How to re-install Windows 10 (that was upgraded from W7) on NEW HD?

Fleeting · 10 Mar 2017

Hi all,

So I have an older Lenovo G550 laptop that came with Windows 7 pre-installed and has a Windows 7 licence sticker on the bottom. The computer was upgraded to Windows 10 when it came out as a Windows Update (so we don't have a Windows 10 licence key).

The hard drive has now failed, so a new one has been purchased as a replacement.

I read some threads on here about re-installing Windows 10 if it was an upgrade, and apparently you can do it without a key if you have the SAME hardware. But i have a NEW hard drive.

1. Has anyone attempted this with a new hard drive and been successful?
2. If not, is there a way to get a licence key or do I have to go back to Windows 7?
3. The computer didn't come with media, can a Windows OS be downloaded or do I have to buy the manufacturer's recovery CD? The laptop has a DVD drive in case of ISOs or can use a USB stick. (ETA: The computer that will be making the DVD or boot media is running Linux, so the Media Creation Tool mentioned in the tutorial won't work).

Thanks!!

NavyLCDR · 10 Mar 2017

1. Yes. Thousands have.

2. Not applicable.

3. I'm not sure if this still works or not. I'll boot from live Linux USB I have and let you know if a few minutes:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/computi...indows-10-iso/

Samuria · 10 Mar 2017

When you downlod win10 you have th eoption for anther pc and to create a iso or usb

NavyLCDR · 10 Mar 2017

Posting this from Linux Mint. This website will get you the ISO file in Linux:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...d/windows10ISO

Fleeting · 10 Mar 2017

Heh, everyone is right. I went to that link before posting this (from the tutorial, I think) and it offered me only the Media Creation Tool or the "other download options" like MSDN. When I went to it just now, it did in fact allow me to download the ISO. Which will take 17 hours on my connection, so I will try this tomorrow on my new HD.

So I guess I don't need to do anything special (other than ensure I have the right version of 10). I just pop in my DVD and it will still activate properly?

NavyLCDR · 10 Mar 2017

Fleeting said:

So I guess I don't need to do anything special (other than ensure I have the right version of 10). I just pop in my DVD and it will still activate properly?

When it asks for a product key, there will be a link on the bottom of the page that says, "I don't have a product key." Click that link. The next screen will ask you which version you want to install. Install the same version you had before. Once you connect to the internet it will activate automatically.