Re-installing Windows 7 - what to do?

josh3190 · 22 Oct 2015 at 15:55

Hi everyone,

I recently changed the motherboard in my PC and now I think I have to reinstall windows on my SSD, I don't have the same copy of windows as I first installed it around 5 years ago,

If I get a new DVD copy of windows 7 and boot from my optical drive, do I need to do anything to the SSD that has a copy of the OS on?

Will windows be clever and recognise the copy of win7 on the SSD already and ask to reinstall?

Never done this before so any help greatly appreciated,

Thanks!

SamyBoy13 · 22 Oct 2015 at 17:23

It doesnt matter what dvd you got it should install. However what windows version do you have oem or retail as OEM is tied to previous motherboard and retail can be reinstalled. It's always work chating to microsoft nicely and they maybe activate even oem

josh3190 · 23 Oct 2015 at 15:55

I had an msdn copy from my brother so I'm not sure what that classifies as oem or retail?

I'm trying to get another product key from him and then use an iso file to install, hopefully that will work?

ED209 · 23 Oct 2015 at 16:00

you can download the ISOs from here.

i used the W7 starter to do a clean install as this had SP1 on with a OEM key but no hardware changes and it worked for me

http://www.drfsupercenter.info/Windows ISOs/

josh3190 · 23 Oct 2015 at 16:04

Hi ED209,

Thanks for the link, will download the win7 starter, all I need then is an OEM key right?

ED209 · 23 Oct 2015 at 16:08

josh3190 said:
Hi ED209,

Thanks for the link, will download the win7 starter, all I need then is an OEM key right?

this is what i did on a netbook.

OS was running like a dog, restored to factory but that was to starter without SP1 and then took 9 hours to download updates just to fail.

i went to the above site, downloaded starter with SP1, stuck it on a USB stick and installed.

i had the product key at the bottom on the netbook and just used that, activated with no issues and then done the futher updates from there