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clean install of Win7 with OEM key

birthdaymonkey

birthdaymonkey

Golden Member
Hey all,

I've been using the OEM install of Windows 7 that came on my ASUS UL80 laptop. Recently, it's seemed more sluggish than it used to, so I'm thinking of reinstalling Windows. I've got a retail Windows 7 upgrade DVD, and I've also got the restore discs that came with the system. I'd like to do a clean install this time around and then install only the ASUS drivers and apps that I need. Can I use the retail disc and then just put in my OEM key, or will activation be a hassle? I've spent enough time talking with the helpful Indian gentlemen at the Microsoft activation hotline (dealing with a family pack license in a family that likes to do hardware upgrades and OS reinstalls), so if it's going to be too much of a struggle, I'd probably just use the restore disc.

Thanks.
 
Not with your disc because your key corresponds to a "non-upgrade" version.

You can download a iso from microsoft via digitalriver, install with that and just punch in your oem key followed by online activation, which should work flawlessly without ever talking to any ms csr. Just make sure you download the same version that your computer already came with.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/...links-ultimate-professional-and-home-premium/

This is probably "cleaner" that using your comp's original rescue disc, which depending on the company, may put in a bunch of bloatware that it looks like you don't want.
 
Thanks for the info... I've got the iso downloaded and will prep a USB drive for install. Any idea whether I'd have to modify or delete the ei.cfg file, as described in the article you linked to, or is it good to go?
 
If the download is the same as the one thats installed on the compute you do not need to worry about it. If you want in the Sources folder is the EI.CFG file that you can delete. The only thing this does is it will give you the selection of doing pro or ultimate, or home premium like vista used to
 
I used http://directedge.us/content/abr-activation-backup-and-restore
to save my activation info. Then I edited my retail windows 7 ei.cfg as said above to make it from retail to oem. Then install, and then run abr to put in your activation.

All the abr does is save your activation files and copy them back on your new install.

You might not even need the abr program and can just edit the ei.cfg, not sure. But the above way is how I did it.
 
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