Microsoft removing the Digital River downloads and replacing them with a non-functional tool is extremely annoying. If you can still boot, update Dell Backup and Recovery to the latest version: [URL] [URL] Make a Recovery USB (systems older than 2012) or Recovery External Hard Drive (systems newer than 2012): [URL] Boot from it on the new hard drive and use it to reinstall. Recovery media made using earlier versions may not work on new drives. 
My hard drive is starting to die, so I want to backup all my data and be ready in case it fails. One of the things on my checklist is to make sure that I can reinstall Windows 7 if need be. I do not have in my possession a Windows reinstallation disc, so I want to create a bootable usb drive for windows 7. The link to the DIgital River .isos that I could use to create my bootable usb drive no longer works for users with OEM licenses. Very annoying, but I can legally obtain a reinstallation disc from Dell instead. But Dell would not send me the reinstallation discs because my warranty with Dell has expired. The upshot of this is that if your manufacturer's warranty has expired, you can no longer reinstall windows on the same computer! Dell is saying it's Microsoft's responsibility to provide the relevant recovery media, which Windows used to do with the Digital River .isos, but which no longer work for folks with a Windows 7 OEM license. Microsoft is saying it's Dell's responsibility to provide its customers with the recovery media (the windows reinstallation discs) in the first place. Personally, I am not interested in the blame game - I just want to have access to recovery media so I have the option to legally re-install windows 7 in the future with my OEM license. Can you help me with this problem? Thank you.
Reinstalling Windows 7 with OEM license with OEM license and expired 
manufacturer's warranty