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.

D'oh! It's the OEM version. :-(

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.

Bummer! Do you really need win7 pro on the laptop? If not, find a friend with a non-OEM win7 disk and use the product key that's stuck on the laptop. It may not auto register but just call the number displayed in the activation screen and tell them your hard drive crashed. I've never had a problem in the past.

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).

Thanks again, Karyn. Yeah I'll just use the recovery disc. Just thought I'd look into this possibility first. It's annoying they don't give you an actual Windows disc anymore and cram the systems with all the sketchy crap but I guess without all that stuff the computer would have cost more.

@tKx... Sadly I really don't know anyone around here let alone any computer folks. Next time my one buddy comes to visit I'll ask him to drag along a disc or maybe make me a copy. He's good for that kind of stuff. Cheers.

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 usually use CCleaner. There are a few stubborn programs though and some that I'm scared to mess with in case I lose functionality but I guess if I bork something up I can just start over.

...and I've been chasing bapu's tail since I got here. I'm not even close and I think my average is about 20 posts a day. lulz..

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