Need help reinstalling Windows 8 OEM

I'm trying to fix an Acer Aspire V5-571P with Windows 8 pre-installed. It seems the hard drive is dead. When I turn on the computer it says "Operating System Not Found" and in BIOS the hard drive is not being detected.

I've ordered a new hard drive and will be installing that when it arrives. I didn't create a recovery disk and I'd like to avoid purchasing one from Acer.

Can I reinstall Windows 8 on the new hard drive using this? http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

Or will I need the Windows 8 product key as well? I'd run something like Nirsoft ProduKey or Belarc Advisor but unfortunately I can't load Windows at the moment. Are there any other ways to get the product key from a dead hard drive?

 

If you have the Windows 8 installation media all you need to do is to postpone the activation and complete the installation.
The product key is stored in the SMBIOS. You may use ProduKey[1] to retrieve it.
After that you may run the activation again and enter the retrieved key.

[1] http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

 

I installed the hard drive and loaded Windows from USB (followed the instructions from the link I previously posted).

It didn't even ask me for the product key during the installation process and Windows installed without any problems. According to the system info Windows has been activated. I suppose it just read the key and activated automatically.

Thanks for the reply anyway Cormogram, I'm glad that worked out so easily!

 

You're welcome!
You better check if the product key actually activated is the one in the SMBIOS.
The installation process might have used the product key of the PC where you've created the installation media.

 

Contact Acer to get order your System Recovery media that will properly restore your system back to factory install and active your W8 Product key.

 

The product ID shown in ProduKey matches the one shown when I go to Control Panel > System and Security > System.

Is that what you meant or is there something else I should verify? If so, could you please walk me through how to do so?

I did use a Windows 7 PC to create the installation media, if that makes a difference.

Thanks again for the help!

 

Acer charges for this service which made me want to avoid it in the first place. At this point, do I even need it? It seems Windows has been activated and I've installed all the drivers from Acer's website without issue.

 

You're fine. Happy computing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

You're good to go!
Just write down that product key in case you have a problem with the SMBIOS.

No, unless you need some of the bundled software. Check for DVD/Blue-ray player function, maybe.
I usually don't keep the restore partition, but in case you want to sell it later it may help.

 

Noted! Thanks again for your help, much appreciated!

 

Well how much are they charging? If you didn't make your REcovery when you first got the computer as they describe you should first do they do charge for it-nothing is for free. The reason your W8 is activated is because you installed the matching O/S to your Factory install that is why it worked but if you use a different version of W8 that isn't the same as the Factory O/S install this will not work. Factory Restore is made for reason to fix and diagnosis problems and for new Hard drive install where you just RESTORE and get working not have to find and download drivers-that takes time and you have to double check you get all the drivers you need. If in the future you need help with your system and if you don't have the factory install restored they will require you have that to have any kinda service or warranty work from Acer that is why you should use the Factory REcovery media. And now you did your own custom install if there is problem it will be up to you to figure the problem out-after warranty you can do what you want but in warranty you want to use Factory REcovery media to insure your own installs of software wasn't the problem unrelated to Acer setups. But then again-this IMO.....

 

Good to know, thanks.

I'm helping a friend fix her laptop - it's not mine. The warranty expired last year. Acer would have charged about $20 for the recovery media and I would have had to wait at least a few days for it to arrive. It was cheaper and faster to do it myself. Perhaps if the laptop was still under warranty it would have been worthwhile to go with the recovery software instead.

 

Just $20 and few days to wait...that's on the inexpensive side..and also in the future they can always use that disk to restore their system if they get corrupted O/S or malware/Virus infection.

 

20$ is inexpensive indeed, but wait few days for reinstalling Windows? No way! And system restore is outright bad thing, drivers and software get outdated pretty fast - live USB with some linux distro is a much better solution, IMHO.