Nov132012

Can I borrow my friend’s Windows 7 recovery disk if I no longer have access to mine?

Ashish Kumar asks:

I bought Pavillion DV6 6165TX yesterday. I was trying to install Ubuntu, but all got messed up while installing Ubuntu. Now Windows also does not boot up. It shows this message: “Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.” Unfortunately, I don’t have recovery disk. Now how to reinstall Windows 7 (Home Premium)? My friend has the same model and Windows 7 (Home Premium). Can I borrow his recovery disk? Please help me!


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18 Answers - Write an Answer

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ha14

November 13, 2012

sure you can. to try correct your problem without DVD first make sure that your boot option is on the hard drive that contains windows OS, to do this go to BIOS.

Ashish Kumar1

i went to the Bios..and changed my hard disk as my boot priority option..but still the same screen coming every time..

November 14, 2012
ha14

hope windows still there on your system, apparently Ubuntu corrupted MBR.

when you can’t boot Windows after installing Ubuntu
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

http://thameera.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/restoring-the-windows-mbr-using-a-ubuntu-live-cd-or-usb/
Fixing the Windows MBR using a Ubuntu Live CD or USB

November 14, 2012
0 votes
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dhanunjayarao chunduri

November 14, 2012

yes you can recover with your friends recovery. but you don’t do a clean install with it. if you do a clean install you your’s windows license will be gone.

0 votes
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Aswin Kumar K P

November 14, 2012

yes u can do that…….but enter ur serial key with that.

Ashish Kumar1

I lost my recovery partition..I tried to get it back by my friend’s recovery cd..but those cd’s are not compatible with my system..what to do get my recovery partition back?

November 16, 2012
Qin Tang

You may think some free partition software like MiniTool, easeus to help you. Good luck.

November 19, 2012
0 votes
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Jim Chambers

November 14, 2012

If recovery partition is intact, just hit F11 after post to reinstall Windows 7 etc..

Ashish Kumar1

i hit F11..but it does not work..same screen comes every time..

November 14, 2012
0 votes
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Boni Oloff

November 14, 2012

Yes, you can. But after finish the installation you still need the serial number you have.

0 votes
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Douglas Mutay

November 14, 2012

Ashish, as long as you didn’t erase your entire partition while you were trying Ubuntu you still can repair the boot process of your Windows 7. Just boot from the DVD of your friend and when it will ask you to start to install, choose the Repair option instead. It should take you to a process where you can restore your boot and there will no need to reinstall a clean W7. Good luck!

Ashish Kumar1

what if i erase my entire partition..does it mean i lost my genuine Window 7 ?

November 14, 2012
Sean A

You haven’t lost it. The only thing you have lost is your files. To install after wiping the partition you need an install disk of the version your serial is for and the serial. The installation only loses its genuity if you install it on multiple computers.

November 15, 2012
0 votes
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Lisa Santika Onggrid

November 14, 2012

Sure, you can. What you can’t borrow is his license code.

Douglas Mutay

I like your answer. It make the things so clear :-)

November 14, 2012
0 votes
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Alan Wade

November 14, 2012

You could also (with his permission) make a copy of his disc so you have a recovery disc of your own for future.

Ashish Kumar1

My friend got afraid of distributing his disc..can i use any window 7 home premium and provide my product key while it ask for key..will it become genuine window..i am very confused..or i can get it free online..or i hp will provide it?

November 14, 2012
0 votes
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Rakesh Mishra

November 14, 2012

u can use the recovery disc because i have use my friends disc

0 votes
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Nikhil Chandak

November 14, 2012

You can definitely do that , but u will need the product key or the serial key with that

Ashish Kumar1

can i download window 7 from internet and use my product key to make it Genuine??..Am i right?

November 14, 2012
Nikhil Chandak

Yea , u can also do that

November 15, 2012
0 votes
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Dimal Chandrasiri

November 14, 2012

yes! you can use the recovery disc to recover your system!

Ashish Kumar1

My friend’s recovery disk not working in my laptop

November 15, 2012
0 votes
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Rich Mc.

November 15, 2012

I agree with everyone telling you to use your serial key. I would definitely try repairing your system before a clean boot.

Ashish Kumar1

I tried my freind’s recovery cd but it shows a message “This CD is not compatible for your system”..wat to do?

November 16, 2012
Muz RC

you should make sure the disc is same with ur operating system, u cant use recover disk home 32 bit on pro 32 bit…

November 28, 2012
0 votes
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Austin

November 16, 2012

Yes you can

0 votes
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N LKX

November 21, 2012

does your startup screen show a ‘gnu grub error’ or something like that?

0 votes
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Austen Gause

November 21, 2012

Yes you can, NO clean installs though you will lose everything you dont back up

0 votes
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Sathya Murthy

November 30, 2012

A recovery disk is unique for an installed windows. It is a backup for booting and recovering windows for a particular installation in a particular system.
So, you cannot use the recovery disk of another installation in your system to recover and boot to windows.

0 votes
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Joel Jacob

January 7, 2013

yes

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Igor Rizvi?

January 15, 2013

Yes you can borrow his and try a startup repair..i had the same problem with my girlfriends laptop,and it worked wonders! good luck

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