Need to purchase Windows

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I need to purchase a copy of Windows for my mother's laptop as I am using my Windows 7 keys and copies (2) on my rigs that have been updated to windows 10. Should I go for Windows 7 64, and then just do the update to 10, or just use 7? Or should I just buy a copy of Windows 10 64b for it, and be done with it?

 

[nerp]

I'd just get 10 if you're spending the money. Unless you can find a screaming deal on 7, then the install/upgrade process might be worth it.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I'd just get 10 if you're spending the money. Unless you can find a screaming deal on 7, then the install/upgrade process might be worth it.

Can I still use my old Windows 7 CD key and installation disc on mother's laptop or is the key stuck to my desktop PC, since I upgraded to Windows 10?

 

[nerp]

I believe the key would be assigned to the Windows 10 machine that got the upgrade. You need a key that has never been upgraded to 10 if you're using 7. Does her laptop have a key on the bottom of it? Has that been used on a different machine? If so then you need a wholly new key, either 7 or 10.

One a key is activated, you can't use it again. I stumbled into this problem by accident when I did a fresh install on a machine after a HD replacement. I accidentally tried using a Windows 7 key that had been upgraded to 10 and I got a "key blocked" error and it wouldn't activate. This was during the time last month when MS pulled the November update for some bug so the media creation tool was giving me the pre-november bits. I had to reinstall 7 again with the key I wanted and then upgraded to 10 and it finally activated. I tried typing in the 7 key directly to get it activated but it wouldn't work because I was running the pre-november update I guess. Supposedly it would work now.

Long story short, they are keeping track of key activations and it will detect a key being used twice.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I believe the key would be assigned to the Windows 10 machine that got the upgrade. You need a key that has never been upgraded to 10 if you're using 7. Does her laptop have a key on the bottom of it? Has that been used on a different machine? If so then you need a wholly new key, either 7 or 10.

Hmm. I just opened up my old laptop with my windows 7 key and installation on it and it works ok. I think the problem would be when support runs out for windows 7, and the inevitability of windows 10. She wouldn't be able to upgrade to windows 10 because of what you said, the key being tied to my desktop machine.

 

[nerp]

Yeah that's the thing. The old one will stay activated. I don't know if eventually it will suddenly get deactivated. But if it's the same Win7 key as a machine that got upgraded to 10 already, Win10 won't activate it on the old machine. That's what I encountered with my key error.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Yeah that's the thing. The old one will stay activated. I don't know if eventually it will suddenly get deactivated. But if it's the same Win7 key as a machine that got upgraded to 10 already, Win10 won't activate it on the old machine. That's what I encountered with my key error.

That's what I was thinking too. Also something else came up. I was fixing the laptop and when it was up and running again it wouldn't connect to some websites like Facebook and a few others but it did connect to MSN, and Windows live was able to receive and send mail: which are both Microsoft. Weird.

 

[MongGrel]

I'd just get 10 if you're spending the money. Unless you can find a screaming deal on 7, then the install/upgrade process might be worth it.

+1

MS isn't going to allow people to just randomly install a WIN 7 OS from computer to computer none stop upgrading them to 10.

I've never tried it myself, but I'm sure the Key just upgrades to the 10 install at least these days. Some might have squeaked by at first for a bit.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

+1

MS isn't going to allow people to just randomly install a WIN 7 OS from computer to computer none stop upgrading them to 10.

I've never tried it myself, but I'm sure the Key just upgrades to the 10 install at least these days. Some might have squeaked by at first for a bit.

We just found her CD key on the bottom of the laptop. Can I use my installation disc with her CD key, and then upgrade to windows 10? Sounds like that would work.

 

[MongGrel]

It should.

As long as you have a valid WIN 7 key I would think you would be able to use any WIN 7/8/10 install disk.

But I can't confirm having done it myself. Just straight up upgrade mine online from the original 7/8's I had on them.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I am helping her remotely, but how stupid. I should of told her to look on the bottom of the laptop in the first place. It wouldn't be the first laptop not to have the CD key on the bottom of it. I was working on another laptop and the CD key was no where to be found. I ended up giving the friend my Vista Ultimate installation setup & key.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Thanks everyone for the help. We appreciate it

 

[MongGrel]

NM

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Ok, so ran into some problems. I used my Win7 64b Pro disc along with her CD Key. It's not accepting the key. I think her system was a Win7 32 or 64 Home Premium system. What do I need to do?

 

[MongGrel]

Find her disk ?

Or someone with a similar one I guess for install, short of just buying one.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Find her disk ?

Or someone with a similar one I guess for install, short of just buying one.

I don't think the laptop came with one. She said she looked last night and didn't find anything.

Now what?

 

[Ranulf]

What brand of laptop? If it is a dell, I think you can still request a install disc from them.

https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/media

This site might help:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows-7/windows-7-installation/

 

[DrDoug]

Make a bootable win 7 usb key and copy your Pro dvd files over to it. After copying the files to the usb key, go to the /sources folder on the usb key and find the file ei.cfg. Open that file in Notepad and under [EditionID] change Professional to HomePremium (no space!). Save the file and install Windows 7 Home Premium.

This is for use with a retail key, not OEM. OEM install is a bit more involved and activation is automatic (BIOS SLIC/OEM certificate). There are ways to do an OEM install using a retail dvd but I wouldn't think you could openly talk about them here. No breaking the law as long as you are installing the proper cert on a computer with the proper SLIC version (2.1) but getting what you need can be 'fun'. ()

 

[Puffnstuff]

Dell puts the oem key sticker on the body so get the iso online using the key and clean install 7.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Toshiba wants to charge 30$ for a recovery disc, after the CD key was paid for.

What's the difference between these two Windows 7 copies

Best Buy:
Windows 7

MicroCenter:
Windows 7

 

[postmortemIA]

I don't think the laptop came with one. She said she looked last night and didn't find anything.

Now what?

https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

the reinstall disc, not the CD key

 

[ElFenix]

laptop probably didn't come with discs but if so it came with a recovery program which may be able to make the discs.

speaking of which, i should go make recovery discs for a new work pc

 

[postmortemIA]

the reinstall disc, not the CD key

what about just plain windows disc + drivers from support site?

 

[DrDoug]

Toshiba wants to charge 30$ for a recovery disc, after the CD key was paid for.

What's the difference between these two Windows 7 copies

Best Buy:
Windows 7

MicroCenter:
Windows 7

If you already have a Win 7 retail dvd for any version you can make a bootable usb key for the version you want (as I posted above) and instead of activating it (skip that step at install), just download the certificates for a Toshiba Win 7 Home Premium install and manually install them via the Software License Manager (@command prompt).

Bam, done.