Recover the windows lic for new hdd , I have no documentation or recovery media anymore

window2
window2 Member Posts: 3 New User
edited January 2023 in Aspire Laptops

I have an old Aspire that has a dead drive, and was thinking of putting in a new drive so I can give it to a grandchild. Problem is, I have no documentation or recovery media anymore, so if I load windows on the new drive (it was loaded with windows 8) I won't have the license even if the laptop still works. Any way to find out the windows license on an old laptop?

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

Answers

  • Jack22
    Jack22 ACE Posts: 4,074 Pathfinder

    @window2

    Below is the link to create a window media creation tool using which you can install the windows and i don think its going to ask for license


    Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!
  • AnhEZ28
    AnhEZ28 ACE, Member Posts: 4,277 Pathfinder

    @window2 on the laptop that is preinstalled Windows 8 or newer, the license is imbedded into the UEFI, so once you have loaded the Windows 10, it will be automatically activated.

    Please remember to include @AnhEZ28 when you want to reply back to my comment so that I can check your response.
    Thank you and have a nice day!
  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,065 Trailblazer

    Just in addition to the above, it would also help if you told us the exact laptop model number, as some of the old Win-8 laptops you can also upgrade the cpu to a quicker spec. But with Win-8 its a FREE upgrade to Win-10 Home and with Win-8.1 is a FREE upgrade to Win-10 Pro from Microsoft that is still active, as the activation key is embedded into the laptop's bios. You can comfortably upgrade your laptop to Win-10 Home from Win-8 but you need your Microsoft account details to login to that account so that you can link this laptop to it and it can be activated to a digital license.

    Its a simple upgrade and process, but make sure that you update to the laptops last bios and all Windows Updates, Intel or AMD drivers for this laptop to work properly and speedily under Win-10, with the hardware. I would upgrade the RAM to your laptop max ram capacity and also upgrade to an SSD type boot drive, as all this will make this old laptop a very useful tool for your grandson as he can even use it for old games. Bte, I've done this to many old laptops, and they work very well and are a very useful and adequate tool in running Win-10. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

  • window2
    window2 Member Posts: 3 New User

    Thanks @AnhEZ28

  • window2
    window2 Member Posts: 3 New User

    Thank you @Jack22 and @AnhEZ28 and @StevenGen for all the feedback, and sorry for delayed responses... life got in the way.

    In answer to @StevenGen , the model number is as follows.

    Aspire E1-470 Series (470-6806), Model # MS2376

    I think I may have an old 2.5 drive I can put in it to test out.

    Thanks again to all for the feedback!!