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Our tutorial videos.
Installing Windows 7 Professional & Ultimate
Installing Windows 7
Installing Windows XP Professional & Home
Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3
Activating Windows
online , Using the Microsoft key changer
Other videos
Deleting old Hard Drive Partitions
Terminology.
- COA - Certificate Of Authenticity.
- Key - This is the 25 digit code from the COA that you need to enter to Activate Windows.
- Activate - Windows need to be activated with Microsoft, Once activated you can get all the updates, patched from the Microsoft update website.
- OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer. Computer manufacturers like Dell, IBM, HP etc. Our CDs and DVDs are OEM ones but will allow for a full install on ANY BRAND of computer.
- Full Install - A complete install of Windows. Doing this will delete anything already on your computer. This is also what you need to do for a new or blank hard drive.
- Drivers - These are needed to get things like Sound, Graphics, Network etc working. You can download drivers for free from your manufacturers website.
- BIOS - This is the Basic Input Output System, it's what starts when you first turn on the computer (That black and white screen you see when you turn on the computer!).
Common problems.
I can't activate my Windows.
The most common problem for this is a typing error while entering the Key. The number "8" looks like a letter "B" - There could be B's or 8's. The Letter "Q" looks like a zero or letter "O" - There are no zeros or letter O's. There could be the letter "Q". The only letters or numbers in a key code are:- "B C D F G H J K M P Q R T V W X Y 2 3 4 6 7 8 9". A scan of the COA will give you bigger look at the key.
The other problem that can cause this is that you have not installed Windows with an OEM disc. A retail disc needs a retail key. Other versions also require different keys. All our keys are OEM and therefore require an OEM install disc.
Your time settings could be wrong. You need to ensure your date and time are correct for the time zone you are in as the activation servers will check this.
And finally, if you were not asked for a key during the install you can use the key changer tool in our downloads section.
I get an error while the installer is copying files.
- One cause for this is faulty RAM. The Windows installer copies everything to RAM then dumps it the hard drive once the RAM is full. There is no error checking until Windows is installed so a dodgy RAM stick can cause all sorts of problems. It could be worth removing a memory module and trying the install again. Also a good clean of the memory before putting it back in will help.
- Another reason is that the optical drive is starting to go wrong. If the computer is fairly old or the optical drive doesn't get used much it can get very dusty. Try opening the drive and using some canned air to clear the dust and try again.
The install doesn't see my hard drive.
- This is quite probably because you have a SATA hard drive. One solution is to change the SATA setting in the BIOS from AHCI to IDE then try again. You can also install the SATA drivers using a floppy disc and pressing the F6 key to load them when the installer prompts you. This is not normally a problem for Vista or Windows 7.
- Did you buy this software because of a hard drive crash? Maybe the drive is actually dead!
Windows says it can't install Windows.
- This could be because you are trying to install Windows from within Windows. You need to boot directly from the disc to be able to install Windows.
I can't press "F8" at the licence agreement.
- This sometimes happens with a computer that has a PS2 keyboard connection but you have a USB one attached. Try a different keyboard (a PS2 one if possible).
Common Questions.
Will this work on a Mac?
- There are various ways to get Windows onto a Mac. Bootcamp, Parallels or VirtualBox. Each method is different and I would recommend checking the various websites for these programs. Bootcamp seems to work best with Windows 7 at the moment.
Is this a full version?
- All our software is for a full install of Windows even if the CD says "Already installed on your computer" or "Reinstallation CD". Ours are the same as the retail CDs but without the fancy boxes.
Will this work on a blank hard drive?
Where can I get drivers?
- You can download your drivers from the manufacturers website. This is a free service that they provide. If you have a non-branded computer then you will need the motherboard manufactures details. We can help you with this. Always have the drivers ready before you install Windows or at least a spare working computer to use to download them onto a CD or USB stick.
Will this work on a netbook or laptop without a CD drive?
- You could use an external CD or DVD drive to install Windows. There are also programs to allow you to install Windows from a USB memory stick. These are pretty easy to use and we can help you if you wish to follow this route.
We'll be adding more info here as we get more questions or problems solved.
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