Reinstalling win7-have OEM laptop key, but no install disk?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
M

maniac5999

Senior member
Dec 30, 2009
498
2
81
So, I recently bought a new Vertex 3 SSD (hey, it was $70, and I keep everything backed up, if it fails, it isn't a big deal to me) This is going to let me move my old 128gb V100 into my netbook. The only issue is that like most laptops, MSi cheaped out and didn't give me a Win7 disk. I've found an .iso of win7 Home Premium (32bit) which is what I have, but apparently, the key I have is only valid with a MSi version of Windows, not the general distribution version.

This is really frustrating me. As far as I can tell, what I'm doing is legal. I'm trying to re-install the same version of windows that came on my laptop on it, but M$ security is preventing it. I don't want to have to shell out $30 for MSi to send me a windows disk, and I shouldn't have to. I could also get a hacked key, but I already own the freaking licence I want to use, so I shouldn't have to break the law to use it!

Does anyone know any work-arounds? I've tried the 'just don't authorize it' route, and it's a giant PITA.
 
Last edited:
ViRGE

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
167
106
Google for ei.cfg. Removing that file from your Win7 disc will revert the disc to One Disc mode and allow you to reinstall Windows with that MSI key.
 
M

maniac5999

Senior member
Dec 30, 2009
498
2
81
kurt454 said:
If you have an OEM:SLP key, you will have to insert the appropriate certificate that matches the SLIC table that is embedded in the BIOS.

http://dobeweb.com/2009/how-to-install-windows-7-certificate-and-key.html
Click to expand...

Kurt, The Wind U230 does not appear to be listed in the list there, do you know if ViRGE's onedisk route will work or not? (The Anand post doesn't talk Mass OEM keys) Several hours of google digging fail to answer it. I'm about to reinstall the 5400rpm HDD for the weekend (travelling to the shore), and attack it next week.
 
K

kurt454

Senior member
May 30, 2001
773
0
76
maniac5999 said:
Kurt, The Wind U230 does not appear to be listed in the list there, do you know if ViRGE's onedisk route will work or not? (The Anand post doesn't talk Mass OEM keys) Several hours of google digging fail to answer it. I'm about to reinstall the 5400rpm HDD for the weekend (travelling to the shore), and attack it next week.
Click to expand...

I am assuming that your machine came with Home Premium already installed, right? The ei.cfg trick allows you to install any version of 7 from Starter to Ultimate off of the same disc. It will not help you if you have an MSI Home Premium key that won't activate on a retail, unbranded version of Home Premium. You may have to search for a tool that reads your SLIC table in BIOS. If your machine uses SLP activation, you must have three matching criteria:

1) Full SLIC table in BIOS
2) OEM certificate (xrm-ms) which corresponds with OEMID and OEMTableID (Windows Marker) in SLIC table.
3) OEM-SLP product key

Without those three things, your PC won't activate.

(I believe that you can copy the oem certificate from your original OS install, assuming that you have not wiped the drive.)
 
ViRGE

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
167
106
kurt454 said:
I am assuming that your machine came with Home Premium already installed, right? The ei.cfg trick allows you to install any version of 7 from Starter to Ultimate off of the same disc. It will not help you if you have an MSI Home Premium key that won't activate on a retail, unbranded version of Home Premium. You may have to search for a tool that reads your SLIC table in BIOS. If your machine uses SLP activation, you must have three matching criteria:

1) Full SLIC table in BIOS
2) OEM certificate (xrm-ms) which corresponds with OEMID and OEMTableID (Windows Marker) in SLIC table.
3) OEM-SLP product key

Without those three things, your PC won't activate.

(I believe that you can copy the oem certificate from your original OS install, assuming that you have not wiped the drive.)
Click to expand...
He doesn't need to bother with the certificate. He should be using the key on the bottom of his laptop, which is a pure OEM key that doesn't require SLIC activation.
 
R

RU482

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
12,689
3
81
wow - as long as the windows version you load matches the version on the label, all you need to is type in the product key on the COA label and you're good to go.

All that nonsense about the SLIC table honestly shouldnt be public knowledge. If you can hack the data from the BIOS of an OEM machine, you can insert it (technically) into the BIOS of ANY motherboard...and then use the OEM recovery DVD to load the OS.

The OEM (e.g. dell/HP recovery DVD, not a ~$120 OEM DVD from newegg)OS image has to match the SLIC table in the BIOS for this to work. Alternatively, if you have the OEM COA label 25 digit product key, and any matching OS disc, you can load the OS.

good luck!
 
K

kurt454

Senior member
May 30, 2001
773
0
76
ViRGE said:
He doesn't need to bother with the certificate. He should be using the key on the bottom of his laptop, which is a pure OEM key that doesn't require SLIC activation.
Click to expand...

I always heard that the keys displayed on the COA label of a machine using SLP would not activate because it would be too easy for someone to copy the number off of someone else's laptop, then use the stolen number to activate their own pirated copy.

Or maybe it's just that those keys would not activate online without calling MS?
 
ViRGE

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
167
106
kurt454 said:
I always heard that the keys displayed on the COA label of a machine using SLP would not activate because it would be too easy for someone to copy the number off of someone else's laptop, then use the stolen number to activate their own pirated copy.

Or maybe it's just that those keys would not activate online without calling MS?
Click to expand...
Those keys tend not to activate without a call. Ideally you're restoring using the OEM media (which is setup for a System Locked Preinstallation). However the key on the bottom is a legitimate key and can be used to manually reinstall Windows.
 
H

hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
17
81
RU482 said:
wow - as long as the windows version you load matches the version on the label, all you need to is type in the product key on the COA label and you're good to go.

All that nonsense about the SLIC table honestly shouldnt be public knowledge. If you can hack the data from the BIOS of an OEM machine, you can insert it (technically) into the BIOS of ANY motherboard...and then use the OEM recovery DVD to load the OS.

The OEM (e.g. dell/HP recovery DVD, not a ~$120 OEM DVD from newegg)OS image has to match the SLIC table in the BIOS for this to work. Alternatively, if you have the OEM COA label 25 digit product key, and any matching OS disc, you can load the OS.

good luck!
Click to expand...

Any OEM DVD will work I'm pretty sure. So you can use a dell DVD on say an HP and it will recognize the slic key in bios.


Win 8 actually will have the unique coa key in each board bios not a general slic key so in the future I think all the install media will be the same. If course this also stops slic keys being used to pirate
 
VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,352
10,050
126
I have an MSI A5000 laptop, which I installed an SSD onto it, and did a clean install using a DigitalRiver ISO file of Win7 64-bit HP SP1-U, using the key sticker on the battery compartment. I did have to call MS's activation line though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom