Product Key HELP!

BennettWHU · 2 Jun 2012 at 06:39

I'm building a new system and I'm slightly angry with how expensive Windows 7 is. I have been looking around the internet and they're all ranging from £115 to £200. People use illegal versions of Windows 7 but I don't want to do this as I want everything on my PC to be legitimate. Anyway, onto my - maybe silly - plan.

I bought a laptop from Dell a while ago. It's an Inspiron N5030 and it came with Windows 7 Home Premium already installed. I know it is possible to format the HDD and completely delete the OS and not just reformat from an image they made in the factory over at Dell. If I can somehow get the product key for this copy of Windows 7 (because I technically own it) on my laptop - can I format my HDD, buy a Windows 7 disc, and install Windows 7 on my new HDD in my new system and use the product key from my laptop on my new system?

I'll later install an OS on my laptop when I've got the money.

BennettWHU · 2 Jun 2012 at 08:07

freddie64 said:
I would leave the laptop alone.

YOUR BASKET
1 x Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-Bit - OEM (GFC-02050) £79.98
Total : £87.72 (includes shipping : £6.45).

Or if you still can't afford it yet you could download a W7 .iso and get up to 120 days trial period with this guide.

Or you could even try W8 for free. Thread here.

I'm not going to use OEM software. Why do you think I should leave my laptop alone? I asked if what I was thinking is possible.

BennettWHU · 2 Jun 2012 at 09:47

Thank you for your help, guys. I didn't realise it would be OEM software on my laptop. I'll never go to DELL again.

BennettWHU · 3 Jun 2012 at 06:45

I'm not a student. I do know a few though. Dell have lost my custom because of other reasons, not just the OEM software. They charged me £6 for a ten minute phone call which got me no where in the end. I was also told I couldn't have a refund and that my laptop would only be fixed when the HDD broke. This went against their own policy as any hardware fault is an immediate refund according to their policy.

When is Windows 8 due to be released?

BennettWHU · 3 Jun 2012 at 18:29

~Divine~Wind~ said:
Unless I've missed it what is the Hardware fault your having with it?

I wasn't having a hardware problem. Read my first post.

BennettWHU · 4 Jun 2012 at 07:53

Clov!s said:
Your not supposed to but you still can.

I have the product key from my old laptop on my new system i have, windows 7 home premium.

So I can still use the product key from my laptop on a new system as long as I reformat my laptop's HDD and buy a Windows 7 CD?

BennettWHU · 4 Jun 2012 at 11:16

Saundie said:
Not within the terms of the license agreement, no. OEM licenses are not transferable. If you're going to buy a copy of Windows 7, the logical thing to do would be to use it on your new system and leave your laptop alone. Using the product key from your laptop on any other system is no more legit than using a crack. This has been covered by many other people in this thread in great detail; there is no way around it if you wish to be legitimately licensed.

There is an alternative option available to you. You could download the Windows 7 installation media and install it in evaluation/trial mode. No product key is required to do this. When you have the money to buy your copy of Windows 7, you can then purchase the relevant edition and use the product key to activate your installation. You can use Windows 7 for up to 120 days without activating it with your product key.

I'm going to leave my laptop alone. I just wanted to know if this method was possible. Now I know it isn't, I'll leave it at that. However, I do want to know if it's possible to just buy a product key and borrow a friends Windows 7 disc to install the OS and then use my bought product key to activate it?

BennettWHU · 4 Jun 2012 at 17:33

I don't want to use OEM software anyway because I'll upgrade my motherboard one day and this will force me to have to buy another OEM version of Windows 7 or buy the retail copy. I'll just buy the retail copy and then I own it for life then. I've heard Windows 8 isn't very good anyway.