Can somebody clear this Windows 7 OEM stuff up for me?

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mike2012

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Mar 15, 2012
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Okay, so my i3 hard drive failed. I have another hard drive, but it's for an older motherboard. On this motherboard, there was a Windows 7 OEM preinstalled on it.

In order to use my i3 motherboard, I was going to uninstall Windows 7 on the older drive, buy a new Windows 7 OEM CD for $100, replace the mobo with the Sandy Bridge one and reinstall Windows 7.

However, would this work? Or do I need to get Windows 7 Professional, to install Windows 7 again?
 
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J


Every system sold as a prebuilt system should have a sticker placed on it that includes the activation code - since when they build the system they use a different manufacturer specific code that can only be used by them they must also include a separate COA (certificate of authenticity) that has a machine specific activation code to use for reinstalling\reactivating - since MS will not allow the reinstallation using the OEM's key.
So yes there should be a sticker placed on the case somewhere that has the code to use for reinstalling windows. Should look something like this ...
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JDFan

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Jan 5, 2010
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First off what windows version were you using on the i3 that the HDD died on ?? -- and do you have the product activation code sticker on that system or have it written down somewhere ??

If the i3 had a version of windows on it and you have the key for that install you can just reformat the older HDD and reinstall the version of windows that the I3 had on it (on the HDD that died) and use that activation key to reactivate after installing it no need to buy anything ! (Windows OEM can be reinstalled as many times as needed as long as you are keeping the same MOBO that it was originally installed on using the same activation key (and can be reused to reinstall to a different MOBO if that MOBO dies and you are replacing the MOBO with a like model) - It can not be reused on a new system unless the old MOBO that it was installed on has died requiring the replacement of that MOBO since the license is tied to the first MOBO it was installed on unless that MOBO becomes defective in which case there is an exception that allows reuse on a replacement MOBO.

That said from your post it seems that the MOBO is still functioning and is being reused and tyou are just replacing the HDD which means the current license is still useable - you just reinstall onto the new HDD and activate using the key code that came with the software (or the copy of the code you recorded for use to reinstall) No need to purchase a new license since you are still using the same system that a license has already been purchased for !!

 
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JDFan

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Jan 5, 2010
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Every system sold as a prebuilt system should have a sticker placed on it that includes the activation code - since when they build the system they use a different manufacturer specific code that can only be used by them they must also include a separate COA (certificate of authenticity) that has a machine specific activation code to use for reinstalling\reactivating - since MS will not allow the reinstallation using the OEM's key.
So yes there should be a sticker placed on the case somewhere that has the code to use for reinstalling windows. Should look something like this :
product_key_sticker1.jpg


And the product key (whited out in the pic) would be what you use to activate after reinstalling.
 
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AxlMyk

AxlMyk

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Oct 10, 2013
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Did you get a DVD with the OEM Win 7 on it, or is there a separate partition on the hard drive with the install files?
I got a DVD with my machine, and it didn't require me to enter the key when I reinstalled.
 
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