Win 7 custom install?

I have a bit of a tricky situation. I bought and dl win7 off msoft about july. No dvd, I just bought the software download. I was using V64 and upgraded to win7 64, so no problem. But my PC keeps warning of imminent crash. I bought a new sata drive, but now, how do I get from blank HDto win7?

This pc is a few years old, I 'might' be able to find something of the documentation for it, but I'm not hopeful. The current HD is the original, with the win7 upgrade installed. So, while foolishly ignoring the option to buy the dvd for an additional 13$ which wasn't something I thought I'd need at the time. So now, what can I do for getting this new HD up n running?

 

Download and burn the ISO to DVD again.

 

Thanks, not so tricky then, I appreciate it.

 

Make sure you still have the Product Key you paid for! If you don't have it to hand, use a tool like the Jalapeno Keyfinder to locate it on your current installation.

 

I gave that a shot, no dice, just comes back as unknown. I also don't seem to have the email from msoft, which I normally keep all that kinda stuff. I might be able to find oem that came with pc, I hope, so I don't (but prolly will) have to buy a new copy of w7. Thanks for the thought

 

Hmm, does it need to be run as Admin?

 

And, correct me if I'm wrong, but since the W7 upgrade performed well and is running on drive #1, can't you just image to drive #2?
Just a thought, if the new .iso doesn't work.

 

Good point on run as admin, should have thought of that. I did try it, it still comes back unk serial. I also checked the site, and a different version returned the same answer. It may be due to it being a migration, or just unable, thanks.

I did see/realize the vista serial is on the side of the pc, so I should be ok, but I think I might have to do a recover with orig HD, reinstall vista, then try to remigrate to win7, which I think might have to re-purchase, as I have no email from msoft, and see no log in, or past orders options on msoft.

As to the status of w7 install, it's not been ok, well, I already know that. Unless the hd crashed or began to just about the same time I installed w7. Performance is slow, reboots take a couple minutes. This might just be all HD caused and the install is fine. But I really never liked not doing a format for OS installs. Part lazy, part ignorance of other ways to repair. But a reformat and new install was a few hours spent, worth the time of performance I usually gained. Now it's almost superstition