Can I use product key on back with OEM disc?

sharingan_sasuk · 21 May 2011 at 00:07

Hi all, I've got a laptop that came with Windows 7 Home Premium, and I'm unable to factory restore on because the hard drive is dead and the recovery discs that were burned are too scratched up. If I have a copy of the operating system lying around, can I install that and then use the product key on the back of the laptop?

Regards

BigBoy · 21 May 2011 at 00:30

OEM and Retail Win7 disks are the same so yeah no problem

sharingan_sasuk · 21 May 2011 at 00:59

Cool thanks. I don't think the user cares much about the Advent software and just wants Windows back on and all working fine. I'll give it a try tomorrow. Drivers and any essential utilities can just be redownloaded from their website.

marmalade · 21 May 2011 at 11:03

No! you need a copy of Windows 7 with a Certificate applicable to the manufacturer of the computer Dell /HP etc and will match the Slic 2.1 in the bios

BigBoy · 21 May 2011 at 11:56

marmalade said:
No! you need a copy of Windows 7 with a Certificate applicable to the manufacturer of the computer Dell /HP etc and will match the Slic 2.1 in the bios

Incorrect, I have performed 100s of OEM and retail installs with the same disk!

Meatball · 21 May 2011 at 11:57

marmalade said:
No! you need a copy of Windows 7 with a Certificate applicable to the manufacturer of the computer Dell /HP etc and will match the Slic 2.1 in the bios

It'll be fine. I've reinstalled Windows 7 on Acer & Sony laptops using a generic W7 retail disk

. I had to phone up to activate but it worked. Simply use the serial key on the coa stuck to the computer.

RJC · 21 May 2011 at 12:00

Yep, done the same here on various Dell's and my old Acer laptop, used my retail disc, just had to use the automated phone system to activate.

Was thinking about doing a fresh install on my new Acer but cant be bothered at the moment

Six6siX · 21 May 2011 at 13:54

marmalade said:
No! you need a copy of Windows 7 with a Certificate applicable to the manufacturer of the computer Dell /HP etc and will match the Slic 2.1 in the bios

I see you posting this a lot - it is incorrect! You only need this if you want automatic OEM preactivation (like a recovery disk)

You can use any Windows 7 disk and activate with your key through the normal channels (online/phone) without any problems whatsoever.

marmalade · 21 May 2011 at 17:59

Six6siX said:
I see you posting this a lot - it is incorrect! You only need this if you want automatic OEM preactivation (like a recovery disk)

You can use any Windows 7 disk and activate with your key through the normal channels (online/phone) without any problems whatsoever.

You have answered your own query. I too have also used a bogstandard Windows7/Vista but had to go on line to activate.

Six6siX · 21 May 2011 at 18:07

marmalade said:
You have answered your own query. I too have also used a bogstandard Windows7/Vista but had to go on line to activate.

I wasn't querying anything.

I said that your post telling the OP he needed a manufacturer specific disk and a standard one would not work was incorrect.

marc2003 · 21 May 2011 at 18:56

marmalade said:
No! you need a copy of Windows 7 with a Certificate applicable to the manufacturer of the computer Dell /HP etc and will match the Slic 2.1 in the bios

you don't need it. you can infact do the offline activation thing with a normal disk. you just need the OEM specific key and xrm-ms file. you leave the product key blank during setup, register the xrm-ms file using the slmgr command and then enter the product key. it will activate itself automatically even without the internet. i know this because i have an advent laptop myself and i researched this when i got mine for xmas. i couldn't wait to wipe all the crap off. the key on the bottom of my laptop serves no purpose whatsoever.

(i then re-installed when the MSDN sp1 integrated ISOs got leaked -again that worked fine)

if anybody needs the advent specific key/file and instructions, just give me a shout.