Windows system image on my ssd

[ignatzatsonic]

How do I find my product key? Sorry for the noob question.

It is probably on a sticker located at the bottom of the PC or possibly in a battery compartment.

It has 25 characters, in groups of 5, like this:

xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

If you don't have it, you cannot activate a clean install.

 

[Rfore44]

I'll get on that. And yes I have my 25 digit key, so downloading win 7 right now.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Be SURE repeat SURE you are downloading the EXACT same version as your PC came with, such as:

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit English, or whatever it happens to be.

Are you downloading from mydigitallife.info or elsewhere? Many downloadable ISOs are bogus and illegal.

 

[Rfore44]

Be SURE repeat SURE you are downloading the EXACT same version as your PC came with, such as:

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit English, or whatever it happens to be.

Are you downloading from mydigitallife.info or elsewhere? Many downloadable ISOs are bogus and illegal.

Already check my dxdiag and am getting the right one, thanks for looking out.

 

[karlsnooks]

Sure hope you are downloading from a legit site.

Any way, I assume you are downloading an iso file.

That iso file can be burned to a DVD (you'll need 4GB size) which most are.

Or better yet. put the ISO on a usb stick.

Myself, I prepare a usb stick and then use 7-Zip to extract the iso to the usb stick which must be at least 4GB and 4 GB is ideal.

Here is how to prepare a USB stick.
PREPARE A UFD FOR USE (USB FLASH DRIVE)


Run CMD.EXE as administrator

Type following commands and hit ENTER key after each command.
DISKPART starts the DiskPart program
LIST DISK shows numeral assigned to disks
note the numeral assigned to your usb stick
The numeral 2 will be used in this example
SELECT DISK 2
DETAIL DISK the info shown will confirm the correctness of your selection
CLEAN ALL the entire usb stick will be overwritten with zeros
This can take awhile if usb stick has large capacity.
Keep the faith-the DiskPart prompt will eventually return.
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY create a primary partition on the USB stick
FORMAT FS=NTFS format the partition
ACTIVE the partition can contain operating system startup files
ASSIGN the next available letter is assigned to the USB stick
EXIT exit from the DISKPART program
EXIT exit from the command shell
=================================


If your usb stick balks, then you know now that the stick is bad.


You can tell 7-Zip (which is free) to extract an ISO to the USB drive.


7-Zip

 

[Rfore44]

Im getting it from mydigitallife.info it says it's a 3GB download

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Before proceeding with the clean install you should definitely make a set of recovery CDs so you can restore your PC to factory specifications if ever needed.

Your PC probably has a recovery partition that would also restore you to factory specs, but if you do a clean install, you would normally wipe out that partition. So, it's important to make the CDs.

With any luck, you will never have to use the recovery CDs.

 

[karlsnooks]

You just might find that DVDs are required for the "recovery" dvds.

Personally, I've never made them, but I can't argue with the logic of making them.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Yeah, Karl may be right. You may need DVDs. I've never made them either. It may take 2 or 3 discs?

 

[Rfore44]

So I used 7-zip to extract it to my USB, how do I get it on the new ssd. Do I restart my computer with the old HDD unplugged so just the SSD is plugged in with the USB stick in a slot or is there an easier way?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What is "it"??


Are you referring to an ISO downloaded from mydigitallife.info?

Most people would burn that ISO to a disk and install from that.

If you want to use a USB drive, look here:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html?ltr=U

Disconnect any drives other than the SSD to which you are installing.

 

[Rfore44]

Sure hope you are downloading from a legit site.

Any way, I assume you are downloading an iso file.

That iso file can be burned to a DVD (you'll need 4GB size) which most are.

Or better yet. put the ISO on a usb stick.

Myself, I prepare a usb stick and then use 7-Zip to extract the iso to the usb stick which must be at least 4GB and 4 GB is ideal.

Here is how to prepare a USB stick.
PREPARE A UFD FOR USE (USB FLASH DRIVE)


Run CMD.EXE as administrator

Type following commands and hit ENTER key after each command.
DISKPART starts the DiskPart program
LIST DISK shows numeral assigned to disks
note the numeral assigned to your usb stick
The numeral 2 will be used in this example
SELECT DISK 2
DETAIL DISK the info shown will confirm the correctness of your selection
CLEAN ALL the entire usb stick will be overwritten with zeros
This can take awhile if usb stick has large capacity.
Keep the faith-the DiskPart prompt will eventually return.
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY create a primary partition on the USB stick
FORMAT FS=NTFS format the partition
ACTIVE the partition can contain operating system startup files
ASSIGN the next available letter is assigned to the USB stick
EXIT exit from the DISKPART program
EXIT exit from the command shell
=================================


If your usb stick balks, then you know now that the stick is bad.


You can tell 7-Zip (which is free) to extract an ISO to the USB drive.


7-Zip

I followed your instructions and prepared my USB. Then I extracted the OS I downloaded usin 7zip but when I boot it up using the USB it says
BOOTMGR is missing

 

[karlsnooks]

Then you did not boot from the USB.

How are you booting from a USB, that is, please tell us the procedure.

You do realize that you must EXTRACT the iso to the usb stick.
You do not simply copy the iso file to the usb stick.

EXTRACT will uncompress and expand all of the files in the ISO to the USB.

 

[Rfore44]

After I extracted the OS to my USB, I shut down my computer and then unplugged the HDD. I then turn on the computer and hit F12 to go to the boot menu. Then I have tried every different kind of USB option in the boot menu and nothing works. Even in the HDD section it list my PNY USB and that doesn't work either

 

[karlsnooks]

Am not sure what you are doing to have this problem.

will ask others. Perhaps some also have a gigabyte board and are familiar with the screens you should see.

 

[James7679]

Reboot
Upon seeing Post Screen strike the "delete" key(you will enter the BIOS)
Select "Standard CMOS Features"
Change your USB drive to primary.
Strike "F10"
Strike "Y"
Strike "Enter"
System will reboot
If you have uploaded the file correctly to the USB, it will boot into setup

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Your BIOS probably has one or more settings that will assist or prevent booting from a USB disk.

The settings vary, depending on the motherboard.

Go to the BIOS and look for ANYTHING that sounds like it might be related. Make note of your current settings so you can return to them if needed.

Then start juggling the settings and hope you hit the right combination.

 

[gregrocker]

Write the ISO you downloaded to flash stick using Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool. Then boot it using the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key given on first screen at boot, or enter BIOS setup to set DVD drive to boot first. Stick should be listed under USB, Removable or HD's.

Then follow these steps to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7