before, all clean. I can't access anything on my HD cuz when I boot up my computer I get a box saying that the recovery was not successful

 

[zaktt]

An I have to use a recovery disk because I can't read my product key on the bottom of my laptop

 

[karlsnooks]

You are faced with either buying win7 or
ordering recovery discs from HP.

Looking for Recovery Discs? - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

 

[gregrocker]

You can always boot a disk even with that Recovery Failed error message. Just tap the ESC or F9 one-time BIOS Boot Menu key at boot and trigger the CD/DVD drive. If you don't get a prompt to Press Any Key to BOot Disk then the disk is not burned correctly.

So boot into Win7 DVD or Repair CD command line to run Diskpart, free Partition Wizard bootable CD, or DBAN CD to wipe the HD to see if Recovery Disks will then boot and run to completion.

Other options besides ordering your Recovery Disks from HP are to install the free Win8 Consumer Preview which is quite good although the button-like start screen takes some getting used to - it's just a Start menu with clickable icons which actually starts with Windows. We even have a sister site EightForums.com which will get you all set up and running great. You can participate as we did with Win7 beta and earn low cost or free copies as you go from MS.

You can also install a Linux distro which is also free.