Where to buy Win 7 Key?

I have a friend I'm trying to help. She has ad ware and so much stuff on the system that a fresh install is the best course of action. The problem is its a computer that's a few years old. The Windows Vista sticker is completely worn and the recovery and factory discs with the embedded key are long gone/lost. Where can a windows 7 key be purchased for a decent price? This seems like the only option and I'm ready to go with it.

So where do I purchase a legit key at a decent price?

 

The best you can get is an OEM key for $100 as far as i know. If her vista install is an OEM install, you could backup the activation using the right version of ABR. Is there a recovery partition on her notebook?

 

I've got a few extra lying around. Sent you a PM about it.

THe best I've seen are in the $100-110 range.

 

There is another way to install Vista again, and it won't cost a thing:

http://digiex.net/guides-reviews/gu...ow-re-install-vista-without-recovery-dvd.html

Edit: tijo's solution (ABR) is pretty much the same, but easier to use.

 

software that will show all the keys in use on your computer are available but of the top of my head i cant remember what its called.
ill post back when i get home from work.

as long as you have the key you can download vista from digital river on here

edit: Mats link above is the one. jelly shows all your keys.

 

go vista again with oem activation. if need adition help PM=)

 

Did she try to order the recovery cd/dvd from the manufacture to see if they aren't too expensive to get? That would be the best option unless she doesn't want to or wants to do a complete refresh of a new O/S ie Windows7 install. Otherwise getting factory recovery cd/dvd would be the first option to go with.

 

Use Magical Jellybean key finder to view the Vista key.

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

 

I just had a hard drive that died, I used ABR to back up my key, it's easy as show on this youtube vid (don't worry the procedure is the same) Then download yourself a free copy of vista with a 30 day or so trial period (or borrow a copy of vista from someone who has one, which is what I did, which is not suppose to work) and then run the ABR to activate the copy you just downloaded, it's so easy it's not funny

 

Keys only match the O/S that it came with and if your download the wrong verison of O/S or borrow the wrong version your key won't work. So the OP needs to make sure the version they get matches the installed version otherwise the keys will not work. Why else would one think they make their money off selling the keys with the software it came with. So for OEM you need to get the matching O/S to reinstall your key that was on your sticker any other version will not work as the key is most likely by itself by its sequence is encoded to just recognize that O/S and no other so Vista Pro key will not work for Vista Ultra and vise versa. So you will need Vista Preminum to Vista Preminum for the key to work.

 

HerEsY never said you could change version, right?

 

You're right, but i think StormJumper was simply saying to be careful to get the iso or disc for the same version of Windows than what you have, you know just in case your neighbor has Pro instead of Home Premium and you want to borrow his disc.

 

Well yea you would need the same as what's install on your laptop, but because HP didn't send me the OS or recovery disc for the new hard drive (which they did 4 days later) I used a Windows upgrade disc because I didn't want to wait until the discs arrived (upgrade from Vista to Win 7) and it worked, I didn't think it would work but it did.