Harddrive died in Gateway, no back up disks for OS, how do I "pre-install" Windows 8.1 on new harddrive?

[Jake_48]

My Gateway Laptop Harddrive died, it was a Windows 8 box that was upgraded to Windows 8.1. I moved, don't know where back up boot disks are. Got a new harddrive, got Win Pro 8.1 x64 OEI DVD, how do I get the OS onto the harddrive? When I boot laptop it says No Bootable Drive. Hit any key... but nothing happens. Can't get into bios... OK somehow I did get into a boot menu but it was empty, as in it had no options to select from. I have been reading about this UEFI thing and wonder if that is why there were no selections in the menu or if it was caused by something else. Will the laptop boot off the OEI DVD?

 

[psoohoo]

If the machine came with Windows 8/8.1 preinstalled. The product keys are probably in the BIOS, you should be able to install any copy of Windows 8 and it should pick up the key. Can;'t says with 100% certainty as I have rarely touch OEM windoww 8/81. installs.

But you should be able to install a fresh copy of Windows 10 on there. The current builds should pick up the key on the machine and upgrade/activate it.

Just wonder over to the Media Creation Toolkit site and create a new USB bootable drive or DVD.