How to boot a win 7 hard drive that was in Ubuntu system?

[Jim]

On 04/06/2017 04:47 AM, Karl Auer wrote:
> On Thu, 2017-04-06 at 09:21 +0200, Liam Proven wrote:
>> On 6 April 2017 at 02:51, Jim <jf_byrnes at comcast.net> wrote:
>>> All the solutions I have found require that I use a Win 7 install
>>> disk to fix it
>>
>> You can download a Win7 ISO direct from Microsoft. You do need a key
>> to do it, though. Do you have the sticker with the product key?
>
> Firstly, I'm pretty sure that you can install and use Windows7 without
> a key, at least for a while - a month I think. Unless you can't even
> download it without a key, which I somehow doubt.
>
> Secondly, if the installed copy was licensed, it should be possible to
> extract the key from that licenced copy, even without booting the
> operating system. This is one possibly helpful link, Google will have
> many more:
>
> https://www.howtogeek.com/206329/how-to-find-your-lost-windows-or-offic
> e-product-keys/
>
> Thirdly, if all you want to do is run one program, don't bother about
> installing or re-installing on a hard disk, install it in a virtual,
> install and run the program you need, and throw the whole thing away
> when you are done. This has the happy benefit of not requiring an
> actual disk - you can mount the ISO directly for e.g. VirtualBox.
>
> Fourthly, if you want Windows7 on an ongoing basis, combine recovering
> the key with installing a virtual. You can even install the virtual on
> your now-spare disk :-)

It's a tax prep program so I want to keep it around.

> Regards, K.
>
> PS: Silly question I know, but did the Windows7 you have come with the
> computer? The licence key may be on a sticker somewhere. And if the
> digits of the key have worn off, as they often do, sometimes the
> barcode is still readable.
>

Not silly at all.  Hadn't used this machine for a while. It was sitting 
in a corner. Looked at the side facing away from me and there was the 
serial number. All these years I have had it never realized it was 
there. So a big thank you for pointing that out to me.

Now I can get the iso you, Liam and Xen have recommended.

Thanks all,  Jim