Windows 7 OEM license with a new computer

[AstroGuardian]

Hello everyone,

I just bought a new HP EliteBook laptop with Windows 7 Professional pre installed on it and a license sticker on the back.
I plan to use the hard disk for another purpose at this time which will require deleting the recovery partitions from HP (HP_TOOLs and HP_RECOVERY).
My question is:
Will i be able to install Windows later from another OEM DVD and activating it with the license key written on the sticker?

 

[RU482]

what do you mean by "another OEM DVD"? Do you mean an OEM DVD from anther computer model or company?

If you are using the DVD that came with the Elitebook, you should have no problems if you are just switching the drive.

 

[AstroGuardian]

No DVD came with my Elitebook, only the recovery partition.
Another OEM dvd means that i have an installation DVD from a previous computer with Windows 7 Professional x64. If i install windows with that DVD (which is OEM version) can i be able to activate it with my current license key?

 

[bruceb]

Usually, but you may need to phone MS to activate it. The OS installed on your HP was a SLP Locked preactivated version. The license sticker code does not actually match what the computer is activated with. An easier thing to do, is first, burn your Recovery Media to CDs or DVDs. Or second, just get another hard drive to use with whatever you are thinking of doing. You can get one for around $50 at most.

 

[Steltek]

Hello everyone,

I just bought a new HP EliteBook laptop with Windows 7 Professional pre installed on it and a license sticker on the back.
I plan to use the hard disk for another purpose at this time which will require deleting the recovery partitions from HP (HP_TOOLs and HP_RECOVERY).
My question is:
Will i be able to install Windows later from another OEM DVD and activating it with the license key written on the sticker?

If it were me, I'd either image the hard drive to DVDs before wiping it, or call HP and order a set of restore DVDs for the laptop. I think the last time I ordered a set of restore DVDs from HP it cost like 20 bucks.

 

[AstroGuardian]

Thank you all. I might first make some image backups of the recovery media.

Imagine this situation: HP puts out of the box partitions like this:
1. System partition 300Mb
2. Main partition 215Gb
3. HP_RECOVERY PARTITION 15 Gb
4. HP_TOOLS PARTITION 2Gb

So in this case all 4 available partitions are used and i cant create a second partition to actually work with. I think this idea that HP has is BS.

Thank you all once again. You have been of great help.

 

[Arkaign]

Fwiw, my advice is just to forget about the bs partitioning that HP and other OEMs put on their units like that. If you get around to wanting to reload the original W7Pro, just wipe all the partitions, use your OEM key on the bottom, and call the Microsoft robot team to activate it. As you are only reloading the original OS on the original hardware, it's perfectly acceptable, and will actually function better than the stock HP loadset, provided you get all of the driver installs correct.

 

[AstroGuardian]

Arkaign mate, thank you for your advice. If you are sure you are absolutely right i owe you one 🙂 and i will follow that route.

 

[Arkaign]

Yep, no worries, I've done this on many hundreds of systems, and with zero problems. It was the first thing I did when I recently bought my HP DV7, and it's been a brilliant setup. It's a basic rule that a clean original OEM Microsoft OS install will ALWAYS be better than something with a bunch of optional garbage added and goofy partitions added beforehand.

 

[Matt1970]

No to mention 9 times out of 10 those partitions lose data making them basicly worthless.

 

[AstroGuardian]

Problem fixed. Wiped the HP partitions with lots and lots of crapware on the original Windows setup. Activated it with no problems.

Thank you all.