Product key for rebuilding WIndows after replacing crashed drive

[Kathucka]

My laptop is out of warrantee.  My hard disk crashed.  It's dead.  I can replace the hardware, but I'm concerned about rebuilding Windows.  The instructions at https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c04876361 are not enough.

Will I be asked for a product key for Windows?  How will I get that?  There isn't a sticker on the laptop or anything.

Will the process install the HP software that came with the laptop?  It seems to involve a download from just Microsoft.

For extra bonus points, how can I re-install Office (not the 365 cloud one)?  I lost the serial number for that long ago.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The W10 product key is in the BIOS.  You don't need it to reinstall W10.

Also the 15-ay### model series should be supported by the HP cloud recovery tool that you can use with another Windows PC with W7 64 bit or newer to make a bootable USB recovery drive, that will reinstall W10, the drivers and the software that originally came with your notebook.

Here is an info link for how to use that utility.

https://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c06162205#:~:text=%20Step%203%3A%20Run%20the%20HP%20Cloud%20Re...

Unfortunately, if you don't have the product key for MS Office, even if it shows up with the software bundle, you won't be able to activate it without a product key.