Installed Unverified Windows 7 ISO... worried there could be malware or rootkit!

Please bear with me, I'm not great with computers, and this doozy has been a whirlwind, I'll explain in point form.

1. Have an Acer Aspire 5742Z laptop running Windows 7 Home Premium x64

2. Hard drive died, I replaced it with a new one I bought.

3. Tried to re-install Windows using Acer Recovery Disks, but it failed to install.

4. Downloaded a Windows 7 ISO (filename X17-24209, I forget what site i dl'ed it from) that I thought was legit, and I installed it with no problem.

5. I have now learned about hash codes, and I compared the SHA of the file I downloaded with the ones on this site: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/subscriptions/securedownloads ... I have now realized that this is in fact NOT a legit copy of Windows. It also did not accept my Validation Key from the bottom of my laptop.

I have read that there could be a rootkit or malware installed on these fake ISO's.

How should I proceed? Can I simply format and partition the hard drive, and reinstall a legitimate Win7 ISO? Or do I have to scan/clean my BIOS? How can I tell if there is a rootkit?

Not sure what to do here! I'm worried there is something installed, and even if I wipe the hard drive it will still be there when I install the legitimate version. Is this possible?

Thank you and sorry for the long post!

 

Go straight to Acer, and explain to them the recovery discs you made would not work on the new smaller drive.

They should send you a copy of W7 either for free, or at a minimal cost. You already paid for your license key when you bought the Acer.

Dell used to give them to you for free, but times they are a changin'...

 

Actually digital river has free windows seven iso's that are legit to download. http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/ I have used these isos numerous times for customers who didn't have there windows disc. Never had a problem.

 

Yes, just stating that the isos are probably not the issue if thats where he got em

 

If I recall correctly, he has the key.

 

Hi! Sorry for the delay!

I do have the key (it's on the sticker on the bottom of my laptop)

The ISO I downloaded is called "X17-58997" and the SHA-1 is 6C9058389C1E2E5122B7C933275F963EDF1C07B9

The SHA-1 matches the one listed at this site: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/subscriptions/securedownloads

If I understand correctly, that means it's a legit version, right?

So I should not be worried about the previous unverified one I had installed?

 

That would seem to be the case.

 

Cool

Thanks again, everybody!