Can you do this.

[steveC]

After reading the post by "Bear" it got me thinking can I do this.

Where I used to work they ran windows 7 and I doubled up on my laptops by taking my old one in. That ran windows 7 home premium. After problems on my laptop the technician there installed a new copy of the firms windows 7.

I recently dusted it off and when I started it up it said the copy was not genuine/licence to be renewed.

I have the product key for the original program (windows 7 home premium) Can I visit the Microsoft site and down load a copy of this as I have the product key.

Thanks

 

[Reggie P]

Sums up Microsoft !
You don't get this shit with Apple !

 

[jetjock]

Sums up Microsoft !
You don't get this shit with Apple !

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rjsmith26]

in simple summary god knows.

Even Microsoft don't understand their own licensing options / model so no hope for computer bods who workin in the industry and even more of a black art for the home user.

In summary - its a friggin nightmare and where possible MS will do everything possible to extract more money from you for a product you think you already own.

I work in this field, but live and work on a Mac, I don't think I need to explain why.

 

[steveC]

Well I have just tried the link that Aberdeen Angus kindly supplied.(Thanks) It is a valid link and worked up to a point for me. It stopped installation for 2 reasons.

1. My copy of win 7 required validating ( to be expected )
2. The laptop CPU was not compatible with windows 10. That was strange since I ran windows 10 for over a month.

I think a mail to the IT dept of my former employer is the next step. Yes I use Macs at home, 2 days ago for the first time ever I did a factory reset on a MacBook. So easy I managed it.

 

[steveC]

Well after trawling through the maze that is Microsoft have I did indeed find a way to get a download of windows 7. All you need is your product key and after verification it lets you download the version attached to the product key. Easy eh.

The bad news is that if your machine came with the OS factory installed then it refers you to the machine manufacturer. Yes thats mine and probably most machines out there.

So to answer my own question yes you can download a OS copy but only if your machine came with a disc in the first place.

 

[rjsmith26]

Welcome to the world of OEM software from MS.

 

[tadhgocuilleain]

If the IT guy that reinstalled Windows previously didn't overwrite it, there may be a hidden recovery partition on your laptop. There's usually some combination of buttons you have to hold while booting the laptop to access the recover menu. Do a google search for the make and model of your laptop followed by "factory restore" or "recovery partition" and you'll probably find the sequence/order of buttons to press. If that doesn't work, the guy probably overwrote it.

 

[steveC]

Thanks

I have sent a mail to my former IT dept. Hopefully it will get sorted.

Yes there may be enough info on a partition to recover the OS.

By contrast when I did my Mac a few days ago it was so easy. There's enough of the program on the partition to get you started. Then Apple recognises the machine and downloads the complete OS. No product code required it knows which machine the request is from.

I wish Microsoft had something similar, and I bet a lot of other people as well.