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withered_preacher-
I don't think so. My understanding is that a backup is just data and that any reinstall you've done was presumably already on a disk with windows there and just needing some TLC. A brand new disk will be empty and your backup will just be data, not OS. But I defer to better minds. Check out the PC tech thread for a more rigorous answer.
CYOA
You may want the OS installed if you don't have a copy. You can download an installer to a thumb drive but it will need to be activated with a license.