Copy of Windows 7

I have two grandsons. Both got Dell laptops about 6 months ago. The younger of the two got a bogus anti virus. The 15 year old fixed it by wiping the drive with some program he downloaded on his laptop,burned to a CD,put it in his brothers and cleaned house. I didn't know anything till it was too late. Is there any way to get a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit without having to pay the 99 dollars?

 

You could try to get a copy from a friend and then apply the license provided with the laptops... Doesn't Dell ship their laptops with a recovery/install OEM DVD? I know some manufacturers don't, though.

You wouldn't be breaking any laws... I believe. After all, the license would still be the one provided with the laptop (OEM license).

That was actually the advise I got sometime ago by Microsoft, regarding a Windows Vista OEM install. The O.S was very problematic, and a relative had no OEM DVD, and I was told by Microsoft support team I could try and get the same version from a friend/relative and then apply my relative's own license.

Try that.

 

If they got the laptops from Dell, or from someplace that sells Dell, the computers should have come with a copy of the OS. We've bought a number of Dell computers over the years. Every one has come with a pile of CD's of the installed programs, including the OS. The serial # should be on the bottom of the laptops.

 

I think Dell may have gone the the route of having the recovery mechanism be installed on the drive, like many others do now. That's how my Gateway is, there is a "recovery management" program installed, no disk. HP does this now too I believe. Without that (what did this kid use, something like DBan?), or a disk, you're basically screwed.

-edit- According to Chuck57, I was wrong. So start looking for that disk, lol.

 

The Windows comes on laptop in two flavors. OEM Key and under the laptop there is the Activation Code/Windows Key.

Download the Windows 7 from Microsoft or any site.

Download the drivers for your laptop from Dell site.

Install Windows, install the drivers and then activate the Windows from the key found under the laptop.

 

P.S, keep the grandkids away from what I assume was a wiping program

 

There are two flavor of Windows versions. The full version and the upgrade version.

You can use either one of the above. And download all versions Windows, Home, Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate. On installation pick Home Premium.

Also, make sure that you download the x64 version.

 

I am pretty sure that the recovery was on the disk and was wiped.

 

Just use the key under the laptop.

 

AFAIK Microsofly only had Windows 7 Enterprise available to download... not sure if it's still being served.

I don't know of any links to Microsoft that allows any person to freely download an ISO for other versions? (I'm not saying they don't exist, they do*, but Microsoft doesn't make them of public knowledge. So, if going that route, better download it fast. )

* People just need to Google for it. Google is your friend...

 

There certainly is, however such links are not allowed to be posted here.

 

AFAIK, you can turn the Windows 7 Enterprise into any flavor of Windows, including the Home Premuim.

 

I'm not trying to get a bootleg copy. Just would like to be able get him going again.

 

Enterprise requires KMS activation, the OEM stuff such as Dell is preactivated via SLIC 2.1 in BIOS plus a certificate. So, kinda doubt that is going to work.

@OP: Well, as said, go Google it.

 

OK. I wasn't sure about it... I thought Microsoft could have placed some restriction in that version...

 

No, bootleg copy. Download the Enterprise version, which you can turn it into any flavor.

As I said, Microsoft legally provides you two keys. One OEM and one under the laptop. Both genuine keys.

Look under the laptop for Microsoft sticker. All legit.

 

No restriction at all. Most companies have in their businesses all flavors of Windows, thus one Windows download and CD.

 

No, it doesn't. You first need to turn it into all flavors Windows. Then use the legit key under the laptop. Look under the laptop, there is a legit Microsoft sticker.

I have all flavors Windows. On my laptops I have legit Home Premium Edition and on my desktop I have legit Professional Edition.

I always do clean install on my laptops.

 

Yeah, turn it into all flavours. That for sure will help the OP.

As said, this Dell and other major OEM stuff is preactivated via BIOS. Yeah, you can use the key on the stupid stick on your laptop and activate manually, but you need the correct install DVD first. Enterprise is obviously not the correct one since the key will not work on that. And you cannot downgrade Enterprise to Home Premium without third-party crap and you cannot use the media as it is without manual messing with ei.cfg.

However, I fail to see how this debate belongs to Wilders.

 

There are two flavors of Windows. The full version and the upgrade version. The upgrade version is cheaper and requires that you have an older version of Windows installed first and then upgrade.

However, here is an old thread, on how to clean install an upgrade version, without upgrading:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=291771

 

There is no media, just an ISO. First you need to unrar the ISO with WinRAR and edit the .cfg with a text editor like text.exe.

Redo the ISO and then burn the ISO. Now you have all flavors Windows.

It is all legit, but the seller of the laptops don't tell you as they want to make more money. Even Microsoft don't tell you.

Instead of arguing with me, look under your laptop for a Microsoft sticker, which has a non OEM legit key.

Take a look, before arguing any further.

 

I know perfectly fine how it works, thanks.

As said, this problem can be solved in a few minutes via Google and downloading what the OP needs, instead of messing with ISO files, especially not with WinRAR since the stuff will not be bootable any more and will require more manual messing to get it bootable again. Uh.

 

Now you are changing your colors. He doesn't need a non-legit Windows. He needs legit Windows with a legit key.

And, BTW any ISO can be unrar, and then back to rar before burning. It only requires making some changes in the .cfg with any text editor. Simple.

 

deduct $99 from his allowance. Best way to learn not to repeat mistakes. Now that we covered all angles thread closed.