Mike,
Since you have a retail key and have now also paid for a subscription, you may wish to contact support to cancel the subscription created with your credit card, so that you can use your key.
What *exactly* is happening when you go through the activation process? Apparently, you are able to log in and subscribe with a credit card (you should have also seen an option at login to activate with a product key), however, it seems that the activation process is not returning the credentials to the installed copy of OneCare.
When you activate OneCare to start your subscription, it first requires you to sign in with a LiveID and then provides the opportunity to enter a retail key or purchase online. Once you've completed the entry and submission of the key and payment information, your subscription is created and the subscription credentials are downloaded back to your copy of OneCare. These credentials are refreshed periodically, too. If something is blocking the receipt of the credentials, activation is not complete and your PC will remain in trial mode. Make sure that there are no other security programs running, including Parental Controls, which should be disabled at activation. Other security programs - firewalls, real time spyware protection and anti-virus need to be completely removed in order to use OneCare.
If your subscription to OneCare shows as still trial mode after purchase and activation in OneCare
- Verify that you have a clear Internet connection - no other security programs running.
- Check your PC date and time.
- Check your subscription status by logging in with your subscription LiveID at http://billing.microsoft.com
- Confirm that this is the same LiveID shown to be the Subscription ID in OneCare - Help/About...
If your subscription is correctly shown at the Billing site, but incorrect in OneCare and your PC date and time are correct, please contact support.
How to reach support (FAQ) - http://forums.microsoft.com/WindowsOneCare/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2421771&SiteID=2
-steve
