New HDD, What's next?

[Vincent]

First, thanks for all the help so far. This where I'm at, I now have:-

My old laptop hard drive, removed from the laptop, instaled with Vista and othet important files. It's now in a caddy and works temporarily - I've managed to rescue some files but when I try to play a avi. file with VLC for eg, it crashes.

New Hard drive, yet to be formatted.

My desktop which isn't up to much, running XP.

A windows disc with no key.

Spare SATA caddy, made for 3.5 drive but I presume I can run th 2.5 drive through it also.

What's my best, (easiest) route for getting my Laptop up and running again? I'd prefer to have windows 7 rather than vista but havn't got a clue how to install it w'ith no key

[CaNsA]

Stick the new hard drive in the laptop,
boot the windows disc
get a key from the interwebs ( ill prolly have on here, what windows is it?)

laffin

you may have to install drivers and stuff but that will be on the laptop manufacturers website


edit, look on the bottom of your laptop, is there not a vista key on there?

[Vincent]

Sorry I missed a couple of important words out

The disc I have is W7 but it's not an original one.

Laptop should have serial No, looking now............

[Vincent]

Laptop's got the label, which is the serial No, the one above the barcode?

[Vincent]

Ah I see a prod code, can't see much right now as I'm having a migraine and can just see loads of flashing lights in my eyes.

[CaNsA]

It will say microsoft on it.
with a silver strip on it.

Similar to this

https://www.fixya.com/uploads/Images/A0D6C5E.gif

[Vincent]

Yup, got it. I'm attempting to D/L W7 but I'm on a mobile connection where I am and it'll take 3 weeks Havn't got the Vista disc
Thought about cloning the old HDD but I'm not sure if I'm capable and would prefer W7 TBH.

[CaNsA]

get a mate to download it for you.

or just install what you have there for practice innit

then install win7 when your mate gives you the disc

[Vincent]

I take it I can't just drag and drop the windows files from the old HDD onto the new one?

[CaNsA]

You could try to "clone the hdd.

Or make an image of the old hdd and place it onto the new hdd.

that might work, but it depends on how reliable the old hdd is.

[Syris the Indomitable]

The hologram/license on the bottom of the laptop will be for Vista, it's cheaper to install the O/S with this via your local computer repair man but you don't want vista..
Costs me £35 locally.

You can install cracked O/S's like Win7, Win7 starter downloaded from Torrents but it's really not worth it, M/S Corp will damage your new hard drive, you won't be able to install updates without being detected too. Plus it's illegal.

Your doing what I did recently, bought new Samsung 2.5 SATA drive and an OEM WIN 7 disk from here.
Cheapest I have seen.
https://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Hard+Drives/Notebook+-+2.5%26quot%3B/

£76 for 32 bit Win7, https://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Software/Operating+Systems/?x=12&p_order=price_asc&p=cF9zdHlsZT0mcF9wcm9kdWN0c1BlclBhZ2U9Jg==

If you do this make sure you have all the drivers downloaded on a USB pen from the manufacteres website for your laptop. Just google “The make and model of laptop with the word support”
Install all intel drivers first like hard drive controller and chipset then graphics and all other peripheral drivers.

Portable Linux mint 9 is great for recovering any of your files and come with programs like firefox and VLC.
Easy instruction, all you need is a 2 GIG USB pen from which you boot up from.
If you limited for download, download it at your local Library.

Download and install Unetbootin: https://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ software, click drop down box and download Linux mint 9 to same place on pen drive, In the unetbooting GUI top java script box select the ISO you have just downloaded>OK>reboot.
You will now have an operating system that you can boot form your USB pen to access all you files.
Boot your computer press f2, f8, f10 or f11 to go into BIOS and tell BIOS to boot from external device, save changes.
Make sure the USB pen drive is plugged in.
You will be able to access your files and save them to another device.
____________________
In Greek mythology Ichor is what immortals have in the place of blood
Those that mind, don't matter...Those that matter, don't mind. Do you agree with this?

[Vincent]

Looks like I'm sticking with Vista then, as I have the key on the lappy - maybe think about buying a certified windows 7 when I'm bit more flush. I'm saving up for another bike at the moment and every penny counts.

[CaNsA]

[Vincent]

Must admit, I've never ran a legit OS since Windows 3.1. Didn't realise people bought them apart from with new PCs

I managed to swap the Spinpoint for a Blue Scorpio in the end.

[CaNsA]

Its just a scare tactic that some sneaky computer shops use to get you to buy stuff.

Millions of people all over the world used cracked copies with out any problems

The only legit O/S i have ever used was win 3.1 back in 1993

The Thinker hasnt been thinking again

[CaNsA]

Also, its not illegal to download a copy of windows.

Its illegal to crack it.

it really pisses me of when people make shit up.

[Syris the Indomitable]

Download updates all you like then.
Just for record I don't think scousers really care!
Just down the road from U pal.
LOL!

But not good to publically advocated to others to download cracked software.
Iv'e never done this!!!

Microsoft in a statement strongly advised customers not to download Windows 7 from unauthorized sources.

"Downloading Windows 7 from peer-to-peer Web sites is piracy, and exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code - that usually accompany counterfeit software. These risks can seriously harm or permanently destroy data and often expose users to identity theft and other criminal schemes," the company said.®
____________________
In Greek mythology Ichor is what immortals have in the place of blood
Those that mind, don't matter...Those that matter, don't mind. Do you agree with this?

[Vincent]

They would do I guess. We were also told many years ago that DVD pirates were funding terrorism, and sucking your thumb made you fat.

[Syris the Indomitable]

Allegedly W7 product key was cracked in China, don't want those doods in my system.
Not that i'm rich or anything but they might hijack my mams catalogue account.
____________________
In Greek mythology Ichor is what immortals have in the place of blood
Those that mind, don't matter...Those that matter, don't mind. Do you agree with this?

[CaNsA]

[Syris the Indomitable]

Shh! Your givng our game away!
Never payed for a game my self till that crappy new Medal of Honour came out.

[Pernig]

[CaNsA]

[Pernig]

[Syris the Indomitable]

Just had so many scars on my platters due to dodgy written software and C&G'G's, or M/S Corp iv'e lost count. Any scar on the platter makes the read/write heads that floats on a film of air above the platters ping back prematurely from it's idle state or read operation.
This makes an annoying more akin to throwing a marble on a tile.

Crops are crims, it's just really hard to catch them because the Lordships or scammers who own most the shares sometimes have a say government and in the Law.

Ever to try to sue the government you got to get past the sinisterly beavering away nepotistic civil servants beavering away in the lodge with each others hands in each others pockets.
Then there's the temple members!
They're all incestuously mating together too which makes it even more difficult, whilst milking the public purse with tax payer money.
Only a couple of politicians have been caught recently and used as scape goats cos “day a bit thick”.
You really are a criminal only when you get caught!
Apart from crimes of bestiality of course!
____________________
In Greek mythology Ichor is what immortals have in the place of blood
Those that mind, don't matter...Those that matter, don't mind. Do you agree with this?