In 2009 I bought a Compaq computer with W7Pro downgraded to XP. Now I would like to go back to W7 Pro on it and do not know exactly how to PROCEED. I was sent discs along with it, I believe for 7. Small problem--I believe the discs are DVD and the player on the pc for CDs only. I do have the product key. Could I download W7Pro from the internet, if the discs do not work?
Any other tips would be welcome because I barely know the questions to ask for such an endeavor, let alone the answers.First, since there is no direct upgrade path from XP to W7 you need to be prepared to format and start from scratch. All key data needs to be copied to some off-disc medium and you will have to reinstall all programs. As for installing without a dvd drive, see here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/how-can-i-install-windows-7-without-a-dvd-drive/306ccb07-690f-4bd9-9dca-9793058bfd8aThe best solution all around would be using the original discs as they would contain all neccessary Drivers specifically for that PC...
Why do you think it's only a CD player and not DVD ? ?

Worst case if it is indeed CD only you could borrow 1 for the install and swap it in there til finished.Okay--A Belarc report that I found says it has hpCDDVDW TS-H653R [CD-ROM drive]. The reason I thought it must not handle DVDs is because I have tried to copy my document files onto a DVD. Something must have been wrong OTHERWISE. I have learned in the past that some brands of CDs, even, will not work when others do. Still, I have managed to GET all the files from documents that I think most important to save off onto CDs. I am not concerned about saving my info. I want to do a CLEAN install. I already have a W7Pro 64 bit machine that I bought and use regularly because I was afraid of this task with the XP. But now the time is about up and I feel I must get er done. I simply want to get W7 onto the other machine. Folks seem to think I am concerned about saving and transferring files, but that is not it.
Thanks for the tips. misrQuote

The best solution all around would be using the original discs as they would contain all neccessary Drivers specifically for that PC...