Operating system

[Jjay00507]

Hi guys

i needed an OS for my socond hand laptop hp elitebook 8440p and is there a free download of this out there? THX

[doughjohn]

Hi

What specifically have you in mind?

Windows 7 or Later?

Free OS, non Microsoft?

Windows 10 can be downloaded for free, but to operate it you need to buy / have a licence.

Distrowatch has probably over 200 free to download and operate choices.

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

Jjay00507

The answer to your question is --MAYBE!

That PC came preinstalled with either Win7 or Vista, and one way do an OS install would be to purchase HP Recovery Media to restore it to factory settings.  That's not FREE, but it's a lot less than the $100 USD or so that you would have to pay to buy a copy of Win7.

Two problems with this though (that's what makes this a MAYBE):

1) OS version

2) Availability of recovery media

1) That PC came with Enterprise, Pro, and Home Basic versions of Win7 -- and since the activation is version-specific, you would need to restore using the same version.  This info should be on the COA sticker on the laptop.

2) HP no longer stocks recovery media for the Win7 PCs, so a couple of other sites you can check are: http://www.computersurgeons.com/  and http://www.restoredisks.com/

Again, that media is not free, but the cost is a lot less than buying a retail copy.

As to free -- technically, Win10 is not free; instead, it can be activated from an existing activated version of Win7,8,8.1 -- so you need runtime access to a working PC with one of those OS versions in order to use Win10.

Good Luck
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[Jjay00507]

Wawood

Thanks, thats helpful indeed. Yes my laptop is a windows 7 proffessional.

Do you think using same windows from another laptop disks would work?

Cheers.

[doughjohn]

Hi

Your COA as mentioned above

Questions/Symptoms

SYMPTOM: The Windows 7 Certificate of Authenticity (COA) label is not attached to the top or side of the Workstation and it seems to be missing.

Cause

CAUSE: The place of the Windows Certificate of Authenticity label has changed. The label may be attached to the bottom of the chassis. 

Answer/Solution

FIX: Turn the workstation upside down or lay to the right side and check the bottom of the chassis to find the COA label.

and match your OS to suit that label, then you may find that this set of drivers helpful,

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=4095874&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=4059

If in doubt please ask.

[WAWood]

In terms of reusing disks from another laptop -- maybe -- if it is the same make and model of this one, and running the same version of the OS.

Understand that HP Recovery Media starts by reformatting the drive to remove all the partitions,and then recreates them to match what the machine came with originally.

It also includes the drivers and HP utilities -- so if it is a different model laptop, it would not have the right drivers.

Also, activation is Win OS version specific, so unless it also is Win7 Pro, the activation won't work.

Good Luck
========================================================================
I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor do I represent, HP.
---------------------------------------------------------------
If my posts helped you, please click the Thumbs-Up symbol to say thanks.
If my posts solved your problem please click "Accept As Solution".
========================================================================

[Jjay00507]

Thanks, that is very helpful.