Presaio CQ61 Needs a new OS.

[RangerRick007]

I do not know what else I can do with this Compaq Presario CQ61-420 laptop.

Yes, it is old (2009) running Windows7.

How do I install a new Win7 OS if I can't get the system to boot up at start?

(I am not certain if this unit will support a new install of Windows 10)

Thank you.

Rick.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Rick:

If you can still read all 25 characters of the W7 product key on your notebook's case, here is the link to the W7 x64 Home Premium ISO file which you can use to make a bootable W7 USB installer.

https://download.microsoft.com/download/E/A/8/EA804D86-C3DF-4719-9966-6A66C9306598/7601.24214.180801...

The link will be good for 24 hours from the time of this reply.

Use the Microsoft tool that I zipped up and attached below that you will need to transfer the ISO file to a USB flash drive to make it bootable, or you can use a different utility such as Rufus.

After you get W7 activated and up and running, you can try the free upgrade to W10, by clicking on the Blue Update Now button at the link below.

Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

You have 30 days to go back to W7 if things don't work right on W10 provided you do not delete any of the installation files.

[RangerRick007]

Thank you. Certainly appreciated.

The issue may be that I may not be able to do this if the screen remains black.

So, moving forward with this plan-

Let me understand this.

1.Identify the 25 character Windows key.

2. Download the Win7 file to a clean USB flash drive.

3. Inset the USB into the Laptop and start.

Lets try it and see what happens.

Rick.

[RangerRick007]

So sorry. I downloaded the file direct to a clean USB flash drive. Inserted the drive into the laptop and started the unit.

Nothing happened.

The screen is still black.

The hard drive light never shows the HD is running and the flash drive never initiates.

Your thoughts?

Rick.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Rick.

You cannot download the ISO file to the flash drive.

You have to download it to another Windows PC and use the Microsoft ISO to USB tool that I zipped up and attached in my first reply.

You unzip the tool and install the program on the PC.

Then follow the easy instructions when you run the program to transfer the ISO file to the flash drive, so that it is bootable.

Plug the flash drive into the PC turn it on, or restart it, press the F9 key to get the boot options menu and from that select the USB flash drive and press the enter key.

The PC should boot from the flash drive and the W7 installation process should begin.

This link also provides instructions for how to use the Microsoft ISO to USB tool...

How to use the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool to install Microsoft Office ISO's | Dell Guam

You enter the 25 character W7 product key when prompted during the installation process.

[RangerRick007]

Perhaps I have not been clear with my problem.

1) This laptop will not boot into Windows 7.

2) The hard drive light never comes on.

3) the screen is black/dead.

Do I cut or paste the zip file into the flash drive and continue with the set up?

then put the  flash drive into the laptop and start it?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I understand now.

If the hard drive light isn't coming on, most likely the PC is dead.

You need to install the file I zipped up and attached on a working PC.

Anything you do with the ISO file, etc., has to be done on a working Windows PC.

[RangerRick007]

I think the PC is dead. Regardless of what I do the hard drive light never comes on and the screen id always black.

So I will cut ad past for file on the clean flash drive, open it  / unzip it then see if the laptop will cogonize the file.

Other than that it could be a bad screen, bad display driver or a dead motherboard.

 Thank you anyway.  good support

R~

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.