Windows 7 - no trial / grace period for install?

VirtualLarry · 11-08-2012, 06:18 PM

I was in the process of installing Windows 7 on my HTPC.

When I installed it, I told it not to enter a product key at this time.

I installed the Win7 Cat video/chipset drivers, rebooted, all was well.

I installed the realtek network card drivers (no need to reboot), then I installed the Realtek HD audio drivers, which prompted for a reboot.

When it booted back up, I was greeted with a black screen, asking me to activate now.

I thought Windows 7 gave you a grace/trial period of 30 days to activate?

Has MS changed this? Did my OS "phone home" once the NIC drivers were installed?

Seems strange to me, and very suspicious, since Windows 8 just came out.

Edit: I like to install all of the updates, and get the system just how I want it, before I "burn" a license key to activate Windows.

Zap · 11-08-2012, 07:44 PM

Maybe your time/date got changed?

Can you wait it out? If so, get an elevated command prompt and type in "slmgr /rearm."

ketchup79 · 11-08-2012, 07:46 PM

Was this a slip-streamed version with updates? Did it install updates between the network and audio card updates? If so, the windows activation update could be doing something like that.

Is the time/date on the HTPC correct?

ketchup79 · 11-08-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zap

Maybe your time/date got changed?

didn't see your post, or I wouldn't have copied what you said. Sorry about that Zap.

VirtualLarry · 11-09-2012, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zap

Maybe your time/date got changed?

That's the first thing I checked. Nope, didn't get changed.

Quote:

Can you wait it out? If so, get an elevated command prompt and type in "slmgr /rearm."

That's what I was forced to do.

VirtualLarry · 11-09-2012, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ketchup79

Was this a slip-streamed version with updates? Did it install updates between the network and audio card updates? If so, the windows activation update could be doing something like that.

Nope.

Quote:

Is the time/date on the HTPC correct?

Yes.

ViRGE · 11-09-2012, 09:46 AM

Larry, you have some of the damnedest problems with Windows.

Anyhow, nothing has changed with Windows 7 with regards to activation as far as I am aware (keep in mind that the OS itself would need to be changed, this wouldn't be something that could be done server-side). Despite your insistence to the contrary, I think the others are right in that you had a time/date change. Installing the NIC drivers gave you internet access, which in turn allowed your computer to do a clock sync.

JackMDS · 11-09-2012, 10:09 AM

Win 7 usualy let you continue to get to the Desktop in some sort of special mode (Aero and themes will not work).

If it is a legit normal copy of Win 7, issuing from an Admin command.com slmgr /rearm will invoke additional 30 days Normal functioning trial.

VirtualLarry · 11-09-2012, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViRGE

Larry, you have some of the damnedest problems with Windows.

Anyhow, nothing has changed with Windows 7 with regards to activation as far as I am aware (keep in mind that the OS itself would need to be changed, this wouldn't be something that could be done server-side). Despite your insistence to the contrary, I think the others are right in that you had a time/date change. Installing the NIC drivers gave you internet access, which in turn allowed your computer to do a clock sync.

Hmm. Well, I don't think so. I read in one of the mobo reviews for my board, that someone ended up with a board with a dead CMOS battery from the factory.

But when I set this up, I first went into the BIOS and set the correct date/time.

Then when I was setting up Windows 7, I made sure the date/time was correct.

I did not power down the rig between installing those drivers.

However, I did power-down the rig after doing Windows Updates, to put the HTPC into position under my TV on a shelf. Surely, if I did have a bad CMOS battery, it would have lost the date/time, and I would have gotten another black screen when it booted up.

bbhaag · 11-09-2012, 06:29 PM

I had the same thing happen to me last time I installed Win7 on my wifes laptop. If I remember right I did have to reset it a couple times right after the install and then I got the black screen demanding activation.
I activated it right away so I didn't have to worry about it but I never did figure out why it did that. I'm thinking I updated the display driver and that's what caused it but I'm not sure.