Windows 7 licence question

HooCanTellMee

Hi Everyone,
I have had some really good responses to my questions, so can anyone help now?
I bought a pc recently with no OS installed, the hard drive had been removed, but it does have a Windows 7 Home Premium OA product code sticker on the side.
The question is, can I download an ISO of Windows 7 and re-activate the product code? As far as I can make out, the OA means that the licence is tied to the machine, and shouldn't be used on any other PC? Why should I have to buy another copy? I know it was bought with no OS, but in theory it is a Windows 7 product that can't be used on another machine and is tied to this one? When I read up, there is an insistence that you can't put OA copy onto another PC, I would only be using something dedicated to this PC, useless to anyone else? Thanks for reading this, if it doesn't make sense let me know!

TakeThis

Just go ahead. It is no different from you buying the machine new and having to change the HDD because of a fault.

rhythmsoup

I dont think you can download a official ISO of windows 7. You either have to have a DVD/CD supplied by the manufacturer of the machine or a original Windows7 Installer DVD/CD. Of course there are probably ISO images available via file sharing but the authenticity of these could be questionable.

A lot of new machines are shipped with a partition on the hard drive for recovery, if the original hard disc failed and no recovery DVD/CD was created (I think your are advised to do this when you purchase a new PC nowdays with a recorvery partition), you may be able to purchase a recovery DVD/CD from the manufacturer.

I had a friend who had a machine running Vista and the recovery partition didnt work and had a problem, the cost of a disc to them would have been about £30. In the end the stuck Linux on the machine and just used that but there was no other option unless they purchased a Win7 installer disc.

TakeThis

rhythmsoup wrote: »

I dont think you can download a official ISO of windows 7. You either have to have a DVD/CD supplied by the manufacturer of the machine or a original Windows7 Installer DVD/CD. Of course there are probably ISO images available via file sharing but the authenticity of these could be questionable.

A lot of new machines are shipped with a partition on the hard drive for recovery, if the original hard disc failed and no recovery DVD/CD was created (I think your are advised to do this when you purchase a new PC nowdays with a recorvery partition), you may be able to purchase a recovery DVD/CD from the manufacturer.

I had a friend who had a machine running Vista and the recovery partition didnt work and had a problem, the cost of a disc to them would have been about £30. In the end the stuck Linux on the machine and just used that but there was no other option unless they purchased a Win7 installer disc.

You have got that wrong from the very beginning.... and your last paragraph fared no better.

santer_2

You can choose SP1 here, though if it came without SP1 originally get the one without

http://techpp.com/2009/11/11/download-windows-7-iso-official-direct-download-links/

TakeThis

santer wrote: »

You can choose SP1 here, though if it came without SP1 originally get the one without

http://techpp.com/2009/11/11/download-windows-7-iso-official-direct-download-links/

It doesn't matter.

santer_2

Wasn't sure and with a download that size wasn't going to put the wrong thing

Anyway, windows updates are fun

HooCanTellMee

Many thanks,
I don't know whether it had SP1 or not, there was no hard drive in it when bought. Could the seller have used this Licence in another PC? All I have read says not, but I don't want to get into trouble trying to re-activate if it is already being used. Going to sound a bit daft but what is a download manager? I think I will try downloading and use the product key, nothing ventured nothing gained.
Once again you came to my rescue!

chodjade

TakeThis wrote: »

It doesn't matter.

I agree with you on this post and your first post also. Sigh

TakeThis

HooCanTellMee wrote: »

Many thanks,
I don't know whether it had SP1 or not, there was no hard drive in it when bought. Could the seller have used this Licence in another PC? All I have read says not, but I don't want to get into trouble trying to re-activate if it is already being used. Going to sound a bit daft but what is a download manager? I think I will try downloading and use the product key, nothing ventured nothing gained.
Once again you came to my rescue!

No, the licence stays with the machine. So if you get stuck I will explain how to activate it.

santer_2

Download managers usually have a resume option if anything happens to the download in progress, such as the site server crashing or a temporary loss of your internet connection. If you use a download manager, check it has got a resume option