I believe my HDD crashed the other day. I am considering upgrading to a better hard drive, but, will I have to buy another copy of the operating system? Are there any strp for a newbie to taking when installing a new hard drive? Do I need to download drivers for a hard drive?
If I get a new Hard Drive do I need a new copy of operating system?
- Thread starter ghost101
- Start date
- Mar 16, 2013
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Generally, no. Do you have the disk and activation key? If so, reinstall.
You may have to activate by phone. I had to do this over the weekend. Full reinstall on another SSD. Windows said the key was 'already in use'. Did the phone thing with the MS robot...all activated.
You may have to activate by phone. I had to do this over the weekend. Full reinstall on another SSD. Windows said the key was 'already in use'. Did the phone thing with the MS robot...all activated.
What does this mean?
After formatting create partitions.....
as I said, I am new. Also, I have the original CD I believe but the windows key code may be lost. I have windows 7 installed now, but I wanted a clean slate, starting fresh with the new hard drive without buying windows 7 again.
After formatting create partitions.....
as I said, I am new. Also, I have the original CD I believe but the windows key code may be lost. I have windows 7 installed now, but I wanted a clean slate, starting fresh with the new hard drive without buying windows 7 again.
delellod123
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- Jun 5, 2012
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Yes you do need to reinstall the OS. There are other steps to take as well. Your motherboard/video card drivers will need to be reinstalled after you install the OS. If you've built the computer yourself, find the drivers disk that came with your motherboard and/or video card. Install motherboard drivers first. If you don't have these, or you purchased the PC already built, Visit the manufacturer website on another computer to download all drivers. Put them on a disk and install them once the OS is done.
1. To install OS, insert OS disk when your computer is powered on (so you can open your disk drive). Restart, let windows disk load.
2. Press any key when prompted, and then follow the instructions that appear.
3. On the Install Windows page, enter your language and other preferences, and then click Next .
4. accept the license terms
5. On the Where do you want to install Windows ? page, choose the partition that you want to install Windows 7 on, or click Unallocated Space if no partitions are listed, and then click Next .
6. Follow the instructions to finish installing Windows 7 , which include naming your computer and setting up an initial user account.
1. To install OS, insert OS disk when your computer is powered on (so you can open your disk drive). Restart, let windows disk load.
2. Press any key when prompted, and then follow the instructions that appear.
3. On the Install Windows page, enter your language and other preferences, and then click Next .
4. accept the license terms
5. On the Where do you want to install Windows ? page, choose the partition that you want to install Windows 7 on, or click Unallocated Space if no partitions are listed, and then click Next .
6. Follow the instructions to finish installing Windows 7 , which include naming your computer and setting up an initial user account.
First get your product key. There are plenty of apps that will pull this out of your current install for you. Try belarc which the free trial will do for you, http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
Then I recommend you emailing the product key to yourself for future reference.
Then its as simple as opening your tower/laptop, and sliding in the drive. This depends on what you have, some may need a screwdriver to mount, remove the old harddrive, etc.
Then run the install disc.
I'd recommend disconnecting the old hard drive in the meantime just so the windows installer isn't trying to detect a dual boot situation and what not.
Then I recommend you emailing the product key to yourself for future reference.
Then its as simple as opening your tower/laptop, and sliding in the drive. This depends on what you have, some may need a screwdriver to mount, remove the old harddrive, etc.
Then run the install disc.
I'd recommend disconnecting the old hard drive in the meantime just so the windows installer isn't trying to detect a dual boot situation and what not.
delellod123
Honorable
- Jun 5, 2012
- 1,094
- 1
- 11,660
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