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    Which windows is in my restore partition?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by skulldrinker, Feb 13, 2014.

  1. skulldrinker

    skulldrinker Newbie

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    I have a used laptop that may need a factory restore done to it. At present it is running Windows 7 but there is a sticker by the keypad that says Windows Vista. I'm not sure if 7 was installed originally new or afterwards. I'm not sure if the restore partition contains 7 or Vista. I would like to keep 7. I would rather use the factory restore to do this and not bother with driver installs.

    Is there a way to find out which Windows is in the factory restore partition?



    Thanks
     
    skulldrinker, Feb 13, 2014
    #1
  2. S.SubZero

    S.SubZero Notebook Deity

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    It will be Vista. If it was upgraded, the Vista remnants will be behind in Windows 7. If not, it may have been a clean install, and the recovery partition may be gone.
     
    S.SubZero, Feb 13, 2014
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  3. skulldrinker

    skulldrinker Newbie

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    The machine is old enough to have had Vista. It's a Core 2 Duo. Yes there is a D drive with a large file in it. Has to be the Factory restore partition.
     
    skulldrinker, Feb 13, 2014
    #3
  4. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    What COA - if any - is present on the bottom of the machine?
     
    ajkula66, Feb 13, 2014
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  5. skulldrinker

    skulldrinker Newbie

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    COA = Vista Home Premium


    so can anyone answer my question? Can the restore file be search in some way to see what Windows version it contains.
     
    skulldrinker, Feb 14, 2014
    #5
  6. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    What's on the COA will be in your restore partition.

    What laptop are we discussing to begin with?
     
    ajkula66, Feb 14, 2014
    #6
  7. StormJumper

    StormJumper Notebook Virtuoso

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    As another poster said what Machine are we talking about? And also it could be when they put Windows 7 on there they wiped the HDD clean to one drive no D: or backup restore drive. So we need more info to start with?
     
    StormJumper, Feb 14, 2014
    #7
  8. TreeTops Ranch

    TreeTops Ranch Notebook Deity

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    If you bought this from a friend, why not ask him/her if they did a format before installing Win 7?
     
    TreeTops Ranch, Feb 14, 2014
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  9. skulldrinker

    skulldrinker Newbie

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    forget about everything about which laptop i am working on. I guess that just detoured everyone when I tried to explain what I had in front of me. The laptop is long gone off my bench but still would be curious to hear any answer to the question that i asked in my original post.

    here is the question again.

    Is there a way to find out which Windows is in the factory restore partition?

    Of any computer .......
     
    skulldrinker, Apr 5, 2014
    #9
  10. saturnotaku

    saturnotaku Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Look at the Windows CoA on the bottom of the machine.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    saturnotaku, Apr 6, 2014
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  11. Pirx

    Pirx Notebook Virtuoso

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    Make the partition accessible (in Computer Management -> Storage -> Disk Management), and look at the files in there. Depending on what system the manufacturer used to create the restore files, you may be able to find out what OS is in there.
     
    Pirx, Apr 6, 2014
    #11