Solved Options available when hard drive fails

pawz7

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About a year ago couple bought an HP Midi Tower PC from a well known store really cheap because it had been a display machine, and it has Windows 8 installed. The computer recently started malfunctioning and so they asked us to take a look. First thing we noticed was that there was no PID label on the side, but have since learned that is no longer used for Win 8 machines. They have no disk(s) either, just the machine, but there is a recovery partition on the HDD, from which I was able to 'refresh' the system before giving it back. This was a temp solution, aimed at them getting their personal stuff off, because the hard drive is failing, and indeed the machine stopped working again just a few days after we returned it.
My question is, after putting a new drive in, given that the machine already has the PID hash in the BIOS, is there a way I can get the system back on without them having to buy another copy of Windows 8? OR could they legally put a copy of a different version of Windows on the machine instead ( which is the preferred option), and get that accepted, given that the original for Windows 8 is still in the BIOS, ie, could they override the original PID with one for the new OS??? Please advise.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
If you have an installation media (CD/USB) with the same version as the OEM from HP then you can do a fresh install and Windows will automatically activated with the built in PID.

If you are currently running Windows 8 and say you install Windows 8 Pro then you have to buy a new Key for the Pro version.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1x64PWMC Ubuntu14.04x64 MintMate17x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brewed
    CPU
    I7 4970K OC'ed @4.7 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI-Z97
    Memory
    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
    Case
    Antec 1200
    Cooling
    Danger Den H20
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    35/12mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
topgun, they have no media.When the machine came to us it was running 8.1. The refresh sent it back to 8. Where would I get a copy of Windows 8 from, apart from buying it - is it available as an .iso and can I download it without knowing the Product Key??
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
Sorry I assumed that you have some kind of installation media. However, one option is to order the media from HP.
Another option is to clone the old HD to the new HD and do a refresh from the new HD. You can download the Macrium Rescue ISO from my Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxgxYnZOV7L7SzhjYWdNODctdVE/view?usp=sharing
then use Rufus - Create bootable USB . With the new HD connected to the USB port, boot up the PC then clone from the old to the new. Disconnect the old HD and connect the new HD then do a refresh.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1x64PWMC Ubuntu14.04x64 MintMate17x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brewed
    CPU
    I7 4970K OC'ed @4.7 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI-Z97
    Memory
    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
    Case
    Antec 1200
    Cooling
    Danger Den H20
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    35/12mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
I think a rescue disk from HP would be the only sure option, cost them about £40.00. The old drive seems in too uncertain a state to attempt the other option ( though I will file your comments in 'useful to know'). Thing is, they keep saying they want to go back to Windows 7. Could they do that and have the Win 7 OS PID accepted when the BIOS is 'hardwired' to only accept the Windows 8 PID??
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
OK, I have found that the only way these folk can go back to Windows 7 is if they put on a retail version - is that right do you know?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
Yes, if they are willing to spend the money. However, it would not hurt to try with Macrium Rescue disk first and hope the Recovery Partition in the old HD is not damaged or corrupted.

Putting Windows 7 back will require Windows 7 PID. However, I think Windows 8 is faster and snappier and you can also customize it to look and feel like Windows 7.

Hope this help !!!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1x64PWMC Ubuntu14.04x64 MintMate17x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brewed
    CPU
    I7 4970K OC'ed @4.7 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI-Z97
    Memory
    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
    Case
    Antec 1200
    Cooling
    Danger Den H20
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    35/12mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
topgun, they have no media.When the machine came to us it was running 8.1. The refresh sent it back to 8. Where would I get a copy of Windows 8 from, apart from buying it - is it available as an .iso and can I download it without knowing the Product Key??

This vbs script may help in finding your Key.

View attachment ShowKey v1.3.vbs

A picture---

screenshot_162.jpg
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
thank you David - that machine is back to 8 now, but will save this info for future ref. I have saved the script on my own computer; very useful toy :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
topgun, I hear what you say, and if the machine comes back here for us to put a new drive in I will give it a go if they still want Win 8. Otherwise it will be Win 7 retail or a recovery disk from HP - so that is three options. You are a treasure :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
we have just bought some recovery/repair disks for Win 8 - might come in useful, only a few quid if not. I shall feel slightly better equipped with them to hand and the script tool should we get any more Win 8 computers coming our way....
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
Factory Recovery disks can come in handy.
I bought mine too.

Making backup images of one's OS is a good practice.
There are many free or cheap programs for doing it.
I keep redundant images on usb drives.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
yup, add to our stock, recovery disks and system disks going back to Win 95... chuck one away and next month you will surely find you needed THAT one...:)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 7
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