Can you recover Windows from a defective computer?

slackercruster

slackercruster

Member
If you buy a computer and it goes bad after a few months due to the drive. Can they transfer or recover Windows from the SSD or HDD when you send it in for warranty repair? I'm talking more of customized computers that are offered on Amazon, (you pick and design the specs) not off the shelf computers.
 
johnb35

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
As long as the drive is good you can transfer the OS to a new drive. You can't transfer it to a new system though.
 
P

_Pete_

Active Member
You cannot recover as such because when you install it it adds a massive amount of files to the registry etc. But providing there is a valid product number associated with that computer or it came with Windows 10 installed then Windows can be reinstalled. The software for Windows 7 and Windows 10 is available from Microsoft's websites.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows7

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

Don't forget support for Windows 7 will end soon so that ISO may be deleted.
 
TheRealSwede

TheRealSwede

Member
slackercruster said:
If you buy a computer and it goes bad after a few months due to the drive. Can they transfer or recover Windows from the SSD or HDD when you send it in for warranty repair? I'm talking more of customized computers that are offered on Amazon, (you pick and design the specs) not off the shelf computers.
Click to expand...

I read that as it is the DRIVE (Harddrive) has has gone bad...
In this case it depends on HOW BAD the drive is.. Often you loose the ability to BOOT from a harddrive, but if you connect the drive as a "slave" (Hence do not boot on the drive but can access its contents) Then you may save the files you like to save from that drive.

If you have a computer with Windows 8 or Windows 10 your product-key is saved either in your BIOS or in your Microsoft account so you only need to change to a new, working, harddrive, and download the latest Windows 10 to a USB-stick to reinstall Windows 10. That means you do not need to "recover" windows from your broken harddrive at all!

And if you buy a used computer, you REALLY need to reinstall the Windows totally to avoid any malware, keyloggers or spyware that the previous owner might have had..
Your computer should be YOURS without any traces of the previous owner left..
 
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