Quick question on replacing hard drive.

Where do I get the OS for my computer? Do I download it from dell or Microsoft?

 

Stock OS will be fine and license will extracted by OS itself if the mobo had the license already.

 

To find out your Windows 10 Product key that's injected in your computer's motherboard:

Download RWEverything and launch it as admin (I recommend downloading the latest portable version which is: RwPortableX64V1.7.zip)


Click on ACCESS > ACPI Tables


Then go to the MSDM Tab:




Now you can use that key to install Windows but do note that if the key is embedded in your computer's motherboard BIOS, then chances are that when you start the Windows installation, it won't even ask you for a key since it will grab the key that's embedded in your computer's motherboard and install the appropriate edition.

So what if your computer's embedded key is Windows Home Edition but you want to install Pro or any other edition from the get go without having to do an upgrade? Then check this thread:

How to select Windows Home or Pro when installing Windows 10

 

I can’t do that, my HD is in accessible.

 

So as I mentioned, you don't need to. Simply download the latest Windows 10 Build using the latest Windows 10 Media Creation Tool on some other computer and allow the Media Creation Tool to make a USB Flash Disk installer out of it, then when you put your new SSD in your laptop and boot off the Windows 10 Installation Flash Disk, it should pick up your Windows Product key automatically and install the appropriate edition as per your license key (Home or Pro) and once you go online, it will automatically activate.

 

Perfect. That’s what I thought, but wanted to make sure.

 

OEM would be recovery software to reinstall otherwise you have to buy your own Retail O/S and do a ground up install to get it going. You can buy the O/S from retail outlets but expect to spend a pretty penny for it. I upgraded my W7 to W10 during the MS update option and downloaded the W10 iso and installed it and runs just fine.

 

So, what you are saying is make my ISO from dells download center.

 

Download from microsoft because you can install multiple versions which microsoft selects based on OEM key in mobo.
You see I have W10 Home Single Language and I installed Home retail version by accident and msft said activation problems and ran troubleshooter tool for activations and I got a message saying Upgrading your Windows License and voila its downgraded(or upgraded in MSFT's words) to Home SL versions w/o reinstall. You can upgrade from Home to Pro virtually w/o data loss since Home already includes some hidden packages that Pro and that's how I use gpedit.msc and Policy plus.

 

Buy a Windows 10 Pro Retail License-digital-Volume License Seller, after install oem license which 99% of the time is Home--Then change license--small download and then your on the Microsoft Windows 10 Pro License Server and for reinstall, ect Pro Version will be installed instead of the OEM--Retail version has more perks. I have bought several of them---not expensive-there is no reason to be on Home-except #$%@!&^(

Differences between Home and Pro

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compare

 

I have confirmed it was my hard drive that died. I popped in an old intel SSD I had in my macbook with linux on it and I am typing this on it now! So simple fix, and I may buy windows 10 pro and go that route now.