installing new cpu, mobo and ram best way to reinstall windows?

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hello,

im going to be installing new hardware and think i need to reinstall windows 7?

i currently have windows 7? how can i get my key? is there any easy way to put it onto a stick so i can plug in and do a fresh install?

completely clueless here
 
Hello
The serial key should be affixed to your prior PC in my priors cases stuck out of sight on the rear of the PC

PS I'm hoping you're using a retail version of Win 7
 
If it's an OEM version of Win 7 you're likely to have issues activating Win 7

Although I believe the human type of (M&S :D) have become a bit more lenient with activation now its getting past the robots, that's the biggest problem.
 
You're entitled to reuse the same OEM key, if you are replacing a faulty motherboard + cpu.

Oh and use JellyBeanSoftware to get your existing key.
 
Oh and use JellyBeanSoftware to get your existing key.

That's useful to know, I've just run it on my PC. This is on a new install of which I haven't put the serial number in.

It has generated a serial key, but its different to the one that I use.
BTW mine OS is genuine.

Nice to have a choice though :D
 
I think the Product Key (ie, what product is it) leads to an Installation Key (ie, this product has been installed on *this* PC).

All I know is its great for enterprise deployments when some doofus has wandered off with the lid of a Dell machine.
 
That's useful to know, I've just run it on my PC. This is on a new install of which I haven't put the serial number in.

It has generated a serial key, but its different to the one that I use.
BTW mine OS is genuine.

Nice to have a choice though :D

On big name OEM PC's e.g. Dell or HP, the installation will all be done with a single OEM windows install that is tied to the OEM's BIOS for activation - e.g. all HP PCs bought at a similar time will all show up with the same generic product key. The sticker on the case, will be a different unique oem key (in case you need to reinstall etc)
 
1. Use acronis or some other imaging tool to create a back up of you OS partition
2. Boot up PC as it currently is and sysprep it ( see guide https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com...ol-and-easy-too-if-you-know-how-step-by-step/)
3. Once sysprep has completed and PC has powered off, strip her apart and stick in new bits
4. Boot up PC (make sure you set BIOS to boot from correct partition)
5. Go through usual install of drivers activate windows stuff

The sysprep will remove drivers but leave OS and programs intact
 
1. Use Acronis or some other imaging tool to create a back up of your OS partition
2. . . . etc.
For what it is worth, you should be able to download a full working demo version of AcronisTrue Image 2018 from HERE. I believe that this will work for up to a month.

I don't know if it still applies but you used to be able to create a bootable very basic stand-alone Linux based CD-ROM version of Acronis that would allow you to make image copies and restore them indefinitely - THIS MAY NO LONGER BE THE CASE - DON'T RELY ON IT!
 
Why reinstall at all?

If both are AHCI, and similar chipsets (more notably, same storage driver, like msahci or storahci) the drive should mount and boot fine, simply update/install the correct drivers and go.

I never understood why people bother, migrating takes so much less effort than a clean install + spending 20+ hrs getting windows back to like you want.

My current win 10 install, was originally a win 7 install, that dates back to the pentium D times... (Yes, when I migrated HDD to SSD I had to fix alignement and such, but still, less hassle).


Unless you specifically want to move from MBR to GPT, Bios/Legacy to UEFI, or IDE to AHCI (which are doable still, but more hassle), why bother with clean installs...

I've not used the sysprep method myself, sounds like a nice way too, but tbh, I don't bother with clean installs any more. More hassle than it's worth, even if you migrate your entire User and programdata folders, it still takes ages to get everything like I want.
 
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