Help ... Vista Home Basic OEM

[vo]

My friend computer slows down to a .... I tried Malwarebyte, Avast, MSE but still get the WER process running hogging the resource.
I tried to reinstall Vista Home Basic but cannot find the installation disk (he did not make a backup restore disk when bought it).
Is there a way to get the disk for the OEM Vista Home Basic (he has the key).

 

[NoStateofMind]

Contact the manufacturer directly and tell them you need recovery discs. They usually charge a small fee and ship them to you.

 

[AstroGuardian]

He might have the key but those OEM versions can be activated only once. Your best bet is to try and find the recovery disks.

You can also check whether there are installation files on a hidden partition on the hard drive itself...

 

[vo]

Hmm ... The key is on the sticker on the computer. I believe the key is good for that computer as long as you own it with the right OEM installation disk.

I tried to create a recovery disk already with the emachine recovery management but it just hang. If there is hidden installation file in the hidden partition, how do you check for it?

The last time I tried to talk to an emachine CSR about my kid OS disk, after learning that my laptop is out of warranty, they wanted 29.99 before proceeding any further (i.e., listening to my problem ...). I asked the forum and got the XP Home OEM image and reinstall with the OEM key on the comp no problem.

I thought it would be the same with Vista but thanks for all the inputs ATer.

 

[AstroGuardian]

I tried to create a recovery disk already with the emachine recovery management but it just hang. If there is hidden installation file in the hidden partition, how do you check for it?

There are two options:
1. In most cases it should be displayed as an option during early post something like "Enter recovery mode" or similar

2. See this in only one case in BIOS under boot options. Should be like "Factory recovery drive"

 

[RebateMonger]

He might have the key but those OEM versions can be activated only once. Your best bet is to try and find the recovery disks.

If that was the version of Windows supplied by the computer manufacturer, there's likely NO Activation requried at all. The Key isn't even used upon re-installation of Windows.

Common methods of re-installing Windows on a name-brand computer include:
1) Using the on-disk System Recovery partition.
2) Using supplied System Recovery disks or a set of Recovery disks made using a supplied utility for building your own Recovery disks.
3) Using a branded OEM Install CD/DVD supplied by the computer maker.
4) Using an appropriate generic OEM Windows disk and using the Key on the computer. This latter technique will likely require a telephone Activation.