Legal re-installation of Windows / COA

[b_read]

Hi

Does having a Certificate of Authenticity sticker that reads HP Windows 7 Pro OA on the back of the laptop means that the laptop comes with legal Windows Preinstalled, if so can I use any windows media to reinstall it as long as it's the same version, or should I use a recovery DVD from HP? does it matter if the windows I'm trying to install is 32bit or 64bit? I'm asking because I have an Elitebook 840 that has what I think a non legit windows Pro 7 32bit, and it has no recovery partition,

Thanks

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

b_read

The presence of a Win7 COA sticker means the PC was preinstalled at the factory with an OEM version of Win7 by HP.

You can not use just any verion of Win7 to replace that because only an OEM  version will activate using the product key that came with your PC.

IF you use an HP OEM version, it WILL activate, but HP no longer carries recovery media for the older Win7 PCs.  Instead, you would have to check these site to see if they still carry the media for your PC:  http://www.computersurgeons.com/  and http://www.restoredisks.com/

From an activation perspective, it does not matter if it's 32-bit or 64-bit, as they use the same product key, but if you install a different version, you may not be able to find HP drivers for it, as HP mostly supplies 64-bit PCs.

Good Luck
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[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Yes, the HP Windows 7 Pro COA is legitimate and means the notebook came with W7 Pro installed from the factory.

You should be able to use a matching Windows media (ex Win 7 Pro disk for W7 Pro COA) and it should activate.

The key would be good for either a 32 or 64 bit version of W7.

You will just have to hope that someone did not use the key to activate another PC with.

If the key doesn't work, then you can bet that is what happened, and you will have to order a set of recovery disks from HP.

[b_read]

Thanks for the reply

[Scooter46]

We have an HP Compaq 4000 SFF that we had to replace the hard drive in and the W7 COA has been damaged (see photo).  How do we reinstall ?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

If you are located in the USA/Canada, call HP at this number and order a set of recovery disks for your HP 4000 SFF.

1-800-334-5144

Have the serial number of the PC handy to give to the customer services rep.

You won't need the product key when you use the recovery disk set supplied by HP.