Replace cheapy 5400rpm 500GB drive with 256GB SSD

[NZCampbell]

Gday
I have just purchased an Asus Zenbook Primer and I want to replace the cheapy 5400rpm 500GB drive and replace it with a 256GB SSD.
Now can I create a windows installation key drive with the 4 backup images I did when I first purchased the laptop do I need a brand new copy ?
Regards

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Gday
I have just purchased an Asus Zenbook Primer and I want to replace the cheapy 5400rpm 500GB drive and replace it with a 256GB SSD.
Now can I create a windows installation key drive with the 4 backup images I did when I first purchased the laptop do I need a brand new copy ?
Regards

Hello NZ and welcome - no mate if you have the original sticker - activation code you just follow the tutorial and put it on a stick and install and use that activation code.

FIRST It's an idea to set the SSD up properly and for that you might need to DISKPART it as per the tutorial
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/113967-ssd-alignment.html
- do that using the machine you are taking out the drive on and then as I said follow the tutorial you are in.

Take your time it isn't hard

Let us know how you get on.

Oh one last thing when you do get it up and running if you want even more speed - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11728-optimize-windows-7-a.html?filter[2]=Performance Maintenance

- magic stuff mate am just setting up my new build as I type LOL!!

 

[NZCampbell]

Hi mate
One thing the Asus UX32VD Prime has no windows activation sticker. The guy at Austin Computers Perth recommended I make a windows backup image due to this.
It just so happens that Asus have a utility that does this. I now have 4 iso files.

 

[theog]

Take the Asus UX32VD Prime back to Austin Computers Perth, as it illegal to sale without a activation sticker.

 

[NZCampbell]

Huh didn't know that. Thought it was strange.

 

[bigmck]

Hi mate
One thing the Asus UX32VD Prime has no windows activation sticker. The guy at Austin Computers Perth recommended I make a windows backup image due to this.
It just so happens that Asus have a utility that does this. I now have 4 iso files.

If you wanted to do a Clean Install of Win 7, you would need to activate the installation. Since you have no activation sticker, you could not do this.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hiyya NZ like theog said it is illegal without the sticker but you can see what the acivation code is by down loading Speccy

Speccy - System Information - Free Download

and click on operating system and the activation for that machines motherboard will be there - see my pic I have just blotted out some of my numbers for reasons I'm sure you will understand and to prevent you from entering that one if you reinstall as it will not activate anyway cos it's mine

Now please get back and let us know what the outcome was a) of what the dealer says and b) did you find the code? As I find his explanation erm a bit sus mate.

Oh meant to add this app is free and extremely useful to have on board!

John

 

[gregrocker]

Look at Control Panel>System for the activation status. You'll see a Product ID there. If it has OEM in the string it either has builder's OEM for which the builder should have provided you with a COA sticker with Product Key to make a legal resale of the OS, or it is cracked with an illegal activation.

I would ask the builder to provide the sticker. Report back what he says.

If he won't cooperate call in the Product ID to MS CUstomer Service for help with possible bootleg windows being sold to you on a new PC. If you cooperate they have a program where they may replace the OS for you. But they may also determine the number is legal and replace the key.

If there is no OEM in the Product ID string on the System page then it may be legal retail which can have it's key audited as suggested using Belarc Advisor so that you can reinstall following these same steps for Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yep Greg I think SIW will show this stuff up too in some detail - my previous post is all looks a bit sus eh?



http://www.gtopala.com/

 

[gregrocker]

Good stuff, John. I couldn't remember if Speccy produces the Product ID and not just the key like Belarc.

I added some other things that have worked over the years here.

I just remembered to also mention to seller that this is being aired in the top tech forum on the web, and about to be referred to MS for investigation.

 

[NZCampbell]

Just used on my asus , it displayed the id.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Good stuff, John. I couldn't remember if Speccy produces the Product ID and not just the key like Belarc.

I added some other things that have worked over the years here.

I just remembered to also mention to seller that this is being aired in the top tech forum on the web, and about to be referred to MS for investigation.

Well I sorta half smelt a rat when I first saw this thread Greg when NZ said the seller couldn't provide the info or that there was no sticker.

That I put down to perhaps it being unstuck accidentally or whatever or had been deliberately removed by a person or persons unknown ? kids?? - which in turn begs the question to NZ - how much do you know about this seller??

Me I personally would be checking out the serial number and stuff like that with maybe the manufacturer:sarc:

 

[bobkn]

Bit of a latecomer to the party here, but...

Aren't most laptops activated using a scheme where the key on the COA (certificate of authenticity) isn't the same as what a keyfinder would show for the pre-installed OS? (The abbreviation SLI - not the NVidia sort - comes to mind.)

I hope that the seller can provide a location for the COA. Perhaps it's there, but hidden away to save it from being worn off.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hum bob I think it actually says it must be displayed in full view - not on top but certainly where it can be seen. But I stand to be corrected.


As for the activation it should have shown up in Speccy or SIW the latter will also provide some of the passwords too. Now another thing is if it is activated then it means it is connecting up to Microsoft for updates wouldn't it??


If there is nothing there then someone needs to do some explaining and if it were me sooner rather than later.

Personally if it were me I would be checking the serial number as I said before against the manufacturers records. If they come up ok the next thing I would do would be to get an OEM (or retail) and then there would not be a problem!

See what I mean in pic (I would really interested in seeing this for NZ's machine) .

 

[gregrocker]

Dell puts the sticker under the battery sometimes. Look there.

It's true that the key audited from factory preinstalled Win7 is the SLP mass activation key which cannot be used for Clean Reinstall. But that wouldn't apply for Builder's OEM or retail which is hopefully what the OP has here.

Still waiting to hear if the Product ID on Control Panel>System page has an OEM in it's string. If not, it's retail and you should be good to audit the key to reinstall.

 

[NZCampbell]

Gday pople. I have a an ISO windows image of my hard drive from the Hitachi5400rpm drive. Can I use the ISO files and put them directly onto the SSD ?

 

[gregrocker]

What imaging app did you use to create the ISO? Where is it stored?

If it's the same size or smaller than the SSD you should be able to boot the imaging boot disk, apply the image to the SSD. If the options are given choose to Mark Active and include the MBR and Track0.

Once the image is applied if it won't start on its own, unplug all other drives and peripherals, boot into the Win7 installer, confirm WIn7 partition (or it's 100mb SysReserved boot partition) is Mark Partition Active,
then run Startup Repair - Run up to 3 Separate Times.

 

[NZCampbell]

What imaging app did you use to create the ISO? Where is it stored?

I used the Asus software supplied to create image. Its 4 separate ISO and Im going to use Win7 to USB and make a flash stick a bootalble USB and go from there.

 

[gregrocker]

That sounds like the Asus Recovery Disks, which would restore all of the corrupting bloatware.

I would not use those but instead do the superior Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 without the factory bloatware and useless duplicate utilities.

However if you want to now Clean Up Factory Bloatware first, then if you're satisfied with the performance and/or don't want to lose a specific preinstalled app you could save a Win7 backup image or Macrium to Image your system to reimage to the SSD.

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
System Image Recovery

There's also a premium Acronis cloning/imaging app which comes with any WD or Seagate HD which works quite well.

 

[NZCampbell]

Gday just an update on this thread. I purchased the SSD Samsung 830 seris 256GB Sata III today. Is should come this week.