Replace hd and win10


  1. Posts : 194
    Windows 10 Pro v21H1
       #1

    Replace hd and win10


    Acer 7551-7422 hard drive totally dead. They have never backed up the computer. The computer did upgrade quite a while back from Windows 7 home premium to Windows 10. I am installing a new ssd. I was told I needed to reinstall Win7 then do an upgrade but for some reason that does not seem right to me. Since the computer had already been upgraded to Win 10 can I just install the version 2004 of win10 and will it activate?
    Ron
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 14,022
    Win10 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home, Win7, Linux Mint
       #2

    Win10 should again be activated with a Digital License when online. If by some chance it does not you can always enter the Product Key from the Win7 COA sticker, not have to install Win7 first.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 6,347
    Windows 11 Pro - Windows 7 HP - Lubuntu
       #3

    anaron said:
    Since the computer had already been upgraded to Win 10 can I just install the version 2004 of win10 and will it activate?
    Ron
    Yes, you can do a Win 10 clean install (same version - Home or Pro) and it will activate as M$ has the computer ID on their servers.
    Last edited by Megahertz; 29 Sep 2020 at 10:29.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 31,682
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #4

    anaron said:
    Since the computer had already been upgraded to Win 10 can I just install the version 2004 of win10 and will it activate?
    Yes. Any PC that has had Windows 10 activated on it previously will have a digital license linked to its unique hardware ID and stored on Microsoft's activatuion servers. The hard drive plays no part in this hardware ID.

    Digital licenses are edition specific, so clean install the same edition as it had before (Home or Pro) and skip entering a key when asked. It will activate automatically from the existing digital license.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 194
    Windows 10 Pro v21H1
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Berton that is exactly what I thought but rarely get into this. Thanks for the confirmation people!
    Ron
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 41,480
    windows 10 professional version 1607 build 14393.969 64 bit
       #6

    Acer supported drivers up to Windows 7.
    There were no tested drivers for Windows 8 or 10.
    BIOS updates ended in 2011.

    As above if it was upgraded and worked with windows 10 it should be easy to reactivate.

    There is a Microsoft troubleshooter in case its needed:
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...rosoft-windows
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...-10-activation
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 194
    Windows 10 Pro v21H1
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Worked like a dream!
    Thanks everybody!
    Ron
      My Computer


 

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