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How do I keep my Windows 7?

haru-
By haru-
in Operating Systems
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if your bought retail you own a license to have windows seven forever on any machine provide the old one is gone.

if you bought oem you ring windows support and say your motherboard broke and so you got a replacement and would like a replacement key and see if they will play ball

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So I'm in the process of building a new PC and I don't want to have to buy Windows 7 OS again. Is it as simple as moving my old HDD with Windows 7 on it in to my new PC or is there some other stuff I need to do to keep Windows 7?

 

if your bought retail you own a license to have windows seven forever on any machine provide the old one is gone.

if you bought oem you ring windows support and say your motherboard broke and so you got a replacement and would like a replacement key and see if they will play ball

 Listem to Toddwjp, he has the right idea.

Nothing to see here, move along

 

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Did you buy retail or OEM when you bought win 7 the first time?

 

 

if your bought retail you own a license to have windows seven forever on any machine provide the old one is gone.

if you bought oem you ring windows support and say your motherboard broke and so you got a replacement and would like a replacement key and see if they will play ball

I'm not sure if it's OEM or retail. The PC I currently have came with Windows 7 pre-installed

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I'm not sure if it's OEM or retail. The PC I currently have came with Windows 7 pre-installed

It'll likely be retail then

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I'm not sure if it's OEM or retail. The PC I currently have came with Windows 7 pre-installed

If you bought it from a prebuilt manufacturer like Dell, it's an OEM copy. This means that you can't transfer it to another computer (although it is my understanding that some people have managed to make it work using phone activation, but I'm not certain so don't quote me on that). You will have to buy a new copy (or license key) in order to use it (unless it will work with phone activation, but it's unlikely).

If you bought it from a custom builder, it's likely to be an OEM copy, although if it's not, you will be able to reinstall it, although you might need to use phone activation (you will be walked through it during installation).

 

To check for certain, on your current computer, open computer -> right click -> properties, and at the bottom it will say "Windows is activated. Product ID: #####-OEM-#######-#####" (where # is a number) (if it's not OEM, it shouldn't include OEM in the product ID).

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If you bought it from a prebuilt manufacturer like Dell, it's an OEM copy. This means that you can't transfer it to another computer (although it is my understanding that some people have managed to make it work using phone activation, but I'm not certain so don't quote me on that). You will have to buy a new copy (or license key) in order to use it (unless it will work with phone activation, but it's unlikely).

If you bought it from a custom builder, it's likely to be an OEM copy, although if it's not, you will be able to reinstall it, although you might need to use phone activation (you will be walked through it during installation).

 

To check for certain, on your current computer, open computer -> right click -> properties, and at the bottom it will say "Windows is activated. Product ID: #####-OEM-#######-#####" (where # is a number) (if it's not OEM, it shouldn't include OEM in the product ID).

So I checked and it is an OEM copy. I'll do some more research but it looks like I'll need to purchase it again. Thanks to everyone for your help

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Personally I bought an OEM copy of 7 and currently have it installed on two fully functioning PCs and both say they are valid copies of Windows 7. If you have a disc just install the ISO onto the new machine and put in the key that is on a sticker somewhere on your old computer. If you don't have a disc download the ISO and make a bootable usb drive(people on the forum can help with that. That's how I figured it out). Install windows with that and use the key from the only computer.

Moving the HDD would be a pain trying to get rid of old drivers and installing new drivers.

My posts are in a constant state of editing :)

CPU: i7-4790k @ 4.7Ghz MOBO: ASUS ROG Maximums VII Hero  GPU: Asus GTX 780ti Directcu ii SLI RAM: 16GB Corsair Vengeance PSU: Corsair AX860 Case: Corsair 450D Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250 GB, WD Black 1TB Cooling: Corsair H100i with Noctua fans Monitor: ASUS ROG Swift

laptop

Some ASUS model. Has a GT 550M, i7-2630QM, 4GB or ram and a WD Black SSD/HDD drive. MacBook Pro 13" base model
Apple stuff from over the years
iPhone 5 64GB, iPad air 128GB, iPod Touch 32GB 3rd Gen and an iPod nano 4GB 3rd Gen. Both the touch and nano are working perfectly as far as I can tell :)
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I've used an OEM key from the bottom of a PC multiple times to activate a Windows copy on other machines and it's worked fine.

 

You should be alright.

pc specs: 4 function calculator / 8 digit lcd display / colored numeric and function buttons

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It'll likely be retail then

 

No. That would make it more likely OEM.

 

Personally I bought an OEM copy of 7 and currently have it installed on two fully functioning PCs and both say they are valid copies of Windows 7. If you have a disc just install the ISO onto the new machine and put in the key that is on a sticker somewhere on your old computer. If you don't have a disc download the ISO and make a bootable usb drive(people on the forum can help with that. That's how I figured it out). Install windows with that and use the key from the only computer.

Moving the HDD would be a pain trying to get rid of old drivers and installing new drivers.

 

Buying separed OEM and using OEM from pre-build is completely different thing. If you buy it separetly, its just like retail since those versions are meant for system builders (small shops).

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No. That would make it more likely OEM.

 

 

Buying separed OEM and using OEM from pre-build is completely different thing. If you buy it separetly, its just like retail since those versions are meant for system builders (small shops).

OEM is OEM. I get a non-retail package and information that I am responsible for giving tech support to who ever ends up with the computer. Using the code I got with the disc or using a code from my laptop will be the same thing.

 

The post above yours says the same thing I was saying.

My posts are in a constant state of editing :)

CPU: i7-4790k @ 4.7Ghz MOBO: ASUS ROG Maximums VII Hero  GPU: Asus GTX 780ti Directcu ii SLI RAM: 16GB Corsair Vengeance PSU: Corsair AX860 Case: Corsair 450D Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250 GB, WD Black 1TB Cooling: Corsair H100i with Noctua fans Monitor: ASUS ROG Swift

laptop

Some ASUS model. Has a GT 550M, i7-2630QM, 4GB or ram and a WD Black SSD/HDD drive. MacBook Pro 13" base model
Apple stuff from over the years
iPhone 5 64GB, iPad air 128GB, iPod Touch 32GB 3rd Gen and an iPod nano 4GB 3rd Gen. Both the touch and nano are working perfectly as far as I can tell :)
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