Original Operating system

[spooky57]

Well lets see, I have an HP product ID: F9H60UA#ABA / System ID: 21F7 / Model 15-g019wm / Has a Windows 8 sticker on the bottom. I believe the HD went bad because no matter what I have tried it will not do a recovery of any kind when using the F2-F8-F10- or any other F button. So I`m gonna buy a new HD SSD and restore the laptop. Now I would like to purchase or otherwise get the original Operating System that came with it when it was new. Then upgrade it to Windows 10 and so on. Thank you.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

According to the product specs for your notebook, it originally came with Windows 8.1 64 bit from HP.

HP 15-g019wm Notebook PC Product Specifications | HP® Customer Support

You can reinstall W8.1 for free by making bootable installation media.

Download the plain W8.1 ISO file from the link below.

Download Windows 8.1 Disc Image (ISO File) (microsoft.com)

Use the Microsoft tool that I zipped up and attached below that you will need to transfer the ISO file to a DVD or USB flash drive so that it is bootable.

After W8.1 has completed installing, you can install the drivers and available software from your notebook's support page.

HP 15-g019wm Notebook PC (ENERGY STAR) Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Customer Support

HP no longer sells the original recovery media for your notebook, so the only place you can buy it that I know of would be from this vendor:

Computer Surgeons - Windows 8.1 64-bit Recovery Kit 756075-002 For HP Notebook PC Model Number 15-g0...

[spooky57]

Thank you very much Paul_Tikkanen this information is just what I needed. I do have one other request if you can. Do you know if the Windows 8 will activate  once it is installed. I have some concern on this because I did not purchase this laptop. I got it from a company who`s boss buy`s whatever laptops that are cheaper or on sale at Walmart. The company continues to use them until they go bad or are dropped or damaged by wheather. It`s a Fragging for energy company so the laptops get dropped in water, snow, or mud all the time. My neighbor has given me four of his in the last year alone. Yep he works for them. Anyhow none of what he has given me had Windows 8. I`m not real familiar with 8. I have done many with everything else Windows put out XP, VISTA, 7, 10. This laptop is 1 of 11 he just gave me yesterday so I have a lot to do. Again thank you so much for all your help. Hey at 63 I can use a little help now and then 🙂

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Starting with W8, Microsoft has required that all PC manufacturers put the Windows product keys in the BIOS firmware of the PC.

So, when you install W8.1 64 bit, it won't even ask for a product key as long as you installed the correct version of Windows the key is good for.

Windows will automatically activate once you have connected to the internet.

[spooky57]

Again thank you for a quick reply. Yes I did find this out while waiting. The only thing else I saw was I knowest that any computer I own and have connected with my microsoft account can be activated when a hardware change takes place, even if it is a mother board or Hard drive. Microsoft will ask if there was a hardware change, I answer yes, then microsoft shows a list of current computers which I own and I chose one of. Then activation takes place. My concern was because I am not the original owner. It is currently still under the previous owners microsoft account. So when I install a new SSD and OS it should activate however a SSD is hardware. It may ask the question above which I can not say yes to because it was never under my account. Am I missing something? Maybe I should do a clean install of Windows 10 and purchase a key? I wanted to make sure to keep all that was original but maybe to much work?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

You should not have to activate the PC due to a hard drive, wifi card, or memory change.

As far as I am aware, the only time you have to activate a PC due to a hardware change is when you replace the motherboard.

Reactivating Windows after a hardware change (microsoft.com)