[OOS] REFURB HP ProDesk 400 G1 SFF i5-4570 3.2GHz 8GB RAM 500GB HDD Windows 10 Home $109.50 @ Newegg (TheGoodComputerGuy)

[SamirD]

I think a lot of licensing is tied to the restore software that HP and Dell will rarely provide. Almost every time I've used those medias, its just ready to go.

 

[jiffer]

I didn't mean to beat this to death, but when I tried to install Windows 10 on my Dell Latitude laptop (which was originally shipped with a Windows 7 COA sticker), I was using a Dell system restore disk and the activation failed. Apparently my laptop (manufactured in 2013) is too old to be licensed for Windows 10 automatically. When I tried using an OEM copy of Windows 10, I said "I don't have a key" and activation was successful. Microsoft provided a generic DLK that I recognized from several other PCs, most of which were made by HP or Lenovo. I'd be curious to know whether your Windows 10 installations have unique keys or generic keys.

I just remembered that the Dell system restore disk I was using was officially intended only for specific models. Mine wasn't on the list, but I tried it anyway. I thought that since I was using a legitimate Windows 8 license it might work, but it didn't.

I forgot to mention that when you use an OEM copy of Windows (Windows 8.1 Pro, for example) instead of the system restore software, Microsoft will detect the DLK embedded in your motherboard and use it to activate your copy of Windows. You don't need to use the manufacturer's version of Windows with all of its special utilities and bloatware if you don't want to.

 

[mikeford]

With Dell, use the OS iso downloading tool, and you will get the RIGHT version without issues.

Restore your Computer Using SupportAssist OS Recovery | Dell US

www.dell.com

OTOH I may have used something slightly different, my search results just now showed a couple options.

 

[jiffer]

With Dell, use the OS iso downloading tool, and you will get the RIGHT version without issues...

I'm afraid we're going off-topic in this thread about refurbished HP computers, but I'm curious what you mean. When you say "the RIGHT version", are you saying you can get a copy of Windows 10 from Dell? What if I only have a Windows 7 COA sticker and a license for Windows 8.1 that I purchased separately? Windows 7 was the only option I've ever seen to get a Restore Disk for my laptop, but I haven't tried to use the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery.

 

[jiffer]

I can vouch for this; I did a "total conversion" of an HP i5-6500 ProDesk 400 G3 mini-tower into an ATX triple-rgb-fan case, with an aftermarket PSU.

That sounds cool. I'm just curious which of the original parts you installed in the new case. Motherboard, CPU, CPU cooling fan? Anything else? Does that motherboard have an embedded Windows 10 DLK? I love to recycle computers parts. In fact, I have a couple of HP ProDesk 400 G1 Haswell minitowers that I parted out, and I'm tempted to re-use the old minitower cases with some more up to date parts. (I prefer old fashioned quiet PCs that don't go bonkers with a ton of cooling fans.) Sort of the opposite of what you just did.

 

[mikeford]

Win 10 has a BUNCH of version, home this or that, OEM, etc etc. The Dell recovery tool if you run it on the Dell will read the service ID, something like that, and find the correct version that shipped with or was offered as a option to your system. The twist is that pages exist with lists of service ID and which OS it downloads if entered into the Dell tool, all authenticate automatically.

Maybe HP has something similar.

What you don't want to do is try to guess the version your COA supports and download it from Microsoft, it will NOT automatically authenticate, and could take a bunch of steps.

 

[Ranulf]

I think the HP model in question only has two memory slots available (I know this is the case for the HP ProDesk 400 G1 Minitower). So if you want 16GB of RAM, you have to use 2x8GB DDR3 modules.

I can confirm, only 2 ram slots and 3 sata ports. It looks like the power cable for the optical (laptop version) drive has a spare power connector for another sata drive, not sure on the hd's cable as I didn't take the whole harness holding it in. Mobo has one x16 pcie slot and 2 1x slots. There looks like to be room for 2 2.5'' drives or maybe 1 3.5'' and 1 2.5'' drive.

Also, there is a Win8 logo sticker on the back of the machine so I assume it was win8 originally.