buelliganx1 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 So my step daughters father bought her a new HP laptop for Christmas. Well while she was on it the other day it crashed on her and since it was not new but refurbished and her dad didnt get an extended warranty I'll be fixing it for her. I've narrowed it down to a bad hard drive since it will boot to Linux through the USB and in the BIOS I cant even check the hard drive because it doesnt recognize it as being there. So here's my problem, it was originally loaded with Windows 8 obviously thats on the hard drive so it's not there any more, I have no recover disk and there is no Windows product key sticker on her laptop. How do I go about re installing Windows 8? I dont even want to waste my time calling Microsoft since I dont have a product key, I've never seen a computer with windows installed that doesnt have the product key somewhere on it before, is this a new thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Call the computers manufacturer with the serial and complain. See if they can send you a new HD and windows 8. Maybe its still in that 1yr manufacturer warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelliganx1 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Well we already bought a new HD for it and since it's a crap HP computer I'm sure they wouldnt honor anything. Honestly her dad makes the worst decisions on computer stuff that I have ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Fix it by putting windows 7 on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelliganx1 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Fix it by putting windows 7 on it. If it was mine I would do that, actually if it was mine I would just install Linux and be done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1647545493 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 This will get you the OS but If you don't have a valid Windows 8 key then you're pretty much screwed. http://lifehacker.com/how-to-create-a-windows-8-installation-dvd-or-usb-drive-505769939 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acklac7 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Could be the hardrive controller on the Motherboard too. I've seen it happen on a number of occasions. If the controller goes bad plan on purchasing a new motherboard $$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybe Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 License sticker may be under the battery. I'm sure HP can provide it to you. Here's the warranty check page: https://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/wc/home/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelliganx1 Posted January 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Well since my neither my step daughters father or my wife or my step daughter bothered to make a system recovery disk it looks like I'm screwed or I should say she is screwed. HP will be more than happy to sell me a recovery disk for $30-40 which will not require me to have a product key, thank you come again. This laptop is 4 months old it was a 3 month warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaSSon Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Windows 8 is different. The Windows 8 key is stored in the UEFI "Bios". You'll need an OEM copy of windows to install on a new drive, but the key will be intact and stored on the motherboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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