Dell Inspirion 17r N7010 HDD - SSD

Skoodger

Estimable
Apr 3, 2014
6
0
4,510
I am wanting to replace the hard drive in my laptop but I wasn't sure if I would still be able to use the same windows key. If I do replace the hard drive am I going to have to buy another windows 7 key.
 
Solution
You can still use the same windows key, all you have to do is get a clean version of windows. If you try to use the recovery discs created using Dell's recovery disc creator it won't work because almost every one of those will restrict drive by size. So if you had a 500 GB HDD, it'll only work with another 500 GB HDD.

And what I mean by a clean version of Windows 7 is like a Windows 7 Disc not tied to an OEM. I believe you can order them from Microsoft for like a few dollars or be able to go to a Microsoft store and buy them. Just tell them you have Windows but you need just the disc.

LASTLY, this is a technical grey area. But thats too much to go into.

Warukyure

Estimable
You can still use the same windows key, all you have to do is get a clean version of windows. If you try to use the recovery discs created using Dell's recovery disc creator it won't work because almost every one of those will restrict drive by size. So if you had a 500 GB HDD, it'll only work with another 500 GB HDD.

And what I mean by a clean version of Windows 7 is like a Windows 7 Disc not tied to an OEM. I believe you can order them from Microsoft for like a few dollars or be able to go to a Microsoft store and buy them. Just tell them you have Windows but you need just the disc.

LASTLY, this is a technical grey area. But thats too much to go into.
 
Solution