Reloading Windows question

If I want to reload Windows 7 on my Sony Vaio desktop but didn't get a CD with the machine, can I use my friend's Windows 7 CD and just punch in the code I have on the Vaio's windows sticker to activate?

They're both Win 7 64 bit home premium.

no... not unless the cd is the exact same as the cd that was used to install windows originally.. meaning if your system was first installed with Windows 7 Home Premium, you must install with Windows 7 Home Premium.. you cant use an ugrade disc or any of the other versions.

I found that out when i was trying to reinstall Windows XP on a system that had a different install cd.

Hope it helps.

It should be able to work just fine. I believe all versions of Windows 7 are on the DVD.

I needed to reinstall Windows 7 but lacked the CD as I had an OEM version. I got the CD by other means and used my original key without any problems. As long as it's the same type of Windows.

I have the OEM version and his CD is the retail. Both are Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. Will it work?

The CD key on the back of your PC will work and you'll install Windows 7 just fine.

What the OEM version has is a pre-packaged batch of shovelware (trial software.) And some 'specialized' tools for the Vaio.

However, the average user never needs any of that stuff, and the advanced user can find alternatives easily.

I don't see why it wouldn't work.
As a student at LSU, I can download Windows 7 for any of my computers for free from the school's website. I don't see why they would put that there if it didn't work.

Don't know about Windows 7, but this didn't used to work with eg. XP
The retail version wouldn't accept the product key for an OEM version.
OEM product key wouldn't even work with OEM windows if you rebuilt your system with new hardware :-P

I believe Vaios have a hidden "system restore" partition on the hard drive. Assuming you've never wiped all the drive's partitions, you should be able to hit a hot key or something to access it at power-up, and use it to restore the Vaio back to factory state. It might even be an option in Control Panel if you still have a usable system.

Don't know if this is any use for Windows7 (OP had Vista), but:
Other sources suggest:
...to do the same thing.

In the worst case (system restore partition is gone or doesn't work, and retail Win7 doesn't accept your OEM key)... you should be able to order a set of restore CDs/DVDs for a few bucks (much cheaper than a new copy of Windows). You may even find some kind soul out there who has a set of disks already and can copy them for you.

Maybe yes, maybe no. With Windows XP it didn't work, but Win7 may be different. If they were both retail or both OEM versions, it would work for sure.

With Windows XP, there was sometimes a difference in the format of the code between OEM and Retail and most of the time the "authorization" app would reject the "wrong" code. However, this appears to have possibly changed in later versions of XP and may be different for Windows 7, in that it may not matter anymore.

This is not quite correct. What you are thinking of would be a "Recovery Disc", which some systems come with. An actual "OEM version" of Windows (from MS) only differs from the retail in that it's license is only for the computer that it is installed on (and it comes packaged in just a bare CD/DVD case with no retail box or manual, etc.)

It will work, just do it. They key is not specific to the CD as long as the version (x64 Home Premium) is the same.

One thing I would strongly suggest tho if you have an extra hard drive or a burner in your machine -

Windows 7 has a backup and restore system that will allow you to make system images of your hard drive, over and above the normal "system restore" everyone came to hate so much. After you are done installing, Go to Start -> All Programs -> Maintence and you will find the backup program there..

As much as Microsoft can suck sometimes, I will give them kudos for at least adding that functionality to windows. it allows you to keep a 2nd physical copy of your hard drive on disc. never have to worry about your key or activation again after that as long as you have your backup.

If you need to restore you just install the system restore disc you can make or insert the original 7 install disc and do a repair with system image.

Don't forget that you can call the 1800 # for Microsoft Product Activation and in about 5 minutes you will be all set.