Hard Drive Replacement

[RoeG]

My hard drive crashed and I replaced it. I purchased a system recovery disk and attempted to recover my pc to it's original factory settings.  I followed the instructions and got all the way through the process and then got a message that I could not use the system and should restart the recovery proicess.  I attempted to restart using the first recovery disk, but the system would not boot from the CD this time even though the bios had it set as the first boot drive.  I tried several times to no avail.  I then put the Windows 8 Pro disk in and installed that OS in the hopes that I could get the CD boot to work. No go!!!  I am entitled to the free upgrade to Windows 10, but only if I restore to my original OEM version of Windows 7.  Please help.  I have already spent $100 to try to resolve this and cannot afford to spend any more.

[mdklassen · Accepted solution]

> I am entitled to the free upgrade to Windows 10,

TRUE.

but only if I restore to my original OEM version of Windows 7. 

FALSE.

Since your computer was running Windows 10, you have a "digital entitlement" to directly reinstall Windows, at NO COST to you, via:  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

At the "Enter Product Key" prompt, click "I do not have one".

The first time that you have an Internet connection, Windows will "activate", using your entitlement.

[RoeG]

Thank you. I tried this but there is no option to bypass the product key.

[mdklassen]

> I tried this but there is no option to bypass the product key. 

You are the first person to report this. 

All other people to whom I made the same recommendation were successful in clicking "I do not have ...".

When you booted the Windows 10 Installer, what screens did you see?  What did you click on each screen, to advance to the next screen?

[RoeG]

The first screen asked whether I wanted to create media  or upgrade this pc now.  I tried it both ways, with the same result.

When it finishes the download and checks it, the only choice is to enter a product key.  There is no option for "I do not have a product key". the only other thing on the screen is the option for an on-screen keyboard.

[mdklassen]

> The first screen asked whether I wanted to create media  or upgrade this PC now. 

For the "create media" option, did you restart your computer, and choose to boot from that media?

For the "upgrade this PC now", did you choose to "skip" entering a product-key?

[RoeG]

To your first question, I don't think so. I will try that in a few minutes.
To your second question, there was no way to continue. The buttons were not active. I did try to activate in settings but that wouldn't work either.

[RoeG]

I cannot thank you enough.  When I booted from the usb drive, it gave me the option to select "I do not have a product key" and I was able to continue with the installation.

[mdklassen]

> I cannot thank you enough.  

Clicking that "thumbs-up" icon is enough.