Upgrade question, incomparable software?

[dustman]

Hello, everyone, advice please:

Several years ago I bought 2 new identical Dell XPS 8000 desktop computers from Best Buy. They are both running Windows 7 Home Premium, and have the i7 processor, both are 64 bit. I registered them. No problems. Now the most heavily used one is having occasional lock-ups and various problems (not responding for 10-15 seconds to commands, etc. I have AVG and Malwarebytes on it, and both say there are no problems, viruses, etc. I think it is just getting old and worn out. I recently bought an identical but lightly used Dell XPS 8000 refurbished computer as a back-up, from a non-profit organization, They guarantee the unit professionally refurbished to factory specs, and running perfectly, and on its way to me. I subsequently found out it is running Windows 7 Pro, with a restore partition. They did not have theregistration key. I went online to buy a Windows 7 Pro upgrade for my 2 Home Pro computers so all programs would match, and found online that there were no serious advantages to doing this. And the prices ran from $140 -299, so that's out. I then wondered if I can download Wndows 7 Pro on the new computer when it gets here, onto a disc in case the operating system ever goes down. All 3 computers are 64 bit, and running Windows 7. My original 2 are Home Premium, the new one is running Windows 7 Pro.

Any advice?

Thanks,

dustman

 

[Berton]

The Product Key should be on a sticker on the case, part of the requirements of a licensed installation. Since it was refurbed to factory condition there usually is a small CD/DVD burning program that is to be used to create the discs for a factory restore. The Product Keys usually are not interchangeable between different versions of Windows, i.e. between Home Premium and Professional. The Product Key can be extracted using something like the free Belarc Advisor or Magical Jellybean.

 

[dustman]

Thanks, Berton!

 

[Berton]

You're welcome.