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Windows Vista Activation: Product Key is not Valid; Product Key is already in use

Question
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After some problems with my laptop I decided to do a clean install of Windows Vista Home Premium. I reinstalled Vista successfully, but it would not activate, when I entered the product key from the sticker on the bottom of my laptop it gave me a popup window saying that the product key does not appear to be valid. If I select to activate online now, and Show Me Details for the error that requires this change, it says
Code 0xC004C003 The activation server determined the specified product key is in use.
I called the automated phone hotline, was hung up on twice, and the third time spent about an hour with a robot before being told that I had to call ASUS, Microsoft couldn't help me. When I called ASUS, they told me that they had no power over the Microsoft authentication and could not help me.This computer had Vista authenticated before, I have a genuine Windows COA sticker with product key, but cannot activate, and the ridiculous runarounds from the phone system have done nothing. Is there any way that I can get this fixed, without being given another run around or being hung up on again?
Friday, May 28, 2010 4:34 AM
Answers
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Hello awestover,
I am very sorry. I missed the problem the first time I looked at this thread.
The Product key currently being used is the Default Keyless Install key.
Vista and Windows 7 allow you to install Windows without needing to enter a Product Key. When this is done, Windows uses it's own Default Keyless Install Key. It acts as a Trial key and allows the user to use Windows for 30 days at which point the user will need to enter a Valid Product key.
From your original post, I see that you reinstalled Windows and are strying to enter the OEM Product key from the sticker on the Laptop.
The Problem is that you reinstall using a Retail Windows disk, but are trying to enter a OEM Product Key. This usually does not work. The Proper way to reinstall Windows that originally came pre-installed on a computer is to use the Windows Recovery Software thatr came with the PC.
Before you say that the PC didn't come with any recovery software, please know that all computers that come with Windows Pre-Installed are required to have some way for the user to be able to reinstall. Unlike in the old days, most Manufacturers no longer include a seprate disk that has the recovery software. Most Manufacturers now include the recovery software on the Hard Drive of the PC.
To resolve your issue, please reinstall using the Recovery Software that was included with the computer. Since you have already reinstalled using Retail software, it is likely that the Recovery Software, that was on the hard drive, has been overwritten. In that case, please contact the computer's manufacturer for a replacment copy of the Recovery Software for that computer model.
Thank you,
Darin MS- Marked as answer by Darin Smith MS Thursday, June 3, 2010 7:07 PM
Thursday, June 3, 2010 7:06 PM
All replies
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"awestover" wrote in message news:15f4b67c-b5a6-4616-b54b-5801810c1d94...> I called the automated phone hotline, was hung up on twice, and the third> time spent about an hour with a robotDo you mean that literally, or just as a description of the operator - itDOES make a difference.If you were literally talking to a robot - then you were talking to themonkey rather than the organ-grinder! - you need to talk to a human.Next time you phone, when you're asked to key in a number - DON'T inputanything - even voice. This forces a real operator, and you can explain tothem that you are NOT asking for support, you just want to re-activate yourWindows.The reason you got pushed to ASUS was because the system thought you wereasking for support for Windows - not an Activation ID.If you want to check whether your system should pass Activation/validation,then run the MGADiag tool mentioned in the sticky, and the Announcements atthe top of the index page on this forum.--Noel PatonCrashFixPCNil Carborundum Illegitemiwww.crashfixpc.co.uk
Noel Paton | CrashFixPC | Nil Carborundum Illegitemi | http://www.crashfixpc.co.ukFriday, May 28, 2010 5:38 AMModerator -
I mean robot literally, the first one asked me to enter the numbers, and after a while offered to connect me to a live person, that live person said I had to be connected to customer support, after which I was transfered to an FAQ automated answer system which sounded like it was reading from the support.microsoft.com documents. When I finally got a real person I tried to explain the situation, but he said that since ASUS gave me the install disc they had to help me, if I wanted help from Microsoft I would have to buy the disc directly from them.
I ran the diagonostic tool and it tells me that my product is genuine, but the partial product code it gives is completely different from the code on the sticker on the bottom of my laptop. Is it likely that this discrepancy is causing my issues?
Friday, May 28, 2010 5:47 AM -
"awestover" wrote in message news:02b05996-eba4-480f-b5c9-ce0da35cd080...>I mean robot literally, the first one asked me to enter the numbers, and>after a while offered to connect me to a live person, that live person said>I had to be connected to customer support, after which I was transfered to>an FAQ automated answer system which sounded like it was reading from the>support.microsoft.com documents. When I finally got a real person I tried>to explain the situation, but he said that since ASUS gave me the install>disc they had to help me, if I wanted help from Microsoft I would have to>buy the disc directly from them.>>>> I ran the diagonostic tool and it tells me that my product is genuine, but> the partial product code it gives is completely different from the code on> the sticker on the bottom of my laptop. Is it likely that this discrepancy> is causing my issues?>No - it says OEM-SLP under Channel heading?The one on the sticker is the CoA-SLP licence keyThe difference is that Many people have any given OEM-SLP licence key butonly you have your CoA-SLP key.Your machine will always say Genuine during the 30-day 'grace period' - howlong ago did you reinstall?Please Copy the results using the button - and post them here, so that wecan check the output to confirm it is actually OK--Noel PatonCrashFixPCNil Carborundum Illegitemiwww.crashfixpc.co.uk
Noel Paton | CrashFixPC | Nil Carborundum Illegitemi | http://www.crashfixpc.co.ukFriday, May 28, 2010 6:02 AMModerator -
I just reinstalled today
Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):
-----------------------------------------
Windows Validation Data-->
Validation Status: Genuine
Validation Code: 0
Cached Online Validation Code: N/A, hr = 0x80004005
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-XK376-TJ7T4-76PKF
Windows Product Key Hash: 5QFdDDGgO8Pgmj93aZhOuZ69dH0=
Windows Product ID: 89578-022-5000027-71429
Windows Product ID Type: 5
Windows License Type: Retail
Windows OS version: 6.0.6000.2.00010300.0.0.003
ID: {A902F3B2-669A-4043-9541-E6A76F0110C9}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Product Name: Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium
Architecture: 0x00000000
Build lab: 6000.vista_rtm.061101-2205
TTS Error:
Validation Diagnostic:
Resolution Status: N/A
Vista WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Windows XP Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: 025D1FF3-364-80041010_025D1FF3-229-80041010_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-517-80040154_025D1FF3-237-80040154_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-244-80070002_025D1FF3-258-3
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed
File Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{A902F3B2-669A-4043-9541-E6A76F0110C9}</UGUID><Version>1.9.0027.0</Version><OS>6.0.6000.2.00010300.0.0.003</OS><Architecture>x32</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-76PKF</PKey><PID>89578-022-5000027-71429</PID><PIDType>5</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-1207016716-3995682056-4265604662</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>ASUSTeK Computer Inc. </Manufacturer><Model>F50SV </Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>American Megatrends Inc.</Manufacturer><Version>203 </Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="5"/><Date>20090218000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>C0303507018400F8</HWID><UserLCID>0409</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>Central Standard Time(GMT-06:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM><OEMID>_ASUS_</OEMID><OEMTableID>Notebook</OEMTableID></OEM><GANotification/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>109</Result><Products/><Applications/></Office></Software></GenuineResults>
Spsys.log Content: 0x80070002
Licensing Data-->
Software licensing service version: 6.0.6000.16386
Name: Windows(TM) Vista, HomePremium edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Vista, RETAIL channel
Activation ID: 9e042223-03bf-49ae-808f-ff37f128d40d
Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f
Extended PID: 89578-00142-022-500002-00-1033-6000.0000-1472010
Installation ID: 015952105674470325886126597794231735275296699790715926
Processor Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=57201
Machine Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=57203
Use License URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=57205
Product Key Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=57204
Partial Product Key: 76PKF
License Status: Initial grace period
Time remaining: 42845 minute(s) (29 day(s))
Windows Activation Technologies-->
N/A
HWID Data-->
HWID Hash Current: OAAAAAEABAABAAEAAQABAAAABAABAAEAeqjqALKSlPS4UACivsEuT/j+8vTkOBc8bM3yA6xWRso=
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
N/A
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
BIOS valid for OA 2.0: yes
Windows marker version: 0x20000
OEMID and OEMTableID Consistent: yes
BIOS Information:
ACPI Table Name OEMID Value OEMTableID Value
APIC 021809 APIC1713
FACP 021809 FACP1713
DBGP 021809 DBGP1713
HPET 021809 OEMHPET
BOOT 021809 BOOT1713
MCFG 021809 OEMMCFG
SLIC _ASUS_ Notebook
ECDT 021809 OEMECDT
OEMB 021809 OEMB1713
SSDT PmRef CpuPm
Friday, May 28, 2010 6:05 AM -
"awestover" wrote in message news:685ef57b-daef-4c68-aa77-9237a7ba9dd8...>I just reinstalled today>>>> Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):> -----------------------------------------> Windows Validation Data-->> Validation Status: Genuine> Validation Code: 0> Cached Online Validation Code: N/A, hr = 0x80004005> Windows Product Key: *****-*****-XK376-TJ7T4-76PKF> Windows Product Key Hash: 5QFdDDGgO8Pgmj93aZhOuZ69dH0=> Windows Product ID: 89578-022-5000027-71429> Windows Product ID Type: 5> Windows License Type: RetailIt certainly looks good to go, to me, anyhow.! Darin will confirm/correctwhen he gets in (where is he anyhow - didn't see him yesterday?)When you entered the numbers over the phone in the automated system, it saidyou had to speak to an operator?In that case, try activating again -this time, when you get the automaticansafone asking which service you want, don't even speak, let alone hit abutton :).That should force an operator onto the line immediately.(I have also heard that Option 0 is the operator, but....)HTH
Noel Paton | CrashFixPC | Nil Carborundum Illegitemi | http://www.crashfixpc.co.uk- Proposed as answer by Darin Smith MS Saturday, May 29, 2010 9:32 PM
- Unproposed as answer by Darin Smith MS Thursday, June 3, 2010 6:56 PM
Friday, May 28, 2010 6:15 AMModerator -
Hello awestover,
I am very sorry. I missed the problem the first time I looked at this thread.
The Product key currently being used is the Default Keyless Install key.
Vista and Windows 7 allow you to install Windows without needing to enter a Product Key. When this is done, Windows uses it's own Default Keyless Install Key. It acts as a Trial key and allows the user to use Windows for 30 days at which point the user will need to enter a Valid Product key.
From your original post, I see that you reinstalled Windows and are strying to enter the OEM Product key from the sticker on the Laptop.
The Problem is that you reinstall using a Retail Windows disk, but are trying to enter a OEM Product Key. This usually does not work. The Proper way to reinstall Windows that originally came pre-installed on a computer is to use the Windows Recovery Software thatr came with the PC.
Before you say that the PC didn't come with any recovery software, please know that all computers that come with Windows Pre-Installed are required to have some way for the user to be able to reinstall. Unlike in the old days, most Manufacturers no longer include a seprate disk that has the recovery software. Most Manufacturers now include the recovery software on the Hard Drive of the PC.
To resolve your issue, please reinstall using the Recovery Software that was included with the computer. Since you have already reinstalled using Retail software, it is likely that the Recovery Software, that was on the hard drive, has been overwritten. In that case, please contact the computer's manufacturer for a replacment copy of the Recovery Software for that computer model.
Thank you,
Darin MS- Marked as answer by Darin Smith MS Thursday, June 3, 2010 7:07 PM
Thursday, June 3, 2010 7:06 PM