Options for reinstalling Win7 on an HP workstation?

[mcveigh]

A friend does graphic work and has an HP workstation. It's having some weird issues, backups won't run, printing takes forever, etc.

I think he needs to reinstall windows. He can't find any of the discs that came with it.

Would a win7 download from Microsoft work? or would he need the exact one from HP?

 

[Dahak]

If you use any windows 7 isos other than the hp ones you may need to do the phone activation to get windows do active, or it may activate automatically.

Also, unless he has done changed to the partitions, most hp machines will ship with a recovery partition that you can boot to by press f11

 

[Ketchup]

Should only need a Windows 7 version x install disk (where x is the version he has). 32-bit or 64-bit use the same key. If you get the Windows key off Windows before the format (not the key on the sticker), you should not even be prompted for a key. You can use the key on the sticker, you will just probably be prompted to activate.

As Dahak mentioned, using the recovery partition would be the thing to try first.

 

[PliotronX]

The retail disc will not work with the key come activation without the OEM certificate present. If you are able to access it, if even by pulling the hard drive and connecting to an alternate system, you need to copy the contents of Windows\System32\oem to the same folder on the fresh installation and run the commands in my post here. The ISOs are at the link matricks posted above it. If your key is not on a label on the chassis, use Produkey to pull it. If you google that key, you will likely find it everywhere because it's not what actually activates Windows, it's the certificate and the matching certificate within the motherboard's BIOS. I would personally avoid the recovery version just because of all of the bloat and whatnot, but it would be more convenient.

 

[J3S73R]

The retail disc will not work with the key come activation without the OEM certificate present. If you are able to access it, if even by pulling the hard drive and connecting to an alternate system, you need to copy the contents of Windows\System32\oem to the same folder on the fresh installation and run the commands in my post here. The ISOs are at the link matricks posted above it. If your key is not on a label on the chassis, use Produkey to pull it. If you google that key, you will likely find it everywhere because it's not what actually activates Windows, it's the certificate and the matching certificate within the motherboard's BIOS. I would personally avoid the recovery version just because of all of the bloat and whatnot, but it would be more convenient.

This is the best and most appropriate answer. The 'certificate' is basically in the bios and with what was recommended you should be able to activate without any issues.

Also +1 to not using the recovery to avoid the preinstalled junk.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Is it Win7 Pro or Home?

You can do what PliotronX said, or I could likely get you an HP Win7 Pro ISO image that you could burn to DVD and it has all that OEM stuff already in it. It would still just be a raw Windows install so you'd need drivers etc but it wont' have any preloaded crap with it.

There are places you can get a generic Win7 install disc ISO also, or I have that as well. I don't mind helping out with that kind of thing if I can.

Before you start all that though make sure he doesn't have a hardware issue like a dying hard drive.

 

[mcveigh]

thanks everyone!