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- Can I Reinstall Windows 10 Without Losing Data
- Can I Reinstall Windows 10 Without Having Serial Key Password
Reinstalling Windows 7 operating system is fairly a simple job. You prepare a bootable media, boot using the bootable media, select language and keyboard, accept license agreement, enter the product key, and select a partition to begin installing Windows.
The problem with this traditional procedure is that you need to enter the product key. This becomes a bit more complicated if you have lost your Windows 7 DVD box on which license key is printed or if you have deleted the mail containing your product key for Windows 7.
- Windows 10 automatically activates online when you upgrade your product to Windows 10. This allows you to reinstall Windows 10 again at any time, without having to purchase a license.
- How to Install Windows 10 or 8 without Product Key May 14th, 2015 by Admin Leave a reply » Unlike earlier versions of Windows, you can’t install Windows 10 or 8 without a product key.
While there are plenty of applications out there to recover Windows 7 product key, including a free tool to recover Windows 7 product without booting into Windows 7, wouldn’t it be good if it was possible to legally re-install Windows 7 without entering the product key?
How can I install Windows Vista without supplying the product key? Well, you can, sort of. You can configure Windows Vista to install without having to manually enter.
The beauty of Windows 7 and one of the hidden features of Windows 7 is that this version of Windows can be re-installed on the same PC without having to enter the product key, legally. In other words, if your Windows 7 PC is working and bootable, you can re-install Windows 7 without a product key without the help of third-party tools provided that you have a Windows 7 installation DVD.
Note that you must use Windows 7 installation DVD as a bootable media as a bootable Windows 7 USB doesn’t help in this method.
Things you need to know before beginning to reinstall Windows 7 using this method
# This guide is helpful for those who have a Windows 7 DVD but not the product key.
# Your Windows 7 PC must be bootable and your PC must have an optical drive (DVD drive).
# Your PC must have at least 16 GB (for 32-bit) and 20 GB (for 64-bit) of free space on your Windows 7 drive (the drive where Windows 7 is currently installed). If there is no sufficient space, you need to free up some space by disabling hibernation, uninstalling programs, emptying Recycle Bin, or running disk clean up utility.
# After performing reinstallation, you’ll need to manually install all applications all over again, meaning you will lose all installed applications during the reinstallation.
Re-installing Windows 7 without the license key
Step 1: Turn on your PC and boot into Windows 7. Make sure you have above mentioned free space before continuing further.
Step 2: Navigate to Start menu, click on Control Panel to open the same, change the View to Small icons, and then click on Recovery to open Recovery window.
Step 3: Here, under System Restore section, click on the option labelled Advanced recovery methods.
Step 4: In this window, you’ll see two options:
# Use a system image you created earlier to recover your computer
# Reinstall Windows (requires Windows installation disc)
While the first option lets you restore a system image, the second option lets you reinstall Windows OS without having to enter the product key. Simply select the second option titled Reinstall Windows and then press Enter key.
Step 5: Click on the Yes button when you see a dialog asking “Do you have a Windows installation disc?”
Step 6: The following screen warns you to back up your important data before reinstalling Windows. Even we recommend you backup all important data but since we’re not going to delete existing files and folders located in Windows 7 drive, you don’t necessarily need to backup data.
Simply click Skip button to continue.
For those who’re curious, in this method, Windows installer simply moves all files and folders located currently in the Windows drive to a folder named Windows.old on the same drive. And once reinstallation is done, it even allows you recover those files and folders but not applications from the Windows.old folder.
Step 7: Finally, insert your Windows 7 DVD into the drive before clicking the Restart button.
NOTE: You may need to make necessary changes to the BIOS/UEFI to allow booting from DVD.
Step 8: After booting from Windows 7 DVD, you’ll see System Recovery Options dialog where you need to select a keyboard input method. Select a input method and then click Next button to continue.
Step 9: When you see a dialog with “Are you sure you want to reinstall Windows?” message, simply click on the Yes button. Next, you will see “Do you have a Windows installation disc” message, for which, you need to click the Yes button, since you already have inserted the right disc.
Step 10: That’s it! Windows setup will start and begin reinstalling Windows. Once installation is done, you’ll see options to create user account, select time zone, and update settings. You won’t be asked to enter the product key.
Finally, after completing the reinstallation, you can navigate to Windows 7 installed drive, and then open up Windows.old folder to move all important data from the old installation to the new one.
And if you did perform a backup, you can click on Restore my files button when you see the Recovery dialog on your desktop.
Step 11: Now that Windows reinstallation is done and you have all your data, it’s time to activate Windows. Simply open System Properties using Windows + Pause/Break key or right-clicking on Computer icon and then clicking Properties, scroll down, click Activate Windows to activate your Windows 7. In other words, you don’t need to enter the product key. Yes, you don’t need to type the product key!
That’s all. Good luck!
Dear Lifehacker,
I recently got a new laptop that came with Windows pre-installed, but it came with a lot of extra bloatware I'd rather not have. Can I do a clean install of Windows over it, or will my product key not work with a vanilla install?
I recently got a new laptop that came with Windows pre-installed, but it came with a lot of extra bloatware I'd rather not have. Can I do a clean install of Windows over it, or will my product key not work with a vanilla install?
Sincerely,
Bad Bloatware
Bad Bloatware
Dear Bad,
The short answer is yes—the product key that came with your computer will, in most cases, work with a vanilla installation of Windows. But first, we should mention that there is a simpler solution.
The short answer is yes—the product key that came with your computer will, in most cases, work with a vanilla installation of Windows. But first, we should mention that there is a simpler solution.
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Bloatware is always kind of a pain, but before you start running for the nuclear option, you might want to try uninstalling that bloatware yourself from the Add/Remove Programs menu. If you find bloatware that isn't listed in that menu, Revo Uninstaller might be able to help you. There are also programs like Decrap that will automatically uninstall all that bloatware for you—so I say try those first.
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That said, sometimes you still need to do a clean install for one reason or another. In that case, yes, it should be possible on most PCs. Here's the general process (though note that your mileage may vary, every PC may have its own little quirks).
Step One: Find Your License Key
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If your computer came with Windows pre-installed, you have a legit Windows license that you'll need to reinstall. First, check the bottom of your laptop or the back of your computer tower. There should be a sticker that has your Windows version and license key listed. Write both of those down before continuing.
If you can't find a sticker, try running a utility like Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder. It will scan your computer and find your license key for you.
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Read more ReadLastly, many Windows 8 PCs come with the product key embedded in the BIOS. We haven't tried to reinstall Windows on one of these PCs, but a quick search reveals that they should automatically apply your product key when you reinstall with an ISO. Your mileage may vary, of course, and you may want to do a cursory search on your particular model to see if this works before you continue. Reader TheAddisonJ also has a method for obtaining your product key which may work.
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You can use a program called RWeverything to obtain your BIOS stored product keys from windows 8.…
Read more ReadNote: if there is any bloatware you want to keep—like a DVD playing program, or something of that nature—now would be a good time to open it up and see if you can find a product key in the 'About' menu. Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder may also be able to find other product keys for you.
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Step Two: Grab a Windows Disc
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If your laptop came with a recovery disc or partition, don't use it—it probably comes bundled with all the bloatware you're trying to avoid (and Windows 8's Refresh has the same issue). You'll need a vanilla installation disc, which is easy to get. You can either borrow one from a friend or download an ISO file straight from Digital River, Microsoft's official source for distributing installation discs. From there you can burn it to a DVD or USB drive.
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Update: it seems that within the past day or two, the Digital River links no longer work. For now, the best method is to borrow a CD from a friend or find it elsewhere. Sorry about the confusion.
If you're using Windows 8, you can download an ISO using Microsoft's tool.
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Note that this isn't piracy—you still need a valid license key to use these ISO files. That means when you get your disc, make sure it's for the same version of Windows as your license key. If your laptop comes with Windows 7 Home Premium, you'll need a Windows 7 Home Premium disc, and so on.
If you borrow a disc from a friend that doesn't match—or if you need an ISO for Windows 7 Starter or Basic—download the Ei.cfg Removal Utility and run it on your ISO. Then, when you go to install Windows, it'll let you choose which edition you install. Remember, you have to install the version you have a key for, otherwise it won't activate (for obvious reasons).
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Read more ReadStep Three: Download Your Drivers
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Before you reinstall Windows, we recommend downloading the drivers you'll need later and putting them on a flash drive. That way, if you don't have internet connectivity after you reinstall, you can at least install the network drivers without much hassle.
Head to your computer manufacturer's web site (e.g. Dell, Asus, or HP) and go to their Support section. You should be able to find your model of laptop or desktop, and find a list of available drivers.
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You'll almost certainly need drivers for the chipset, LAN, Wi-Fi, graphics, and audio. If you have a laptop, you may also need touchpad drivers for specific features, Bluetooth drivers, USB 3.0, or anything else that your computer may require. This varies from model to model, so be sure to check through the entire list and download whatever you think you might need. Put it on a flash drive and set it aside for now.
Alternatively, you can use a tool like Double Driver to backup the drivers you currently have installed. Thanks to those of you that reminded us about Double Driver!
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Step Four: Reinstall Windows
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Finally, it's time to reinstall! You're probably familiar with this process, but just in case you aren't: insert your disc or drive and boot from it. If you're prompted to 'press any key to boot from CD or DVD,' do so, and you should enter the Windows installation.
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It's all pretty self-explanatory, except the partition screen. You may see a few different partitions on your disk, including one labeled 'Recovery.' This is the recovery partition that lets you restore Windows as it was when you bought your computer, bloatware and all. You can easily delete the recovery partition and install Windows from scratch, but I recommend keeping this recovery partition just in case. That way, if something goes wrong, you can always restore it to factory state. Just highlight the 'Windows' partition, click the Format button, and install Windows there.
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Run through the rest of the installation process according to the wizard and you should be all set. When you're prompted to activate Windows, type in your product key. Make sure you type in the correct key—those stickers are small and poorly printed, so its very easy to get the numbers and letters wrong the first time.
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If it doesn't work and you're sure it's the right key, tell it you'll wait to activate until later. You may have to click 'Activate Over the Phone' and use Microsoft's automated system, which only takes a few minutes.
Step Five: Install Your Drivers and Run Windows Update
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Now, insert that flash drive with your drivers on them and install them one by one (I usually install the chipset drivers first, then everything else). You should also head to Windows Update and download the necessary updates. You may have to restart and check for updates again a number of times to get them all.
After that, you're all set to start using your computer! Check out our Lifehacker Pack to download other essential apps (like web browsers, antivirus software, and productivity tools) all in one package. Enjoy!
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Sincerely,
Lifehacker
Lifehacker
Disc photo by Julien GONG Min.
Can I Reinstall Windows 10 Without Having Serial Key Password
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