Activate 645 g1

[phyloah]

I am trying to activate a fresh install of Windows 7 Pro on the new SSD Evo 500gb hard drive. The old drive no longer has anything on it and am not sure it still even works at all. Also, after installing the windows 7 pro with a USB, the USB ports no longer work. I tried using the Activation key and it says its a default key and does not work. So, I tried the one that came with the software and it does not have enough digits and the sticker calls it a tracking id. Is there someplace I can get new software and key from, The site on Microsoft comes up as no longer available. I have old xp software that will not run on windows 10 or 8. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You need to install the USB 3 driver for the USB ports to work.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp78501-79000/sp78792.exe

Regarding the W7 key...your notebook most likely came from HP with W7 Pro with downgrade rights from W8 Pro.

The W8 Pro product key won't work on W7, so your only option would be to contact HP technical support and order W7 recovery media for your notebook.

The HP recovery media does not need a product key to activate.

[phyloah]

Getting the USB to work seems to have helped. 

As for activating the windows 7. I am trying to use the HP recovery cd and it will not boot from the external usb connected cd/dvd drive. I dont have an internal one. I have also tried to make a recovery USB stick to no success. Help please.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

When booting from the external DVD drive, you need to plug it into the notebook's USB 2 port.

It won't work from a USB 3 port.

You also have to make sure that legacy mode is enabled and secure boot is disabled in the BIOS.

After you confirm the BIOS settings are as above, restart the PC, tap the ESC key to get the menu of options, select the legacy USB DVD drive, and press the enter key.

The PC should boot from the external DVD drive.

[phyloah]

Can you tell me which of the 4 USB 3 ports is a USB 2 port. All4 ports have the USB3 symble on them and the hp manual concurs that all of them are USB3 ports.

Thanks

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're right.

Only USB 3 ports...

See if there is a setting in the BIOS to emulate USB2 or legacy USB or something.

Some notebooks with only USB 3 ports have that setting, so you can boot W7 from a DVD.

[phyloah]

Did not find any setting in the bios to emulate usb 2.0. But i remembered the port expander i bought for the laptop and it has two usb 2.0 ports on it. Hooked them together and attached the cd/dvd drive. Was able to run the rescue cd for windows 7. 

After running the rescue i rebooted and have a message to activate windows. The sticker with the software has a tracking number and no activation code. I was told the rescue disk would automatically activate windows.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

If it was an HP W7 disk it should have worked.

You are going to have to contact HP technical support for the country you are located in and see what they can do to help.

Not one of my HP business notebooks or desktops ever required the entering of a product key or needing activation after using the HP W7 Pro operating system recovery disks.

[phyloah]

The windows 7 instalation disk is from HP but it has a circular scratch on it. The rescue dist says its from microsoft. So i need a hp rescue disk.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You'll have to order that from HP.

I have this old phone directory from 9 years ago...

http://jp.ext.hp.com/lib/doc/manual/desktop/business_desktops/6005us_332630_007.pdf