Win7 system re-install using OEM disc

dc4517

Member
Nov 9, 2010
61
2
71
I bought a laptop from HP and I wanted to do a clean install of Windows 7 in order to get rid of all the bloatware. There's an excellent guide on doing this at http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-compaq/432564-hp-laptop-out-box-guide-2-0-windows-7-a.html. However, I wanted to know whether I can use an OEM Windows 7 disc that I bought when I built a desktop PC, instead of using the Digital River download from step 1.1 in the link I provided. Does it matter that it's an OEM disc? I figured it shouldn't as long as I backup the laptop's OEM activation using ABR utility.
 

Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
I have never had any issues with installing from an oem disk vs the manufactures recovery media. The odd time it might be hard to figure out which driver is missing but not to often.

For activation, yes you could use that but again i have never had any issues with re-activating it. this is through xp, vista and win7

The only thing is you have to make sure the disc is the same version as what the key is for ie home premium/pro etc. Or you have to remove the ei.cfg file and re-burn or put it on a bootable flash drive so you can install any version.