Windows 7 (accidental)free download

bellabooski

Hi,
A friend says she's accidentally downloaded Windows 7 onto her Vista Home Premium laptop. She thinks she may have clicked an ad on Facebook by mistake. Is this possible I would have thought a payment would have been sought? When she booted up this morning...there was Windows 7 on her laptop, she said it all works fine but all her photos,videos are gone.I must admit I am puzzled by this and hope that she hasn't downloaded anything dubious.
Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance guys and gals:)

Eric_Pisch

i have not used the online upgrade service, i was wondering if there is a free trial option

as for the files if the OS has overwritten the drive there probably gone


a timely reminder everyone should have an external drive and backup there critical files

bellabooski

Thanks Eric, yes thats the only thing I can think of. She's not totally savvy with computing and alas lives about 150 miles away so I have to try and help by phone. Always wise to back-up EVERYTHING I agree.
Thankyou for taking the time to reply:)
Bella

Sooler

On install Windows 7 creates a backup of any existing documents and other stuff in a folder called C:/Windows.old

May be possible to retrieve them from there

Jemma-T

bellabooski wrote: »

Hi,
A friend says she's accidentally downloaded Windows 7 onto her Vista Home Premium laptop. She thinks she may have clicked an ad on Facebook by mistake. Is this possible I would have thought a payment would have been sought? When she booted up this morning...there was Windows 7 on her laptop, she said it all works fine but all her photos,videos are gone.I must admit I am puzzled by this and hope that she hasn't downloaded anything dubious.
Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance guys and gals:)

Very amusing, gave me quite a grin I can tell you!

How can one download 2GB+ accidentally? I'm not aware of trials on Facebook or anywhere else like that. You can download trials from some educational sites and sites actually selling it but you have to pay upfront -it's always a trial until you enter the paid for key.

Don't let your friend touch any 'technical' equipment in your house. Ever.

bellabooski

Thanks for the info Sooler:)
Yes JemmaT, I had to stop myself laughing over the phone this morning as she was in a right panic :rotfl:She rang me later to say she'd restarted the laptop as I suggested and Vista premium is back along with all her photos etc. Well it's a real mystery to me but like you said I will never EVER let her touch my laptop,tv, sky+,hifi or anything remotely technical when she visits next,lol!:D

Gloomendoom

I have a copy on a memory stick. IIRC the T&C allow anyone to install it and use it free for 30 days. After that you have to buy a licence or it stops working.

Having said that, I can't see how it installed itself without any input from a human bean!

d123

Vista to Win7 upgrade does not delete any personal data/pictures/programs. It upgrades in place unlike from XP.

If the personal files are missing the OP's friend must have also "accidently" chosen to format the HDD at the beginning of the install.

Jemma-T

Oooer missus, nothing like a clean install in the mornings

As Sooler said have a wee look in C:/Windows.old and it'll have all files (including all her viruses and trojans) if it was indeed an 'upgrade'.

Yeah, Later versions of Vista, XP (SP3) and Windows 7 do allow free use for 30 days.