New Hard Drive, No Windows. Help!

[mbhd]

Thanks for all the help! I’ll try to get it installed and come back with the results.

[phillpower2]

The computer was original installed Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-Bit, if you have product key for Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit you can activate Windows 10 Pro operating system.

I don’t have the disc unfortunately, just the sticker with the license code for an unknown version of windows. I will install windows 10 using the usb drive and try that license code and see. If that doesn’t work, where would I purchase a working license code? Are the OEM codes cheaper?

Hmm, you may have a bit of a problem on your hands being that you are dealing with an OEM computer, the Dell Studio XPS 8100 specs vary see here if you contact Microsoft they very well may tell you to contact Dell and purchase Windows 7 recovery media and as the upgrade from 7 to 10 is no longer free you will have to purchase a separate product key for upgrading to Windows 10.

If you have access to a computer that has internet connection I would download a Windows 7 ISO from here and give that a go, more computers shipped with Home Premium than Pro so would try Home Premium first, I prefer burning the ISOs to disk but in this instance USB thumb drive would be best as you may need to download a couple of ISOs if the original OS for the computer was Pro and not Home Premium, saves on a blank DVD if not right first time

Please note that after installing Windows 7 you need to upgrade to 10 so that the MB and Windows 7 details are stored on the Microsoft database, this will allow you to do a clean install of Windows 10 in the future without having to re enter your product key.

[Malnutrition]

You can also download a legal copy of windows 7 from here.

[phillpower2]

You can also download a legal copy of windows 7 from here.

Or the Third Party Methods To Download Windows 7, 8.1 And 10 From Microsoft option here the web of trust check is a nice touch, using either link should avoid you needing to enter the OEM product key before being allowed to download the ISO.

[Malnutrition]

using either link should avoid you needing to enter the OEM product key before being allowed to download the ISO.

Yes indeed.

@mbhd There are also a couple of tools that may be needed as well to make the process a bit smoother for you.

For placing windows on a USB … ISOtoUSB.
For Placing windows on a DVD… @ActiveIsoBurner
The links provided in my are going to need a torrent client as well. Bittorrent.

I’d be careful to make sure nothing else is installed with Bittorrnet, they offer a few programs when installing make sure and uncheck those options if you do indeed try and download via torrent. I’d suggest installing Unchecky onto your machine to ensure nothing else is downloaded.

Once you install your copy of windows, you will need your drivers installed. I looked up your machine and the download page for your machines drivers is here. I’d suggest that you start with the Chipset Driver first then go from there.

Also, if you have issues activating, this will extend the time you have…

[mbhd]

Hmm, you may have a bit of a problem on your hands being that you are dealing with an OEM computer, the Dell Studio XPS 8100 specs vary see here if you contact Microsoft they very well may tell you to contact Dell and purchase Windows 7 recovery media and as the upgrade from 7 to 10 is no longer free you will have to purchase a separate product key for upgrading to Windows 10.

If you have access to a computer that has internet connection I would download a Windows 7 ISO from here and give that a go, more computers shipped with Home Premium than Pro so would try Home Premium first, I prefer burning the ISOs to disk but in this instance USB thumb drive would be best as you may need to download a couple of ISOs if the original OS for the computer was Pro and not Home Premium, saves on a blank DVD if not right first time

Please note that after installing Windows 7 you need to upgrade to 10 so that the MB and Windows 7 details are stored on the Microsoft database, this will allow you to do a clean install of Windows 10 in the future without having to re enter your product key.

Ah just read this as I’m trying out Windows 10 install! Will see how this goes and if it’s not working, will try Windows 7. Thanks very much for your advice.

[mbhd]

So I’ve installed Windows 10 (I think). The resolution is terrible and I can’t change it. I’ve tried downloading drivers for the pc model it didn’t work. It seems the Dell website says my machine only supports Windows 7 so that maybe why the drivers are wrong?

Not sure what to do now. Maybe just install windows 7?

[Malnutrition]

It seems the Dell website says my machine only supports Windows 7 so that maybe why the drivers are wrong?

Yes, that may be the case. If the website says it will not support windows 10 then that may indeed be the case.

[veeg]

This may help… Dell Studio XPS 8100 Drivers Download for Windows 10, 8.1, 7, Vista, XP

[Rustys]

The resolution is terrible and I can’t change it. I’ve tried downloading drivers for the pc model it didn’t work.

You can always get the drives from the Video Cards manufacture site.

[jmarket]

Windows 10 support device drivers from Windows 7 and later versions of Windows OS.

[DOUGIE]

Last year when I upgraded from Windows7 to windows10 Microsoft kept removing the Graphics driver from the Manufactures site and replacing with generic drivers. I put a stop to that quickly.

[mbhd]

So I downloaded some windows updates and that seemed to sort out the problem. I then put in the license key I had and Windows seem to validate it, so all good (as far as I can see).
Thanks all for the help!

[veeg]

Shall we mark this a solved?

[mbhd]

Shall we mark this a solved?

Yup, solved!
Thanks again.