Windows 7 this is a bit complicated

[Durel]

I do not have much hope left but I'll try some more. So here's the situation:
I'm currently trying to repair my father's laptop and loosing hope. What happened was that he had a free version of Panda when it shot all its clients' laptops to shit. Their next update repaired many but not all. My father's was one of the ones that wasn't repaired. For some reason he hadn't made a recovery disk for his laptop and so he used my mother's. Problem: different make, different model, different version of windows, and perhaps even different bit, not sure about that one. So he's basically wiped everything (and didn't make backups *sigh*) and downgraded from pre-installed Windows 7 to Windows Vista (which isn't activated and which he basically doesn't have the product key for. I don't know what happens when the 30 days run out and he doesn't activate it due to not having the key). Now most things don't work cuz there are now next to no drivers or anything but I've managed to restore some things. Internet is accessible via a wifi stick and he now has Google Chrome and some protection via AVG Free 2015. I've also managed to install an Atheros wifi driver but it doesn't work (Code 39). Windows found a solution via updating the driver with the Sony Firmware Extension Parser but the site has been down for a while (it's a Vaio). It also has the Vaio Update now, but that's kind of about it. So now I'm kind of stuck on what to do next but I'm also not willing to give up yet and have him buy either a new Windows 7 disk or an entirely new laptop. Anybody still got any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[kemical]

If you have the activation key to your fathers lappie then you can download an iso of windows 7 here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery

 

[patcooke]

You don't mention the recovery partition. It might still be there despite all that has gone on. Have a look at the drive via Control panel and see what partitions are on there. You might just be able to boot to the recovery partition.

 

[Durel]

If you have the activation key to your fathers lappie then you can download an iso of windows 7 here:

unfortunately, since his laptop came pre-installed with Windows 7, this is not possible but thank you for the reply!

 

[patcooke]

unfortunately, since his laptop came pre-installed with Windows 7, this is not possible but thank you for the reply!

I'm not sure if one of us is misunderstanding the other . . . It is laptops which come with an op sys installed which also come with a recovery partition to recover from so your father's Vaio will definitley have come with one.

 

[Joe S]

If you have the activation key to your fathers lappie then you can download an iso of windows 7 here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery

Interesting is this the only OS ISO MS offers for download? Since you have furnish activation key is that somehow added to the download? Is this simply Windows 7 SP1 or is it up to date with patches?
Joe

 

[patcooke]

And if you manage a download with which the key will work you will still need to locate and install all the drivers whereas, if a recovery partition exists it will install all the drivers with it. Another option might be to enquire of Sony support to see if you can buy a copy of the recovery disk from them.