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windows 7 problems

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  • Windows 7
  • Hewlett Packard
  • Microsoft
Last response: in Windows 7
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October 16, 2014 5:01:55 AM

Hieveryone, My daughter has a HP laptop that got a nasty virus 3 weeks ago. I then found that HP had not put a recovery hdd on her laptop so I asked where to get a genuine re-install from. I was directed to Microsoft who promptly gave me a download. However when I come to put in my product key I can't read the damn thing properly. It is quite worn in a couple of places and I have tried any number of options but nothing works. I have phoned Microsoft and they have told me to phone HP for a replacement which I have done. HP tell me to phone Microsoft because they don't keep records of individual product key numbers. What can I possibly do now??

More about : windows problems

October 16, 2014 8:18:03 AM

If you are familiar with the phone activation. you can try it even without your key as you already installed windows.
just make sure that you always press the correct no. given by the Microsoft in phone activation...as I remember press 1 if you only re install windows.
If it doesn't work....you have to buy a new key if you really cant read your KEY.
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October 17, 2014 12:14:24 AM

Hi, Thanks for your reply.
I really cannot read the key but I think it's only a couple of bits missing. I even did the bit where you change 0 for Q, 6 for G, and 8 for B. Trouble is the combinations are impossible I gave up after 10 tries. We tried the magnifying glass bit and that didn't help either.

The one good thing that has come out of this is that I wrote my key down and put it safe whilst it was still readable.

My husbands laptop is the newest, he has windows 8 but his doesn't even have a key on the bottom, just a serial number.

I will try what you say as I am now beyond ideas.

I am a bit annoyed to be honest that Microsoft offer this free download if you have problems but won't offer a new key, and theymust surely know that H.P. won't help as they were bemused as to why Microsoft asked us to phone them.. I bet if everyone looked at the bottom of their laptops we would find about 80% who's key had rubbed off. What a place to put it when the whole idea of a laptop is to have it on your knee.

Thank you again and fingers crossed,.
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October 17, 2014 12:29:05 AM

As far as I know from working in customer care for gaming companies we were able to find the key for a game or subscription if we had enough digits, lets say 3 random digits and a couple consecutive ones.

In my experience we would send the issue to a certain department and they would get back to us with the full code in a few hours when they found it. Assuming the person had some sort of proof of purchase for the item in question.

There are a few 3rd party windows key recovery software you can get to find the full code I most case. I have done this maybe 3 times because of the same issue as you with the key rubbed off the bottom however when I got the code I still had to do the phone activation and explained that I reinstalled windows on a laptop and my code needs to be activated over the phone.
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October 17, 2014 12:31:45 AM

Hi, Thanks for your reply.
I really cannot read the key but I think it's only a couple of bits missing. I even did the bit where you change 0 for Q, 6 for G, and 8 for B. Trouble is the combinations are impossible I gave up after 10 tries. We tried the magnifying glass bit and that didn't help either.

The one good thing that has come out of this is that I wrote my key down and put it safe whilst it was still readable.

My husbands laptop is the newest, he has windows 8 but his doesn't even have a key on the bottom, just a serial number.

I will try what you say as I am now beyond ideas.

I am a bit annoyed to be honest that Microsoft offer this free download if you have problems but won't offer a new key, and theymust surely know that H.P. won't help as they were bemused as to why Microsoft asked us to phone them.. I bet if everyone looked at the bottom of their laptops we would find about 80% who's key had rubbed off. What a place to put it when the whole idea of a laptop is to have it on your knee.

Thank you again and fingers crossed,.
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October 17, 2014 12:34:39 AM

Hi, Maybe the gaming industry is different to the Microsoft one. I can supply them with a photograph of the sticker and the receipt but they still wouldn't help, maybe they know if I can't get it sorted then I wills spend money and increase their profits by buying a new windows disc.

I do think H.P. should have made a recovery drive on this computer when they sold it but they didn't and to be honest I never even thought to look for one.

I am going to try the phone activation later today I will let you know how I get on.

Thanks again
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October 17, 2014 12:58:03 AM

I will keep that in mind Denny thank you. I have had a quick look and it seems a bit complicated on first view, I will read itmore fully if the phone activation doesn't work.
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