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Vista Product Key Sticker Mostly Worn Away: Options?

C

chucky2

Lifer
I'm redoing my cousins lappy and Dell in their infinite wisdom put the product key sticker not inside the battery bay, but, right on the bottom of the lappy where it could get worn off - which has happen to a significant extent.

When I go to register this thing and have to put in the key, and can't, does anyone know what kind of options I have left short of telling them 'Go buy Windows 7'? (Linux not an option or I'd do it)

Chuck
 
If you use the Dell Vista recovery disk, it will automatically activate Windows. You don't have to register the product key manually.
 
Pulling the key isn't going to help if it's from a mass oem image. He'll need to install from the proper oem install media and it will auto-activate. The information on how to make this is out there, you'll need to add the proper oem cert to the iso.
 
I've pulled the keys off of OEM systems before and never had any issues when reactivating the system. Occasionally I have to phone in to do the automated system to reactivate.

Like others have said, use the recovery partition or DVD and you won't have to do anything to activate it.
 
The key you pull off a branded oem mass install image isn't unique and isn't going to get you past activation unless the install media matches it as well as the slic info in the motherboad bios. But if those two things are true you shouldn't even be prompted for the key when reinstalling anyway. Unless MS is generating a unique key from the phone system that must match the slic info I can't imagine them activating installs when given one of those generic oem keys. You don't even need to pull it from the system, all you need to know is the brand, windows version, and where to look on the internet for your key.
 
google the slic. you have slic 20 or 21 - mydigital life - use your noggin on the LEGAL thing to do.

take you 5 minutes to locate the slic type you have, locate the oem file, and locate the key and locate the digitalriver iso if you try.

Again - for legal purposes do the right thing. I've had to add slic's to machines because the OEM left them damaged (unsigned blank) so KMS would work - was it illegal? no they were using KMS which doesn't work without SLIC - you know what is right and wrong bro - i'm just stating where to find the tools to fix your pc.

opatool, any generic copy of windows that you are entitled to use, doesn't get any harder. I know the feeling though - it used to be with XP those keys were good and folks would scrounge them and use them (at work, school etc) - now they are all OA keys which have no meaning at all - they are just proof of purchase. not sure why they place them on hot parts of a laptop that rub on clothes - just irresponsible - then they want to charge you $$$ to get the restore dvd's. eff that. dell b/s.

opatool -> windows vista/7 version you want to use (x64/x86) -> get the drivers from dell's site = CLEAN install no b/s ware.

How i roll all my corporate maachines - except i take the oem file out of the windows directory and magic jellybean the key and make sure it all jives - but i don't want their junk on my systems . It is my right to reload the o/s clean the way i want and not use their crap-ware laden junk. That doesn't mean i pir8 - it means i exercise my right to reload the system. And yeah it's compliant i've asked. It however may not be supported by dell - you know to remove their spyware remote access junk.
 
A low-tech possibility is photocopying or scanning the bottom of the laptop. If you play with the contrast, you can often bring up faint images that aren't visible even with a magnifying glass.
 
Thanks All for the comments!

I like using just a vanilla OS disk with the latest SP already in it, doing the install, activating it, running a chkdsk, and then downloading all the patches, then drivers, then programs. Just the way I've always done it and it seems to work well.

I will try both the photocopy idea (nice!) so maybe they can get their product key back, and the SLIC stuff sounds like exactly the way I'm going to try.

I think part of the problem I'm having is my Vista w/ SP2 disk is Vista Home Premium x86 w/ SP2 iso from a torrent that someone uploaded from MSDN. It works just fine for the key I downloaded it for, but, they have Vista Business, so, the automated SLUI 4 option isn't liking that, and Microsoft call in registration is not liking the numbers I'm reading them (because the hardware is tied to Business key and not HP).

Going to try the SLIC method with the Vista HP w/ SP2 disk I've got, hopefully that works for them and all will be well.

Thanks again for the advice and help!

Chuck
 
Thanks Everyone for your help on this one! I gave Emulexs suggestions a try first, and it worked! Now my cousin has a functional Dell Vista Business w/ SP2 disk that a.) actually works (unlike his Dell recovery DVD) and b.) provides a nice clean install with no junk.

I've got it all patched up, all his programs back on. Thing is working perfect thanks to this thread!

For those in the same situation, it wasn't hard at all creating the Dell auto-registration DVD, I highly recommend it if you're in the same boat as I was.

Thanks again!

Chuck
 
reallyscrued said:
Curious about the legality of this, what if OP downloaded a copy of the Dell Recovery Disc from a torrent site?
Click to expand...

I don't think that's really going to matter; while a case could be made for piracy, even though it's really a stretch, the disc itself means nothing without the license.
 
Be careful with KMS activation:

KMS Activation Renewal

KMS activations are valid for 180 days—the activation validity interval. To remain activated, KMS client computers must renew their activation by connecting to the KMS host at least once every 180 days. By default, KMS client computers attempt to renew their activation every seven days. If KMS activation fails , the client will retry every two hours. After a client computer’s activation is renewed, the activation validity interval begins again.
Click to expand...

source

I would rather try pulling a key off of another Dell (most likely the same universal OEM key) using productkeyfinder.exe than risk a KMS activation on a machine that doesn't belong to me....
 
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