Need help ASAP. Vista Install says product key is invaild

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  Hello SlayVus,
  
    I am unsure if I understand completly.  Did that copy of Vista come with (pre-installed) on a computer or was Vista bought seperate?  The reason I ask is that when Vista comes preinstalled on a computer, it is licensed Only to run on the computer that it originaly came pre-installed on and can not be used on any other computer.  
  
     I am unable to tell for sure, but from your post, it sounds like the Product Key, that you are trying to use, is on a sticker located on the computer case, located at your friends house. So, it sounds like this Vista came pre-installed on the computer, that your Friend has and you are trying to install it on a different computer.  Is that correct?
  
  Thanks,
  Darin MS

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  Thursday, February 26, 2009 1:10 AM
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  I build computers and change cases frequently.
  
  I had built a computer and bought an OS at the same time. The OS sticker I stuck on case that I had purchased along with all the other parts of the PC.
  
  A few months later I decided to change cases. I bought a bigger case that supported hot-swap and multi-GPUs. My old case I sold to a friend. Before I sold it I copied the Vista product key off the sticker on to my 64-Bit Retail Edition Vista Home Premium disc. My Vista did NOT come with the computer, I purchased it seperately.
  
  These past two weeks I'm been having to RMA parts of my computer that have died because of a power surge. My motherboard(was replaced by the EXACT EXACT EXACT same model) and my 3 500GB hard drives that were in a RAID-5 array all died on me.
  
  I am now having to reinstall my retail copy of Vista onto my PC. During the setup where it asks for my product key it says that my product key is invaild and to check and make sure I type it in properly.

  • Edited by SlayVus Thursday, February 26, 2009 7:26 AM

  Thursday, February 26, 2009 1:40 AM
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  I just tried all of this....
  
  DIDNT WORK, now my computer doesn't work. I also can't get slui.exe to run as well. Says not enough quota.
  
  

  Darin Smith MS said:

  Hi

   

    First off, there is a Support Doc: "You may be prompted to activate Windows Vista on a computer on which Windows Vista was already activated by a Volume License or OEM installation" at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;931573  That I believe is specific to your issue. Please follow the resolution portion of the doc.

   

  If that does not resolve your issue, please follow the steps below. If the first set of steps does not resolve, move on to the next set of steps.

   

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Step set #1

   

  1) Open Internet Explorer

  2) A Browser will open, type: %windir%\system32 into the address field

  3) Find the file cmd.exe

  4) Right Click on the cmd.exe and select Run as Administrator

  5) Type: cscript slmgr.vbs -rilc (It may take a long time for this to complete, please be patient)

  6) Hit the Enter key

  7) Reboot 2 times

   

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Step set #2

   

  1) Open Internet Browser

  2) Type %windir%\system32 into the browser address bar.

  3) Find the file CMD.exe

  4) Right-Click on CMD.exe and select Run as Administrator

  5) Type: net stop slsvc  (it may ask you if you are sure, select yes)

  6) Type: cd %windir%\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SoftwareLicensing

  7) Type: rename tokens.dat tokens.bar

  8) Type: cd %windir%\system32

  9) Type net start slsvc

  10) Reboot Twice

  11) Vista may require you to enter a Product Key (use the COA SLP key found on the sticker on the side or bottom of your computer) and Activate. Use the Activate by Phone method outlined below

   

  Activate by Phone steps:

   

  a) If you have access to the Start button: Click the Start button, and type in "slui.exe 4" in the search field and then press the "Enter" key. This will bring up the Activate by Phone dialog window. Follow the steps provided by the window. The phone activation process should only take about 6 minutes.

  
  b) If you do not have access to the Start button: Reboot and login to Vista, a dialog window will come up. In that window, click the option "Access computer with reduced functionality". Once you do that, Internet Explorer or Firefox browser will open. In the address bar type "c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe" press enter, a new window will come up, type: slui 4 and hit enter and follow steps to Activate over the Phone.

  
  NOTE: The key to this process is that you need to talk to a Live Activation Rep! When you first call, you will be interacting with an Automated Voice, either select the option to talk to a Live Rep or if there is no option, do not enter any numbers. This should force the automated voice to transfer you to a Live Rep.

   

  If you have any additional Validation or Activation issues, Please Be Sure To Create Your Own Thread

   

  Do Not Post in other people's threads

   

  Thank you,

  Darin Smith

  WGA Forum Manager

   

  
  

  Thursday, February 26, 2009 7:24 AM
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  Hi SlayVus,
  
    Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to say you were doing anything wrong, I just didn't understand the situation. My apologies.
  
    Now, to get a better idea of what is happening in your Vista, would you download and run the Genuine Diagnostics tool at this link http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012. Click "Continue" click the Windows tab, click the "Copy" button, then paste the report into a response message in this thread.
  
  Thanks,
  Darin MS
  

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  Thursday, February 26, 2009 6:29 PM
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  SlayVus said:

  The OS sticker I stuck on case that I had purchased along with all the other parts of the PC.
  
  .....
  
  I am now having to reinstall my retail copy of Vista onto my PC. During the setup where it asks for my product key it says that my product key is invaild and to check and make sure I type it in properly.

  
  Assuming the "OS sticker" you refer to is the Certificate of Authenticity, you seem to be trying to use the Product Key from a systembuilder/OEM/small manufacturer license for Vista to install Vista with a retail DVD.
  
  Doing that will certainly produce the error message you reported, that the Product Key is invalid.
  
  You need to use the systembuilder/OEM/small manufacturer DVD that came packaged with the Certificate of Authenticity that seems to still be affixed to your old case.  You should visit your friend's house, and use a new razor blade to carefully peel the CoA from the old case and then have it handy near the new case or otherwize affix it to the new case.  You can't successfully use mismathced materials, such as a retail installation DVD and an OEM Product Key.

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  For great advice on all topics XP, visit http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp

  • Proposed as answer by Darin Smith MS Saturday, February 28, 2009 1:13 AM
  • Marked as answer by Darin Smith MS Friday, March 6, 2009 11:08 PM

  Friday, February 27, 2009 11:57 PM