Windows 7 Home Premium activation

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LinYu

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Jul 25, 2014
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I have one laptop that came with Windows Vista installed and I later bought Windows 7 Home Premium to upgrade from Vista. A few days ago my laptop crashed and when I was reinstalling Windows 7 from the original disc, the license keys were not accepted and I was instructed to install without entering the key and use it for a free 30-day period.

Now I need to activate before the time period expires and I understand that I need to buy another genuine copy of Windows 7 and apply the new keys to the version already installed. I am encountering some difficulty finding a full genuine copy of Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit that I can purchase. If I buy some other version of Windows 7 (say Home Premium 64-bit, or Professional, or other) can I still use its key to activate my already installed Home Premium? My problem is I don't want to go through the painful and time consuming process of reinstalling everything back again...

Please help.
 
Solution
game junky
Depends on the type of Win 7 license you're using - if it was a retail license, you might be able to get Microsoft to deactive it's association with the previous install so you can recycle the key. If it's OEM, you might be hosed. It's kind of a crapshoot - newer PCs have been using licensing embedded in the BIOS which is both awesome and terrible
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Minstedmaz

Minstedmaz

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If he only has a windows 7 upgrade key Microsoft won't help him, because those keys were cheaper for that reason, he will need to install vista then upgrade for windows 7 and then use that key.
 
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LinYu

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game junky

game junky

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Depends on the type of Win 7 license you're using - if it was a retail license, you might be able to get Microsoft to deactive it's association with the previous install so you can recycle the key. If it's OEM, you might be hosed. It's kind of a crapshoot - newer PCs have been using licensing embedded in the BIOS which is both awesome and terrible
 
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Solution
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LinYu

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Thank you both for your prompt replies. Unfortunately, I do not have that recover feature in my laptop anymore, because the HD was formatted. Yes, this is the same machine that the Windows 7 Home Premium was first installed. But contacting Microsoft... I think it must be a bad dream... This is why I am willing to buy a new license key. My question is if this new key has to be a Windows 7 Home Premium or if some other version would do the activation.
 
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LinYu

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LinYu

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Yes, this upgrade that I have is a retail license. Now, can I purchase any Windows 7 license that I may find available or would it actually have to be Home Premium version?
 
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mbarnes86

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Sep 16, 2010
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Hi

Assuming you have a retail upgrade
( oem upgrades exists)
You have upto 30 days of use which can be extended by re arming windows trial period

If you insert your win 7 DVD and run its setup program using the existing windows then (probably ) this time it will accept your windows 7 upgrade key and install and then activate correctly

Let us know if this trick still works
This has been tried with win 7 (SP0) can't talk for SP1

I hope this does not upset the moderators as it is mentioned on many other websites

Regards

Mike Barnes
 
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LinYu

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Hi, mbarnes. Please note: I have windows installed on my laptop on a 30-day trial basis. I am aware I need to buy a new license to activate this installation within 30 days. I just do not find this version of Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit anywhere to buy. Question: If I buy a license for any retail version of Windows 7 that I find, will this license do the activation? This is all I'm trying to find out.
Thanks.

 
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mbarnes86

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Hi

It has to be home premium but a 32 bit or 64 bit key is the same
As retail packs come with both 32 & 64 bit disks and one key

I have a thought that oem , retail and upgrade keys differ and may
Cause problems
Nothing to loose by trying to run setup on windows 7 DVD

Win 7 retail or upgrade is hard to find a most computer dealers , but look at amazon

Oem versions are still available


Regards
Mike Barnes
 
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LinYu

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LinYu

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You are right, Mike. In fact, the package I bought for the upgrade from Vista, a few years ago, includes two disks, one 32-bit and another for 64-bit and there is ONLY one key for either. Now, if this translates into it being irrelevant to buy 32 or 64-bit and getting a successful activation in either case, it remains to be seen, wouldn't you agree? The laptop is a 32-bit, as far as I know. Would this make a difference?

Also, please be aware that when I first tried to apply the original upgrade key when reinstalling, it was rejected and I gather that it must have been because this is an "upgrade" key and, at the moment of this reinstall there was no prior version on the disk to upgrade from... There was none... I also wonder if Vista could still be found to be installed as the basis for the upgrade...
But if you feel comfortable with it making no difference between 32 or 64 bit, I will follow your advice and buy the 64-bit license if I find one.

Thanks once again and please do not hesitate to provide any further thoughts you may have about this issue.

 
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game junky

game junky

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Setting up a support request with Microsoft isn't as bad as you think - their web support in particular has gotten awesome. I had issues upgrading my license from 8.1 to 8.1 Pro and they had a tech remote into my laptop to assist and they were super polite which I definitely wasn't expecting. Unfortunately, your license has to match the version you're installing - you could purchase a Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate but you would need the installation media or you would have to download the files online and create a bootable USB drive. If you have another functional computer, the bootable USB is pretty easy since Microsoft has a tool to create that bootable image.
 
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mbarnes86

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Hi

I expect your laptop has a 64 bit processor but 32 bit windows (Vista then 7) installed
Going to 64 Bit Windows from 32 bit Windows requires a complete format of C:

I seem to have problems explaining that first attempt of Windows 7 re install failed to accept the key because you booted from the upgrade Windows 7 DVD and installed to new clean hard disk

If you do this once and are in Windows 7( as yet without key entered) and you insert Win 7 Upgrade 32 bit DVD and run setup on DVD if may well accept your key

It will upgrade the existing installation and leave it in c:\Windows.old

Or buy Windows 7 Home Premium system builder oem DVD and do a clean install, formatting existing Windows drive this will cost about £70 in UK

regards
Mike Barnes

 
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LinYu

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Jul 25, 2014
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First off, Mike, I must say I do appreciate, very much, your continued help and your patience. Thank you for that.

I just checked my System Information and it says: System Type - x86 based PC, which I understand as meaning a 32-bit machine.

And yes, I also must say that my primary language is not the English and this may represent, on occasion, some degree of difficulty understanding what I read or what I hear, due to language shortcomings on my part. I wholeheartedly accept this and this is one more reason why I sincerely admire your continued help.

This said, I assume that a 64-bit OS would probably not work at all on a 32-bit computer, but I'm not sure.

Now, I am ready to try the approach you suggest but, please bear with me, can I just go to "Control Panel > System and Security > System" and enter the key I have from my original Windows 7 Home Premium "upgrade" of Vista? I'll try it. I'll do a backup of my current system (which stands on a 30-day free trial) and I'll see what happens. It's definitely worth trying.

I'll report back.

Thanks.

 
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LinYu

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I'm back... Unfortunately, I just did as I said above and after applying the key, the system started the activation process by "verifying the key". After a few seconds, the dread message came out:

"Invalid product key.
Code 0xC004F061
Description: The Software Licensing Service determined that this specified product key can only be used for upgrading, not for clean installations."

I guess that's it... Unless I was willing to fork out an amount that would probably be wasted on a machine (Lenovo ThinkPad T61p) that is about 8 years old and quickly becoming totally obsolete. I just feel a little sad because this, by many accounts, one of the best built ThinkPad-type machines but reality must surpass dreaming, I guess...
If you still have any other suggestion, I'll greatly appreciate it. Otherwise, thanks a lot for your good help and so long...

Best regards.

Lin Yu
 
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