vista won't activate?

[fire400]

got a laptop from an a-t member from fs/tr

reinstalled vista with product key below laptop

won't do it, keeps tellin' me product key is invalid and gives me chng/purch. options/phone call option

what the heck's goin' on?

 

[fire400]

ANSWERED: YES

read first: http://www.microsoft.com/genui...4024-bf92-5308d1cd15b7

-here's what you do, requires Internet access and a phone.

1. Control Panel / Welcome Center /

-Top right of window, click on 'show more details'
-Very bottom under subtopic, Windows activation
-click on 'activate Windows'

2. check to insure that your current product key matches that of the Microsoft genuine "Proof of License Certificate of Authenticity" sticker.

3. call toll free,

-you'll get an automated voice system talking to you,
-you'll be asked to supply a list of seperate numbers from a group of 9 boxes
-respond once, 'yes,' then afterwards only say the numbers when requested from which specific box to recite them from.

4. after that Microsoft will attempt to validate your copy of Windows.

5. if it fails, you'll get a representative/agent to ask you:

-how did you buy it? ex.:retail, oem, etc. (be simple and give them the correct answer, don't be fancy 'cuz most of the reps won't understand anything else)
-they'll ask you how many comps it's installed on, obviously you're gonna say '1' otherwise you're breakin' the law

-they'll give you a list of numbers and you can just punch 'em in as they say it, into the blank boxes that you can type into.

-after that, you'll proceed to the next screen. you still need to be connected to the Internet so that they can verify that you're getting it activated successfully.

6. say good-bye and you're done!

 

[WobbleWobble]

I know with laptops from Dell, they don't use the key that's listed on the bottom of the laptop. I'm sure it's the same with some other OEMs.

You could use Magic Jelly Bean to get the CD-key from the original install for future reinstalls.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
I know with laptops from Dell, they don't use the key that's listed on the bottom of the laptop. I'm sure it's the same with some other OEMs.

You could use Magic Jelly Bean to get the CD-key from the original install for future reinstalls.

I don't know if this works for Vista but with XP on HPs and Dells we use at work I can install without activation as long as I am using the OEM CDs. These are not corp copies or anything, we get the machines with all the original restore disks and stuff but with out standard image put on them by the distributor. As a test I even took one of the HP XP CDs and that came with a laptop and installed on an old HP VL400 that had Win 98 on it and it worked fine and did not require activation. I have to assume it is checking something on the motherboards or BIOS to do this.