Hard Drive replacement

Steve_B · 14 March 2011, 21:40

Its not been a good couple of days where IT is involved!

Have a two year old Acer laptop. Does a good job and pleased with it. However began to get a few problems that I was told pointed to the hard drive begining to fail. Bought replacement hard drive and advice on how "easy" to do.

Backed up all files to external hard drive, removed old hard drive, inserted new hard drive. So far so good. Laptop supplied with Windows Vista pre-installed, but also came with Windows 7 upgrade kit.

So someone gave me a Windows Vista disk to get it going, with the idea of running the Windows 7 upgarde kit. Inserted Windows Vista disk and going great guns until it came to "Product Key code". Tried to insert the code on the bottom of the laptop (MS windows sticker) and get - your productcode cannot be validated! Bugger

What do i do next? Have the Windows 7 upgrade with product key, but never had the Vista disk.

Steve

boristhebold · 14 March 2011, 22:13

When you purchased the acer laptop did you get in the box any other cdroms, you should have got a carom which would have contained the preinstall image and can be used to reinstall the entire image. You should be able ton use this if it's present with the new hard drive to reimage.

If not you will have lots of hassle as you will need to download a lot of device drivers etc.

jyasaki · 14 March 2011, 23:11

The disk you were given should have had a key code with it. The codes are tied to the disks they are supplied with, as far as I am aware (though there aren't all that many codes out there - certainly not individual codes for each disk, anyway.)

Whether or not *that* installation would work with the 7 upgrade is a crap shoot. Don't see why it wouldn't, but you are dealing with Microsoft.

Luck;

jky

Erin · 15 March 2011, 16:00

Chances are you didn't get a reinstall disk. The windows software is on a hidden partition on the old HDD. You sometimes get the option to make your own reinstall disk as part of the initial setting up procedure. Many people don't and live to regret it. If you still have the old hardrive it would be possible to have all partitions and data transferred from the old to the new and then go through the recovery procedure to resinstall the OS from the hidden partition. APITA, but it does work, I've had to do it a few times.

ribraff · 15 March 2011, 19:49

I have the disks to install windows Home Premium if you wish to use them I can send them to you. You can then buy a product key from Microsoft which is what I have done on a Sony Vaio I have.
Funnily enough you don't get these issues with a Macbook.

Channel Ribs · 15 March 2011, 19:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by ribraff

Funnily enough you don't get these issues with a Macbook.

You beat me to it!