Anyway to get windows 7 key from vista COA

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Anyway to get windows 7 key from vista COA

Morgenmuffel

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#185649 30-Nov-2015 17:19

Ok hard drive died in SWMBOs computer, the machine was running windows 7 when we got it, it had been upgraded from Vista apparently, as thats the only COA I can find on the case, I am wondering if I try to reinstall vista on a new drive will it recognise that its has been upgraded and tell me to get 7.

Long story short, I would prefer 7(and upgrade to 10) to Vista Home Basic

And no i can't get hold of the original owner, and i didn't think to write the 7 key down

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Stu

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#1437966 30-Nov-2015 17:26

Based on info you've provided, you're out of luck unfortunately.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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ArcticSilver

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#1437967 30-Nov-2015 17:28

Is the HDD completely dead? Ie does the platter spin? You could try cloning the data and repairing the windows install.

Some times HDD's may have a corrupted Windows install that you can clone off and repair, even if the drive is gone.

gzt

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#1437969 30-Nov-2015 17:30

This will recover key from a mounted drive:

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

gzt

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#1437972 30-Nov-2015 17:32

I am wondering if I try to reinstall vista on a new drive will it recognise that its has been upgraded and tell me to get 7

No chance.

Morgenmuffel

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#1438286 1-Dec-2015 08:44

Cheers all, I'll see if the drive is recoverable at all, or at least mountable

Thanks

'We love to buy books because we believe we’re buying the time to read them.' WARREN ZEVON

1101

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#1438385 1-Dec-2015 10:43

Morgenmuffel: Ok hard drive died in SWMBOs computer, the machine was running windows 7 when we got it, it had been upgraded from Vista apparently, as thats the only COA I can find on the case.......
And no i can't get hold of the original owner, and i didn't think to write the 7 key down

Based on what of seen in similar cases...
theres a change that Win7 was pirated. Its quite rare to have someone BUY & then install 7 on a Vista PC
Vista SP1 isnt that bad on good hardware . SP1 fixed alot of issues .

Even if you can extract the 7 install key, you still need the matching install CD for that 7 key, there are many versions of win7 that all need a different install CD (home, pro, upgrade, OEM, Ulimate, Enterprise/Vol Lic ) .

dolsen

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#1438408 1-Dec-2015 11:10

What sort of computer was it, eg, brand name or home built one?

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CYaBro

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#1438410 1-Dec-2015 11:11

Yea do you recall what version of Windows 7 it was? Home? Pro? Ultimate?

If it was Ultimate I can 99% guarantee that is was a pirated copy, as buying Ultimate as a genuine upgrade was very rare.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

gzt

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#1438482 1-Dec-2015 12:37

True vista is not that bad after disable animation etc.

Or linux mint time : ). If you have not tried it, it is impressive.

Morgenmuffel

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#1505421 3-Mar-2016 10:14

Update:

Running with windows 10 on a new Harddrive now, only hiccup was I installed the wrong version of windows 10 originally, but once i reinstalled and gave it my windows 7 key it worked perfectly.

On a side note this machine has always screamed noisely from the fan running at full tilt (for a year or two), once i discovered that the fan/heatsink wasn't screwed down properly and the thermal grease was hard and powderyish, i replaced the processor with a slightly faster one and put new grease on it, and I can't get over how quiet it is, mind you this is the first time i have seen a CPU since the days of my 386sx and I got a shade panicked when I saw there were no pins on the cpu chip, and assumed i had somehow broken them whilst getting the chip out of the socket.

Thanks for the help

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toyonut

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#1505431 3-Mar-2016 10:38

Intel CPU then I take it. AMD still have the pins.

Try Vultr using this link and get us both some credit:

http://www.vultr.com/?ref=7033587-3B

Morgenmuffel

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#1505433 3-Mar-2016 10:48

yep intel it is.

Even more stoked when I realised I had backed my keys up when i first got the machine, Id run a key backup doohickey to email, but as it was under SWMBOs account I couldn't find it at first.

'We love to buy books because we believe we’re buying the time to read them.' WARREN ZEVON

linw

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#1505460 3-Mar-2016 11:59

Sounds like a happy ending!

tripp

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#1505465 3-Mar-2016 12:06

linw:

Sounds like a happy ending!

Everyone likes happy endings :)