Hi gang.... I've got a user who ran a "registry enhancer" utility and it trashed his OS. He is running a retail desktop with Windows 7 OEM on it (Home, I assume, I can find out which version for sure). He has no recovery discs or a recovery partition, for some reason in the past he created 2 partitions, one for his OS and one for data, so that nuked his recovery partition. Of course, he never made image backups of his HDD. Is there any way that he can download a "vanilla" copy of Windows 7 OEM edition and then use his OEM key number to activate it? I figured if anyone in the cosmos knows it would be someone on MDL. Other than that I would guess that he would have to throw himself on the humane mercy of the computer manufacturer (good luck with that). Thanks in advance!
The Windows 7 ISO files can be downloaded by microsoft directly (search for Windows 7 Digitalriver). Digitalriver is their cdn. You then need the certificate and oem key fitting your manufacturer. Install Windows 7 (its possible to take every version for which there is a key from your manufacturer). When the installer prompts for the Key press skip. Once the system is startet properly, copy the certificat to the harddisk (e.g. C:\). Open the command promt with administrator rights (right click -> start as). Now type in "slmgr.vbs -ilc C:\<ertificatename>" Then type in "slmgr.vbs -ipk <oemkey>" It should promt that everything is ok and your os is activated.
Yes, thats right. I understood his post so as if he wants to activate windows as it was in original state. I didn't noticed that Digitalriver isn't hosting the Windows 7 ISOS any longer. Then search for "windows 7 iso" there a some computer magazines which provide the file for download.
When I installed W7 on my new Asus machine,after restart I saw OEM key allready installed.That means the machine have installed SLIC by default?
You most likely have a slic table, but using MSDN media the oem key would not be automatically reinstalled. You must have installed using ASUS restore media, or some sort of homebrew preactivated iso.
When the os is Windows 8 or Windows 10, an individual key is stored in the bios. The setup looks for it and activates automatically. With Windows 7 you have to install certificate an key by hand after setup is finished.