Factory restore with out a backup disk

[itlieswithin]

I own the G46VW laptop and have installed a new HDD with windows 7. I would like to revert back to windows 8 but the original HDD is now wiped clean and i have no backup disk. I was told by customer service that i need to send it in but i would REALLY love to avoid that. Is there anyway to get windows 8 with the original product key back? If not, i have a buddy with the same laptop (windows 8) could i just rip a restore disk from his computer and use it on mine?

[billyray520]

Your laptop should have a sticker on the bottom with your Windows key. Use that to do a fresh install. Download your correct original version of Win 8 from Digital River. You'll have to make yourself a driver disk too with all of the Asus drivers that go with your notebook.

[Nodens]

You can also clone your friend's drive and restore the image to yours. That will recover the OEM partition as well.

[itlieswithin]

Minor update, there is no sticker on the back for some reason (maybe because this model is a referb). also i tried downloading the windows 8 upgrade directly from microsoft but the key generated by window 8 product key views is invalid for some reason. additionally my friend will be unavailable for some time so i guess i forced to wait.

[billyray520]

I have heard that some refurb places remove the sticker, but that isn't right. My G73Sw was a refurb and it still had the original sticker on the bottom. However, the OS they installed had a different key, so I had to call MS to return the OS back to the original key that was on the bottom. If you can get in touch with your dealer that sold you this, he should have the key for you (assuming he's legitimate)

You could try Nodens idea, although there could be a problem, since your buddy's OS key is already in use. You can install Ubuntu in the meantime if you want to be able to get on the internet etc. while you're waiting

[Nodens]

Guys all OEM laptop keys are the same. Friend's key is the same as your key as long as the Windows edition installed is the same. OEM SLP keys are like that.

[billyray520]

Guys all OEM laptop keys are the same. Friend's key is the same as your key as long as the Windows edition installed is the same. OEM SLP keys are like that.

Not necessarily true. My laptop was bought through PowerNotebook website. It had an upgraded Windows 7 Pro (not the Home Premium that came standard from the factory.) The COA sticker on the bottom of my notebook is for Windows 7 PRO.

I also found this:

-- the key on the sticker is only needed if something happens to the Bios from the manufacturer where the factory installed license will not activate. The manufacturer uses the same key for all of their MOBOs during the factory install but are required to include the unique code on the COA certificate to show that they have purchased a copy of the license for every system they ship. Sometimes these preinstalled keys will stop working if you update the BIOS for some reason (ie. to update the list of supported CPUs, etc.) on the system and then you need the code on the sticker in order to get the activation working. So while the key may work for activating another system it is not a legal use of the code and could result in problems down the road if\when you need it for a reactivation of the laptop license and doing so would be a violation of the EULA and considered an illegal copy of the OS.

[Nodens]

All that is innacurate really. There's no key in the BIOS/UEFI. Win7 activation needs 3 components. Only one is in the firmware and it's not a key. The Product OEM SLP COA channel key is the same for each product edition for all the OEM's products (although some big OEMs may have 2-3 keys but it doesn't matter which one is used--as long as it belongs to the OEM). Also the BIOS component can not be dismissed by flashing or anything of the sort (only by manually hacking at the firmware). Any activation failing is due to hardware changes and not what that quote is saying.

See the tool in my sig that I made for restoring the ASUS OEM license on Win7 no matter how you installed. It just needs you to enter you OEM SLP COA key and hit activate.

Win8 uses a new version of this scheme (MSDM tables) and is different.

[billyray520]

Thanks for clearing that up!

[Nodens]

No problem