Reset your PC. The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again.

[BillHolland]

We want to reset our PC, in other words, we want to go back to the factory installed Windows.

We followed the instructions at https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03546603

After pressing F11 we can choose Troubleshoot, Reset Your PC and Windows 8.1

But after that the error The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again shows up.

We removed the virisscanner (Norton 360) from the existing installed OS (Windows 8.1) but that did not help.
The computer was delivered with a OEM version of Windows 8.1 so we don't have a DVD with serial code. That is really a pity because with a DVD and serial a fresh installation of Windows is much easier. 

Hou can I fix this problem?

Thank you versy much!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Can you still get into Windows?

If so run this free utility that I zipped up and attached below and it will show you the Windows product key in the BIOS and what version of Windows the key is good for.

I'm thinking that PC originally came with W8, and I have a way that you can clean install W8.1 by using the W8 product key in your PC's BIOS but I need to know the version of W8 the key is good for.

You will make your own plain W8.1 installation media.

I do not need the key itself...just the version of W8. 

This is an example of the info I need...

Win 8.1 RTM Professional OEM:DM

[BillHolland]

Thank you for your reply Paul! I have seen such a tool (ShowKey) also on the website of NeoSmart.

Can I use the key retrieved with this tool in combination with any Windows 8.1 x64 DVD (same language)? I thought that the OEM version and the retail version of Windows were different with each its own serial number. Furtheron I thought that the OEM version of Windows could only be activated one time. I hope I am wrong 🙂

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

You need to match the W8.1 ISO file download with what the W8 key the showkey plus report provides.

But that is only part of it. 

I need to give you the generic W8.1 key you will need to enter so you can install W8.1 and then you change the generic key I gave you to the W8 product key in your PC's BIOS to complete the activation process.

That is why I need to know what version of W8 the showkey plus report indicates.

[BillHolland]

Hi Paul, thank you very much for your reply. This is the information:

Productname: Windows 8.1 Pro
Version: 9600.19847 (64-bit OS)
Win 8 RTM Professional OEM:DM

We would like to install Windows on a separate SSD and use the existing disk as data disk. Does the four SATA-connectors on the systemboard have the same speed?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

OK...here is what you need to do...

Install W8.1 by creating the Microsoft installation media, using another Windows PC, if yours is not working...You want the plain W8.1 Pro 64 bit ISO file download.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8ISO

If you are asked to enter a product key during the installation process, use this generic key.

This is the generic key for W8.1 Professional

XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB

If you had to enter the generic key, manually change the generic product key to the W8 key in your PC's BIOS in the PC settings menu.

After you get W8.1 installed, and you had to manually enter the W8.1 generic product key, you will need to run the free utility I zipped up and attached yesterday, that will show you show the W8 product key in your PC's BIOS.

I have zipped up and attached below, the Microsoft tool which hopefully will transfer the ISO file to a DVD or USB flash drive so it is bootable, or you can use a different free utility such as Rufus, or your DVD burning program if it has a burn ISO file option.

Then you can install the available drivers and software from your PC's support page.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-elite-7500-microtower-pc/5270864

[BillHolland]

Hi Paul, thank you very much again!

We are going to fix the problem and I wil inform you as soon we have made any progress.

Another question: We would like to install Windows on a separate SSD and use the existing disk as data disk. Does the four SATA-connectors on the systemboard have the same speed?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.

I cannot find any specs on the motherboard your PC has.

I would imagine at a minimum SATA port 0 and 1 are 6.0 GB/S, and hopefully SATA 2 and 3 are also, but I don't know for sure.

So, I would move the SSD to where your PC's hard drive is now (port 0), and install the hard drive SATA cable to port 1.

[BillHolland]

Hi Paul, we solved te problem.

(1) Reset your PC. The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again. Solution: startup de PC with something like Hirens BootCD, startup Disk Management and remove the partition on which Windows is installed. Leave the other partions on the inside disk of the PC intact . After that reboot the PC without Hirens BootCD and now reinstalling Windows wil start automaticaly.

(2) But, we want to introduce a new SSD disk instead of persisting the original HDD. A new disk form the retail shop does not have any pre-installed Windows. So we followed your instructions.

- Download https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8ISO

- With help of Rufus we created a bootable USB Windows 8 drive

- After booting the PC from the USB drive, we installed Windows 8

- Suprise: the in the PC embeded licence key was automaticly resolved, no further action was needed to get Windows activated.

- Then we performed a Windows Update (161 items) and then all hardware drivers were found and installed. There were no question marks or exclamation marks in Device Manager. We did not need to download drivers from https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-elite-7500-microtower-pc/5270864.

We will probably download some original HP drivers anyway because the Microsoft drivers only provide the minimum necessary.

Thank you and best regards

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Glad everything worked out for you.

Cheers,

Paul