Windows 7 Pro registered to ...

[BarkingGhostar]

Three years ago I built my wife a new Windows 7 Professional computer. Bought the OEM full version, installed and registered it. I registered it in my wife's name (not a traditionalist and she maintains her maiden name; been together 19 years). Anyway, bought a new motherboard and SSD and trying to reinstall all of the software.

Only problem, is I want to use the exact name in the re-registration as was used in the original registration, but I cannot find it. I must be blind. Anyone know where this is (where I can look)? Trying to avoid having to call Microsoft for this reinstall.

While waiting for this enlightenment to reach me I am installing the W7Pro via DVD. After this comes Office (2K7), Firefox, Chrome, Thunderbird and finally Adobe CS5 (which will require a call to Adobe).

 

[Bubbaleone]

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

In the right-hand pane locate RegisteredOwner.

.

 

[mikeymikec]

re-registration?

When you activate a copy of Windows it doesn't ask you for contact information. The only 'registration' I can think of is the 'name' and 'company' bit (does Win7 even ask that during setup any more?), which can be altered in the registry easily enough.

If you reinstall Windows, and it's an OEM copy you've bought, it should activate without any problems despite a reinstall. The only time I've had activation issues with Windows is when I've installed a new disk in a big-name supplier's computer and their volume-licence situation makes it so that the sodding Windows licences never activate via the Internet and I have to ring up.

- edit - I posted this then saw bubbaleone's (hey, I spelt his username right without looking!) response.

The registered name (does it actually serve any purpose?) is also viewable with Alt+H on Windows Explorer, then 'About Windows'.

 

[Berryracer]

What name you put doesn't matter, it checks for hardware, it it's the same hardware, it will activate, otherwise it will prompt you to call microsoft and u can still activate with them over the phone. the name has nothing to do with the license, it's the hardware

sometimes i put my real name, somtimes i put matrix leader, it always activates

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Didn't M$ recently change their position about tying OS to a given set of h/w? I thought I heard about it somewhere, but never paid it too much mind until the motherboard pretty much went south forcing me to move away from 1156.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

In the right-hand pane locate RegisteredOwner.

.

OK, so I went there. That isn't what I put into the M$ registration form 3 years ago. It is the name of the user account in the RegisteredOwner, not what I registered with M$.

I think I'm just going to go through the validation process and if I have to call the mofo's I will. Thanks all.

 

[SimMike2]

I never register my Windows software. Activate, sure, but give them my name, never once.

 

[Berryracer]

I never register my Windows software. Activate, sure, but give them my name, never once.

d!tto

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I'm such a non-conformist.

 

[postmortemIA]

OEM version should not activate on a different motherboard, just a word of warning,

 

[Underclocked]

Yes, but he HAD to change the motherboard.

 

[Steltek]

Didn't M$ recently change their position about tying OS to a given set of h/w? I thought I heard about it somewhere, but never paid it too much mind until the motherboard pretty much went south forcing me to move away from 1156.

The Windows 8 terms were changed - on Win8, the OEM version is roughly equivalent to Retail on earlier Windows versions (meaning you can move a Win8 OEM version from system to system).

The Win7 and earlier licenses are unchanged - OEM copies still live and die with the system/motherboard they were first activated on.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Well that is just stupid. I wonder if the motor dies on a Ford car running Microsoft SYNC that the SYNC license also dies with it. LOL

 

[glugglug]

OEM version should not activate on a different motherboard, just a word of warning,

Win 8 detected the motherboard change and made me re-activate (and call the automated number) for flashing the BIOS. I suspect actual motherboard changes are so in the noise that it isn't a real issue.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Well, I did the online activation and it worked without any trouble. I'm not complaining if M$ ain't complaining. Now I need to do Office, CS5, etc.

 

[FalseChristian]

I have an OEM copy of Windows 7 HP SP1. I will not be able to use it if I change any hardware? I just bought a WD 2TB Green (5900rpm) Hard drive to replace my small little WD 320GB hard drive. So now I've gotta buy the $224.99 retail version of Windows 7 HP SP1?

 

[postmortemIA]

You can't change hw that defines computer, such as mobo. Hd shouldn't matter.