How do those windows recovery things work on a desktop PC bought ready made form a shop?

[SkScotchegg]

Hi there, its a long story but I basically got a tower from a shop and stripped out the mobo/cpu/ram and put it in a new case with my old graphics and sound cards...anyways because this PC came with windows 7 already installed on the hard drive and a windows 7 CD key on the side of the case. I was wondering how does all this work?

Like in the past I'd usually put a CD in, format and reinstall windows maybe once a year or when the PC is running slow or something messes in...but on this new setup it has a partition of 12GB with a windows recovery files on and I have a CD key, but no CD.

So say I wanted to format the hard drive and reinstall windows 7 right this second, what would I do?

Also, what if this hard drive died and then I lose all the windows recovery files, then I'd just have a CD key? where do I get the CD from for windows 7?

EDITED title and post because I forgot and used competitor name, sorry!

Thanks in advance.

 

[SkScotchegg]

Hmm, posted this 5 hours ago, thought I'd of had some replies by now!

 

[j.col]

i will try
formatting,
usually there is a recovery program bundled with the pc that will let you 'reset' it, there was one on my mums pc.

also regarding the recovery partition. to access it.
just tap f8, at startup, then
On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Repair your computer, and then press Enter.
Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next.
Select a user name, type the password, and then click OK.
On the System Recovery Options menu, click System Image Recovery, and then follow the instructions.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html

also it would be easier if you can create a system image, now, on a different harddrive, for future use. this way will take a snapshot of the pc exactly as it is now, that way you wont need to reinstall win 7,

and now you can reinstall win 7 from the control panel

"you can reinstall Windows 7 using Recovery in Control Panel, under Advanced recovery methods. This method reinstalls Windows 7, either from a recovery image provided by your computer manufacturer, or from your original Windows 7 installation files. You need to reinstall all of the programs that you added, and restore all of your files from a backup
or
To access advanced recovery methods:
1. Open Recovery by clicking the Start button and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type recovery, and then click Recovery.
2. Click Advanced recovery methods."
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7

edit. regarding reinstalling with a disc.
afaik you can legally download win 7 (must be the same as you have, eg. home, ultimate etc...) and use the coa licence,
also look at this excellent thread
http://www.overclock.net/windows/753304-windows-7-download-links-install-reactivation.html

 

[SkScotchegg]

i will try
formatting,
usually there is a recovery program bundled with the pc that will let you 'reset' it, there was one on my mums pc.

also regarding the recovery partition. to access it.
just tap f8, at startup, then
On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Repair your computer, and then press Enter.
Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next.
Select a user name, type the password, and then click OK.
On the System Recovery Options menu, click System Image Recovery, and then follow the instructions.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html

also it would be easier if you can create a system image, now, on a different harddrive, for future use. this way will take a snapshot of the pc exactly as it is now, that way you wont need to reinstall win 7,

and now you can reinstall win 7 from the control panel

"you can reinstall Windows 7 using Recovery in Control Panel, under Advanced recovery methods. This method reinstalls Windows 7, either from a recovery image provided by your computer manufacturer, or from your original Windows 7 installation files. You need to reinstall all of the programs that you added, and restore all of your files from a backup
or
To access advanced recovery methods:
1. Open Recovery by clicking the Start button and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type recovery, and then click Recovery.
2. Click Advanced recovery methods."
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7

edit. regarding reinstalling with a disc.
afaik you can legally download win 7 (must be the same as you have, eg. home, ultimate etc...) and use the coa licence,
also look at this excellent thread
http://www.overclock.net/windows/753304-windows-7-download-links-install-reactivation.html

Thanks a lot for that info mate, appreciate it, am going to take your advice and make an image of my windows installation now as its only a couple of days old and I've only just managed to install all the windows updates, I haven't installed any other software other then windows updates/drivers etc so now would be ideal time to do it.