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    M17x R4 without hard drive, windows?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by danielschoon, Jun 8, 2019.

  1. danielschoon

    danielschoon Notebook Deity

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    Hi,
    I can possibly buy an M17x R4 without an HDD installed. No HDD is not a problem but no Windows installed is. I dont see a window sticker on the laptop with the windows key either. So is there any way to install windows on this laptop without having to buy a new license? I read something about the windows key being installed in the BIOS on later models, does the R4 have that too?
    thanks
     
    danielschoon, Jun 8, 2019
    #1
  2. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    The Win sticker usually is hidden behind the battery.
    The key in the BIOS came later, with aw17 r1 iirc.
     
    M18x-oldie, Jun 8, 2019
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  3. danielschoon

    danielschoon Notebook Deity

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    Thanks. Yes it seems like some of them do have the windows sticker under the battery. So then i would be able to do a clean install of windows isnt it?
     
    danielschoon, Jun 8, 2019
    #3
  4. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    Yes, with the sticker and the code, you could then activate it.
     
    M18x-oldie, Jun 8, 2019
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  5. Reciever

    Reciever D! For Dragon!

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    If it's valid.

    Otherwise there is always Linux.
     
    Reciever, Jun 8, 2019
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  6. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    Should be, sm weeks ago I activated an old Win 7 key I had saved, on one of my machines.

    Had stripped it off a trashed laptop sm years ago.
     
    M18x-oldie, Jun 8, 2019
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  7. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Even if it doesn't come with a key, you can still install windows, but it likely won't be activated. You could always find a cheap Windows 10 key somewhere, say off Ebay or a random key site.
     
    Mastermind5200, Jun 8, 2019
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  8. mariussx

    mariussx Notebook Evangelist

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    Windows 7 and below have the licence keys printed on the sticker, Windows 8 and above have the license keys in the BIOS.
     
    mariussx, Jun 11, 2019
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  9. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

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    There are Win 8 stickers
     
    Mastermind5200, Jun 11, 2019
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  10. mariussx

    mariussx Notebook Evangelist

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    True, I got one on my R4, however I got it when I bought a Pro license directly from Microsoft. I have never seen an OEM put a Windows 8 license key on a consumer laptop. It could be I just never came across them. :)
     
    mariussx, Jun 12, 2019
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  11. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

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    I had one on my Zbook 17
     
    Mastermind5200, Jun 12, 2019
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  12. deadsmiley

    deadsmiley Notebook Deity

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    You can still use Win 7/8 keys to install Win 10 last I checked.
     
    deadsmiley, Jun 13, 2019
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  13. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yep, I do it all the time
     
    Mastermind5200, Jun 13, 2019
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