Can I download a fresh copy of Win7 to load on my laptop that had Win preinstalled?

Happy Sunday, all. So here's the deal. I want to wipe my Acer laptop and start from scratch. I have the system recovery disk I made after initial boot up but I don't want all the bloatware crap that came with the machine. Lots of annoying and intrusive stuff from Acer and elsewhere that was a pain to remove and some of it didn't want to uninstall at all. I figure since I paid for the damned thing and a license I should have access to a clean copy of Windows. 

Another side question is... this system is Win7 Home. I actually have a Win7 Pro disc I bought for my DAW. I'm assuming if I used that instead I wouldn't be able to register it. Is that true or is there a way around it (that's legal)?

Anyway... been thinking on this for a while and figured I'd ask you smart dudes. Cheers. 

Sweet! I really thought I was gonna get boned on this. Thanks, Karyn.

  Yeah... just looking now. I found the paid version but reading the page I don't think that's gonna work. Figures they'd bury it.  

Thanks. I appreciate the effort. I wasn't having much luck either. It seems if you want to do what I'm attempting you have to fork over $99 to a third party which I'm not willing to do. Maybe I'll see if there are any used discs on ebay or something or just do the factory restore. Buggers had all sorts of useless crap installed on this thing and they so kindly gave me a trial version of McAffee. lulz... Does anybody still use that AV?

Hi, Carl. I think my main problem is that the disc I have is for Pro and the laptop license is for Home... or are you saying that I can license two computers using my Pro disc/license? I'm wondering even if I can't register it what's the difference? No updates? Cheers.

I believe that if the Win7 pro you bought for the DAW is a retail version (opposed to an OEM version) then you have the right to also install it on your laptop. Before doing a clean install on the laptop, go to the acer site and download the drivers for your NIC's, video card, audio card, chip inf file, etc. You can get that info from device manager.

I could give you link right now to a complete win7 pro or win7 home installation set that I have on one of my works servers.  But, I use volume licensing at work and your key wouldn't work even though its technically the same windows version as you have.

The installers are coded to only accept the correct key type.

For the sake of 30 minutes removing the bloat ware you may as well use your recovery disk and get all the correct drivers installed for you.

by the way, it will have to be a win7 home non-OEM disk (oem disk's usually check the bios and will only install on that makers brand of pc).

Or just do the acer reinstall. There's a utility out there I believe called something like decrapify that lists and allows you to remove alot of oem junk at one time. Search for it.

This is more post's then I done in 10 yrs. I think I'm closing in on Bapu!

I like CCleaner. I run it often and ATF Cleaner, it isn't as good but it is fast. It is free, at least the version I have is free. I usually run the IE delete stuff and the ATF, then now and then I run CCleaner. Hijackthis is essential for me too, as is Malwarebytes... but frankly, ever since I have been using W764 and Norton 360 free from Comcast, I have gotten ZERO malware or virus'. I get a little box in the corner now and then telling me that Norton has blocked some monster... and it has and Norton now has a sleep mode and an option to turn everything off for either a preset time or until the next reboot. I sometimes forget to turn off Panicware popup blocker, it updates at random. I have had a really good experience since going with the setup I have now... back with XP, MaCafee and everything else I could find to help me stay clean I was still having to remove something on a regular basis. I imagine W8 is even better but I am going to let it age just a little before I go there.... but if is as better as folk are saying well, I may have to give it a try more sooner than later. I have a severe case of old dog/new trick syndrome...

CCleaner is GOOD!

J