Reinstall, but no CD

I want to wipe the computer that Vista is installed on clean, but I do not
have the Vista CD to reinstall it with. I have the the product key, though.
Is there a way to download a free trial of Vista, burn it to a disk, and then
install it on the computer once it is wiped? If so, where could I get the
said download?

How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326246/en-gb


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Kapolm" <Kapolm@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:5CFDA9CD-8D4C-4237-905C-6AB4DE8D82BF@microsoft.com...
I want to wipe the computer that Vista is installed on clean, but I do not
have the Vista CD to reinstall it with. I have the the product key, though.
Is there a way to download a free trial of Vista, burn it to a disk, and then
install it on the computer once it is wiped? If so, where could I get the
said download?

Ring your computer manufacturer about recovery disks.
You should have a "hidden" partition on your hard drive to make recovery DVD.

Manufacturers vary in the way they offer you to do it.

"Kapolm" wrote:

> I want to wipe the computer that Vista is installed on clean, but I do not
> have the Vista CD to reinstall it with. I have the the product key, though.
> Is there a way to download a free trial of Vista, burn it to a disk, and then
> install it on the computer once it is wiped? If so, where could I get the
> said download?

Your PC manufacturer should supply the CD, sometimes with a charge.
Otherwise, there may be a recovery option on a second partition. As
another option, you can borrow a friends OEM DVD and use that with your
key...

--
Dustin Harper
dharper@vistarip.com
http://www.vistarip.com


Kapolm wrote:
> I want to wipe the computer that Vista is installed on clean, but I do not
> have the Vista CD to reinstall it with. I have the the product key, though.
> Is there a way to download a free trial of Vista, burn it to a disk, and then
> install it on the computer once it is wiped? If so, where could I get the
> said download?

Hi Kapolm--

1) Why do you want to wipe and load Vista? Is there something or are there
somethings that can be fixed? If you tell us we can try to help you make the
system good.

2) I'm guessing you don't have a Vista DVD for the usual reason that most of
the 85 million or so users don't. The OEM manufacturer of your pc didn't
send you one. Only Dell that I know of says they'll do this and MSFT forces
them not to because they want you to buy one.

Unlike some others here, my experience and it's been a lot over the years
with so-called recovery CDs in XP and DVDs in Vista are that they are
miserable failures. They're designed to restore your system to default, if
and when they work at all but they aren't going to save data and settings.

I think it's very important to always have a copy of the OS DVD, and given
the profit that the 300 OEM named partners who make PCs make when you buy
their PC, I'd demand one or buy somewhere else.

In the case of Vista, you don't get Win RE which has tools to repair Vista
on it without the Vista DVD and it's very unfortunate that MSFT chose to do
this.

CH


"Kapolm" <Kapolm@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5CFDA9CD-8D4C-4237-905C-6AB4DE8D82BF@microsoft.com...
>I want to wipe the computer that Vista is installed on clean, but I do not
> have the Vista CD to reinstall it with. I have the the product key,
> though.
> Is there a way to download a free trial of Vista, burn it to a disk, and
> then
> install it on the computer once it is wiped? If so, where could I get the
> said download?

Unless it is an identical machine, that would be a bad idea. The OEM
versions have the drivers for the specific mobo hardware.

"Dustin Harper" <dharper@vistarip.com> wrote in message
news:ecnscH7JIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Your PC manufacturer should supply the CD, sometimes with a charge.
> Otherwise, there may be a recovery option on a second partition. As
> another option, you can borrow a friends OEM DVD and use that with your
> key...
>
> --
> Dustin Harper
> dharper@vistarip.com
> http://www.vistarip.com
>
>
> Kapolm wrote:
>> I want to wipe the computer that Vista is installed on clean, but I do
>> not have the Vista CD to reinstall it with. I have the the product key,
>> though. Is there a way to download a free trial of Vista, burn it to a
>> disk, and then install it on the computer once it is wiped? If so, where
>> could I get the said download?

"John Barnes" wrote:

> Unless it is an identical machine, that would be a bad idea. The OEM
> versions have the drivers for the specific mobo hardware.
>
> "Dustin Harper" <dharper@vistarip.com> wrote in message
> news:ecnscH7JIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> > Your PC manufacturer should supply the CD, sometimes with a charge.
> > Otherwise, there may be a recovery option on a second partition. As
> > another option, you can borrow a friends OEM DVD and use that with your
> > key...
> >
> > --
> > Dustin Harper
> > dharper@vistarip.com
> > http://www.vistarip.com
> >
> >
> > Kapolm wrote:
> >> I want to wipe the computer that Vista is installed on clean, but I do
> >> not have the Vista CD to reinstall it with. I have the the product key,
> >> though. Is there a way to download a free trial of Vista, burn it to a
> >> disk, and then install it on the computer once it is wiped? If so, where
> >> could I get the said download?
>
>

the windows dvd is the windows dvd not the computer manufactures you could
borrow a friends oem vista dvd and use your key but you can't use a system
restore disk from another computer .