Can I load my Win7 backup image onto a new HD?
- Thread starter finity
- Start date
- Apr 22, 2009
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Then it should be identical to the old HDD. Possibly with errors and all. That's not to say the new drive will have the same issues as the old one, just that any data that may have been corrupted on the old drive will also be corrupted on the new drive. But it's a chance I'd take to keep from having to load all my stuff over again.
By that logic could I format and reinstall Win7 on the corrupted hard drive?
I went ahead and loaded the image onto the new hard drive and it worked for a while. Now something unexpected happened. I got a message saying windows has detected new hardware or hardware drivers, and I need to re-activate windows 7. I did have to replace the mother board, but it's identical to the old one and so is the HD. How can windows know that the they are different when they're exactly the same?
The real reason I'm asking is because I can't find my Win7 cdkey. I called microsoft who told me to call the company I bought the disk from. I'm not sure I can prove that I bought Win7 from this web site because I used a Visa debit/gift card which has been thrown away. All I have is a Win7 CD, back up images, and 2 useless hard drives.... please help?
- Apr 22, 2009
- 43,150
- 411
- 131,790
Whenever you change the motherboard, Win will detect the change the next time it "calls home". You will have to re-activate to keep from getting the perpetual nag screen. If you bought Win7 retail, the key is on the package it came in. if Win7 was pre-loaded on the PC, it should have the key on a sticker on the machine somewhere. W/o the key, you have no proof you have a legal license. Sorry.
Yes, you can always re-install Win7 on the bad drive. But that won't fix the missing key problem.
Yes, you can always re-install Win7 on the bad drive. But that won't fix the missing key problem.
I lost the box the disc came in, but on the disk is an item number. That's gotta be unique right?
I think the original HD is damaged. It works but it's slow, crashes, and limited functionality. I don't really know. Is there a way to alter the new mother boards cmos? Some kind of trick?
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