Replace this HDD?

[Markverhyden]

Hi Porthos. My understanding is that to install Win 7 on a new hard drive, you have to use the manufacturer's (Dell, HP, etc.) installation media, and that the installation will fail if the target hard drive is a different size than what was available from the manufacturer for that model. Is this wrong?

The only way I can see to accomplish this is to install to a hard drive that matches what came in the machine originally, and then transferring that system to the (smaller) SSD. Is there another way?

Mahalo,

Harry Z

That's not correct based on my experience. I've run many OEM restores on many different size drives, larger as well as smaller, over the years. Though not many the last few years. I've always been able to install on anything as long as it's big enough to allow the full install. Just understand that OEM installs include a Recovery partition as well as, usually, a Utility partition. So those will eat up some 5-10gb in space. And the Dell ones were just a plain M$ install as far as I can remember from what they used to ship. Not sure about the newer machines where you run a utility to create the disk.

 

[Porthos]

My understanding is that to install Win 7 on a new hard drive, you have to use the manufacturer's (Dell, HP, etc.) installation media, and that the installation will fail if the target hard drive is a different size than what was available from the manufacturer for that model. Is this wrong?

Before I stopped installing Win 7, 2 years ago, I never used a OEM branded disk to install Windows. I just kept a standard disk for each edition, there are ways to create AIO disks but I did not bother since I only needed home and pro. I still have all those ISO's saved even though I never use them.
The only reason to use a Branded OEM disk is to avoid issues when you can not read the COA . There are also ways to deal with that as well.

 

[Haole Boy]

Before I stopped installing Win 7, 2 years ago, I never used a OEM branded disk to install Windows. I just kept a standard disk for each edition, there are ways to create AIO disks but I did not bother since I only needed home and pro. I still have all those ISO's saved even though I never use them.
The only reason to use a Branded OEM disk is to avoid issues when you can not read the COA . There are also ways to deal with that as well.

Are these "retail" disks, or from some other source? Maybe I'm not remembering clearly, but I thought you could not get Win 7 licensed if you did not use the disk from the manufacturer.

Again, thanx for responding.

Harry Z.

 

[Haole Boy]

That's not correct based on my experience. I've run many OEM restores on many different size drives, larger as well as smaller, over the years. Though not many the last few years. I've always been able to install on anything as long as it's big enough to allow the full install. Just understand that OEM installs include a Recovery partition as well as, usually, a Utility partition. So those will eat up some 5-10gb in space. And the Dell ones were just a plain M$ install as far as I can remember from what they used to ship. Not sure about the newer machines where you run a utility to create the disk.

Hmm.... I seem to remember that the OEM install iso's would choke when setting up the partitions on a drive that was smaller than expected. e.g.: On a 500 GB drive there's plenty of room for the recovery and utility partitions, but when trying to set up the 900GB windows partition it would fail. Maybe they OEMs improved their installations to be more flexible.

I had to do a fresh install of Win 7 on a Dell last month. The original HD was 2 TB, the new on was 1 TB. Had to call Dell to get the install media as their automated system could not produce the needed iso file. Talking with the person from Dell, I asked if there would be a problem with the smaller disk size, and he told me that as long as that model was available with that size disk, then I would be OK.

It's probably not worth beating this to death any longer. Fortunately, I don't do many Win 7 installs any more. Just want to be prepared for when I do the next one.

Mahalo for responding

Harry Z

 

[Haole Boy]

....a drive is a drive is a drive. If it installs on a platter drive it should install on an SSD.

My concern is not the type of media (platter vs. SSD). Its the size of the drive.

Mahalo,

Harry Z

 

[backwoodsman]

Maybe I'm not remembering clearly, but I thought you could not get Win 7 licensed if you did not use the disk from the manufacturer.

I've always used whatever appropriate Win7 disk was lying around, and the number from the COA, and never had a problem activating.

 

[timeshifter]

I just blow away any factory stuff on any drive I have to reinstall. Windows 10 is way too easy to install. Windows 7 I keep some Dell disks around and they activate fine on other brands with the product key. Actually I have a couple of Windows 7 Dell images, one Home and one Pro and I restore those to the new drive. Then run Snappy Driver Origin to clean up and update drivers.

 

[Porthos]

Its the size of the drive.

Leaving out the obvious response that first came to mind,
I always use a minium 240 gig SSD. Every once in a while I go only as low as 120gig. Nothing lower.

 

[Porthos]

Maybe I'm not remembering clearly, but I thought you could not get Win 7 licensed if you did not use the disk from the manufacturer.

It is not remembering that is the issue, It is all the misunderstandings on how Windows works is your limiting factor..

 

[HFultzjr]

My concern is not the type of media (platter vs. SSD). Its the size of the drive.

Mahalo,

Harry Z

A 240 GB SSD should be plenty big enough for MOST people. How much was on the original. Do yourself a favor and do a clean install of Win7, or while you are at it Win 10. OEM media usually comes with a bunch of junk. You could also delete the recovery partition and move the space to the main partition.