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Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 2:37 pm
by Arvald
linda wrote:
Please excuse my hesitation: I have never opened a new laptop before, only old ones. I have an Asus UX32VD-DB71 that I am going to put new ram into (getting the ram tomorrow). I got the Torx screwdrivers to open the case. If I turn the laptop on its back there are 12 screws, do I remove all of them?

If all goes well I will replace the hard drive with this: Samsung Electronics 840 Pro Series 2.5-Inch 256 GB SATA 6GB/s Solid State Drive MZ-7PD256BW. That's going to be a little tougher what with migrating the os, but I think I can handle that part of it. Does anyone know of anything a newbie at this (namely me) might want to be prepared for?

Thank you for all of your help, you guys are always the best!

at about the half way point they open the unit to change the HD out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw-2wdZ0MdU

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:32 pm
by Forge
If you do perform a clean install, you may want to read up on this util first and use it, so you can make a custom restore partition for future usage. I've just started using it regularly, but I'd endorse it. It's not a backup, it's a custom recovery, please keep the difference in mind (backup has all your apps/settings/user account/etc, custom recovery is just a customized version of Windows+drivers+basic apps, not a full restore), but it might be worth looking at, for you.

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... on-Creator

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:56 pm
by Bauxite
JohnC wrote:
Well, you should be able to at least get a key for your currently installed Win7, and you can still download full .iso of every Win7 version which are freely and openly hosted on DigitalRiver's servers (if they are still available), so I suggest at least trying it - this way you won't have to deal with potentially hidden OEM partitions on your existing HDD or some OEM "crapware" which came pre-installed on laptop or waste time on screwing with gpart or similar tools :wink:


While you're at it, the "difference" between all those versions of windows 7 ISOs is a pointless 53 byte file called ei.cfg, delete that and you only need one usb key to rule them all. (its 2013 so intentionally ignoring the 32bit variants)

Then you can choose home/pro/ult on install, just make sure it is one that the key on the laptop is valid for.

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:59 pm
by Forge
Even better, I put the OEM certificates on my USB, and have a quick little script that determines the Windows version and inserts the correct OEM key. It's really nice when you may need to reinstall Brand X Windows 7 at any moment. I'd be happy to share.

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 6:11 pm
by linda
Forge wrote:
If you do perform a clean install, you may want to read up on this util first and use it, so you can make a custom restore partition for future usage. I've just started using it regularly, but I'd endorse it. It's not a backup, it's a custom recovery, please keep the difference in mind (backup has all your apps/settings/user account/etc, custom recovery is just a customized version of Windows+drivers+basic apps, not a full restore), but it might be worth looking at, for you.

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... on-Creator


I am feeling pretty dumb tonight, I just tried to send a pm to you and couldn't do it. I just wanted to thank you for offering to bail me out if I mess up or chicken out: you do live pretty close to me ( about 45 minutes to an hour from what you wrote above). I'm a teacher, and plain old worn out tonight with no brain cells active.

I didnt really understand the post about the OEM certificates or the BIOS signature stuff.

My laptop has a sticker of authenticity that says Refurbished on it, if I clean install I'm hoping it will take that number. I do have a Digital River disk for Win7 ( found it in my arsenal of stuff) so I may try that, and then go to the Asus website as JAE said and get the needed Asus stuff. If that doesn't seem to work out, I can always use my Recovery / Image disks. And if THAT doesn't work, I'll put the old HDD back in and plan on a trip to King of Prussia :-)

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:18 pm
by Forge
No problem. You should be fine. If in doubt, install with your disc and skip entering a key, if it will let you. Once it's up and running, I can email the bits you need for OEM activation. It really is very simple. Failing that, if you use the serial number on the sticker, it will fail to activate (all OEM sticker keys do), and it'll give you an 800 number to call. Just tell the nice Indian gentleman that you're reinstalling and its the same computer, and they will activate you.

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:16 am
by just brew it!
Forge wrote:
Failing that, if you use the serial number on the sticker, it will fail to activate (all OEM sticker keys do), and it'll give you an 800 number to call.

Not entirely true. I've done several scratch re-installs of OEM Windows where the re-activation went right through. This was with XP though, I suppose it may be different with 7. I believe it depends on how long it has been since an activation was last done with that key.

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:23 am
by Forge
just brew it! wrote:
Forge wrote:
Failing that, if you use the serial number on the sticker, it will fail to activate (all OEM sticker keys do), and it'll give you an 800 number to call.

Not entirely true. I've done several scratch re-installs of OEM Windows where the re-activation went right through. This was with XP though, I suppose it may be different with 7. I believe it depends on how long it has been since an activation was last done with that key.


That *shouldn't* happen. Back in the heyday of XP, there was wide disclosure that you could buy an XP machine, let that one keep using the OEM preactivation, and use the serial on the sticker to activate a second copy of Windows on another machine. As soon as that became general knowledge, MS made all the OEM sticker keys require a phone call. If you're talking over five years ago, then it would have worked. Within the last five years, all OEM sticker keys should have required a phone call.

As part of MS's newest anti-piracy moves, there are no more sticker keys. They've made Win8's key a part of the firmware signature, and made it easier for end users to use.

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:30 am
by just brew it!
Forge wrote:
That *shouldn't* happen. Back in the heyday of XP, there was wide disclosure that you could buy an XP machine, let that one keep using the OEM preactivation, and use the serial on the sticker to activate a second copy of Windows on another machine. As soon as that became general knowledge, MS made all the OEM sticker keys require a phone call. If you're talking over five years ago, then it would have worked. Within the last five years, all OEM sticker keys should have required a phone call.

I've definitely had OEM re-activations of XP go through without a phone call within the past 5 years. The *prior* activations with those keys were more than 5 years ago though (they were all pretty old systems). Perhaps that's why it worked?

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:58 am
by Forge
Perhaps. If there was a live activation against a key prior to the rule change, and it's been multiple years, which clears the in-use-flag, maybe.

It won't be the case with any keys under that age, though.

Re: Opening a laptop to install stuff

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:54 pm
by linda
Easiest upgrade ever. I used Samsung's Migration software, and no problems whatsoever. I know it's not an absolutely clean install, but it's close enough. Whoever refurbished it before selling it to me had done all the crap removal. I already had to download some essentials from Asus to get the backlight keyboard working as soon as I got the laptop.

Now I can start to install my stuff. Thanks for all the confidence building tips!