Windows 7 installation media - NLC

[campbell]

As a holiday project I'm considering freshly installing my broadly excellent Asus Zenbook. To rid it of various bloatware and make it a bit more self-supportable!

But as with most modern devices now, it doesn't ship with a Windows 7 CD/DVD etc, and I'm not certain how the recovery partition system works...I expect it would just restore it to the same bloated state as when I first switched it on?

So, where might I source Win7 installation media, given that I have paid for a bona fide license in buying the machine in the first place.

Answers on a postcard...


Campbell

[Sparky]

Have you had a look at the recovery partition yet? You might get the option to create recovery DVDs in there with less bloatware.

[tut]

Can pop a legit DVD of Win 7 in the post, no prob Campbell.

tut

[campbell]

Have you had a look at the recovery partition yet? You might get the option to create recovery DVDs in there with less bloatware.

yes, ran the recovery setup to build ISO images of the vanilla machine - but not clear if there is selective access to the recovery partition itself to pick n choose how to set things up. My previous experience with these things is that they set you back up to the bloatware version of the machine...funnily enough!

Tut - would be glad of the media if you are able, thanks very much

And look at that - an NLC tech query resolved in, oh, about an hour? Great SLA!!

[Sparky]

Hope the OEM product key works ok with the media you are getting - sometimes it can be right hassle getting Windows activated.

[campbell]

Thanks, Sparky, that was in the back of my mind certainly. I shall tread carefully - great advice.

Of course may end up doing precisely nothing with it, as I expect my Xmas "holidays" to be utter bedlam, realistically...but we live in hope...

[Sparky]

Let me know if you have any problems mate - the desktop support guys at my work have a collection of ISOs for Windows 7 (everything from Volume License to Full Retail) so I might be able to transfer you a copy of one to use with your product key. I'm not back in the office until the end of the week though.

Must admit OEM is always the most hassle!

[campbell]

That's a fine offer. I'll keep you posted. Cheers.

One route might be to invest in an SSD, pop that in to do the experimental builds, then if anything goes Pete Tong I can plug back in the original drive and continue as if nothing had happened.

Shall give this some thought too...

[Dark]

Do a search for 'Digital River Windows 7 download files' to find links to the official Microsoft site....... however no guarantees the Acer OEM license code will work with a fresh install.

Best bet is to create all the Acer recovery discs and retain the recovery partion to make sure you can revert if it all goes Magners!

[robin]

I would suggest reinstall from recovery partition then activate then wade through uninstalling the bloatware.

Finally use a disk imaging tool to backup partition state.

Cheers,
Robin

[campbell]

Thanks Robin and Mark...and others.

Some serious fun for a dreich winter's day coming up methinks


Campbell