HP is about as worthless as microsoft when it comes to getting help.

[biggman100]

My problem is very simple. I lost everything on my laptop due to a bad HDD, so, i replaced the HDD, and tried to reinstall windows 7 from the disk i made, but, i cant get past the part where you have to reinsert the key, because the label is all scratched up (brilliant idea putting the label on the bottom of the unit), and, apparently, i cant get help directly from HP, so they directed me here, which i very highly doubt will get me anywhere, but, who knows (22 times in 8 years i have used this forum, and have never gotten a reliable answer to any issue i have with junk HP equipment, so this time, im going into this knowing already it wont get me anywhere). So, anyone have any suggestions, other than buying replacement retail OS software? The only way i am getting useable replacement software, is if HP supplies it.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

The only place I know of where you will be able to get a recovery kit for that model is from this non-HP vendor at the link below.  $27+shipping.

http://www.computersurgeons.com/p-21936-windows-7-64b-recovery-kit-630336-001-for-hp-notebook-pc-mod...

The software should not need the product key to work but you can call their toll free number and confirm that.