Installing W7 ultimate

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murbisa
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Installing W7 ultimate

Postby murbisa » Fri May 18, 2012 10:22 am

I bought W7 Ultimate for my laptop in Spain when it was first released, so have the disc. Unfortunately we had a robbery and both our computers were stolen. So we brought a new laptop back with us from the UK.
The laptop we have in the UK has got vista on it and very sluggish. I would like to install Ultimate on it - would this be possible as I had already used it?

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby El Cid » Fri May 18, 2012 10:41 am

It depends on whether it was a full version or a OEM version. OEM versions can only be installed on one machine although if it fails validation when you install it you may be able to talk Microsoft into validating it.

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby murbisa » Fri May 18, 2012 10:48 am

Sid, it was a full copy I bought. But although I haven't got it installed on anything it might be on the stolen one still. Probably not, as The computer was passworded so I expect they probably wiped it.

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby Enrique » Fri May 18, 2012 11:03 am

Hi Murbisa,
"The computer was passworded so I expect they probably wiped it."

It took me five minutes to get into my son's system when he had forgotten his password.

Ideally a clean install would be best on your new laptop although there will be an upgrade option.

Once installed be prepared for loads of updates including SP1
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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby murbisa » Fri May 18, 2012 11:25 am

I thought W7 passwords were more secure Enrique! I changed all my passwords on banks etc. as soon as it happened. Not much else of interest on there. I had everything of importance backed up on a couple of pen sticks.
What I wanted to know is whether I would have problems activating this Ultimate program on another computer. It is not a new one but one we use in the UK that still has Vista on it. It is sluggish and needs to be totally wiped but I would rather not put vista back on, hence the question of whether I would be able to install this W7 Ultimate.

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby El Cid » Fri May 18, 2012 11:30 am

If it's a full retail copy (expensive - £155) then you will have no problems at all. If it was previously validated on the laptop you will find that after a few months the record is deleted and you can use it again with no problems. If the validation is still active then it will give you an error message when you try and activate it online. All you have to do then is call Microsoft at the number they give you and explain what has happened and they will give you a validation code over the phone.

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby murbisa » Fri May 18, 2012 11:34 am

That's great news Sid. I have had it a long time - when it first came out, so there shouldn't be a problem with the activation then.

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby gerryh » Fri May 18, 2012 7:06 pm

Exactly same thing happened to me.
My laptop with Windows 7 Ultimate installed was stolen.
Bought a new laptop reformatted the disk and installed and revalidated Windows 7 Ultimate on it without any problems.
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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby dxf » Sat May 19, 2012 1:35 pm

Hi

A word of caution before installing; there may be unique drivers for some of the hardware on your computer. It is a wise person that takes a copy of these drivers before installing W7 ultimate.

After installing W7, should something refuse to work correctly, changing the driver may cure it.

The voice of experience (I bought a Spanish laptop brand new and installed W7 after copying the drivers)

Davexf

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby gerryh » Sat May 19, 2012 2:49 pm

dxf wrote:Hi

A word of caution before installing; there may be unique drivers for some of the hardware on your computer. It is a wise person that takes a copy of these drivers before installing W7 ultimate.

After installing W7, should something refuse to work correctly, changing the driver may cure it.

The voice of experience (I bought a Spanish laptop brand new and installed W7 after copying the drivers)

Davexf
That is true but if you know enough, and are confident enough, to install a new OS then it is a simple matter to go the the laptop manufactures site and download the unique/ missing drivers.
Cheers
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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby Chunky Monky » Sat May 19, 2012 2:54 pm

It took me five minutes to get into my son's system
Hi Enrique,

I generally use twelve digit randomly generated passwords (Roboform) are you saying these are next to useless and can be 'forced' by an expert?

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby Enrique » Sat May 19, 2012 3:26 pm

Hi CM,
He was using Simple words with numbers, so yours will take a lot longer.

http://www.pctools.com/guides/password/

Trouble is you will have to write it down somewhere or trust your memory, have a plan B on the cards.

Its just a timely reminder not to store sensitive passwords , use Private Browsing. Clear your cookies out.
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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby El Cid » Sat May 19, 2012 3:59 pm

Chunky Monky wrote:
It took me five minutes to get into my son's system
Hi Enrique,

I generally use twelve digit randomly generated passwords (Roboform) are you saying these are next to useless and can be 'forced' by an expert?
So you enter a 12 digit password as your Windows password just to get into Windows when you boot up?

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby dxf » Sat May 19, 2012 4:53 pm

Hi

Yes I use a 12 digit letters and numbers password for most things and have done so for many a long year. Normally start of with letters, then use numbers, sometimes put numbers into the word like

bri123456an85hed As from "Brian DOB inserted" , plus address - then I only have to remember which friend is my password this month.

Davexf

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby El Cid » Sat May 19, 2012 5:00 pm

Yes so do I but not for the Windows password. In fact I no longer use a Windows password as it can be cracked in minutes.

Incidentally I use Lastpass to manage passwords which works really well across a number of computers.

Sid

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby Chunky Monky » Sat May 19, 2012 6:47 pm

So you enter a 12 digit password as your Windows password just to get into Windows when you boot up?
Hi Sid,

No, not to boot up but on passwords into websites.

My question was is it really fairly easy to crack a password in general.

(Edited)

So in essence, are we saying that a long password (upper, lower case, numbers etc) is fairly secure but the W7 bootup passwords are reasonably easy to crack. If so, isn't this a problem that should be addressed by MS?

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Re: Installing W7 ultimate

Postby El Cid » Sat May 19, 2012 7:50 pm

There isn't any point in having a Windows password as far as I can see. Getting access to your desktop isn't really a security risk - protecting your data on the PC is more important.

To do this you need to encrypt your data - do you do that?

Preventing access to online data such as banking and online document storage is more important as it is open to anyone with your passwords - which is easier than stealing your PC.

That's where you need strong passwords. A 12 digit alphanumeric password with special characters is safe apart from military spec cracking systems.

Sid


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