Answered by:
Windows not activating

Question
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Hi,
I purchased a new laptop recently with Vista Home Edition on it, being a web developer who wanted IIS 7 on it I upgraded the moment I got it home to Vista Business. I upgraded before I realised I had to activate windows, now neither of the prodcut codes that I have are coiming back as valid. How do I solve this?
Regards,
Ian
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 6:04 PM
Answers
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Hello curlyc,
Whether the original copy of Vista was Activated or not makes no difference.
The problem, that I see, is that during the Upgrade install, you did not enter the Vista Business Upgrade Product Key. I know this because the Product key shown in your Diagnostic Report ends with the digits MRW4W. This is the Default product Key that Vista uses when a full version of Vista Business is installed, but no product key was entered by the user. This key will allow the Vista Business to be used for 30 days and then will go into reduced functionality mode unless the user changes the product key to a Valid Full Version Vista Business product key.
All versions of Vista are included on a Vista install disk. The way the Vista installer works is that when you start an install, the Vista installer will ask you for a product key. The Product key tells the Vista installer what version of Vista to install and if it is a Full version or an Upgrade.
If the key that was entered is for an Upgrade, the installer will check the computer to see if a lower version of Windows is already installed and if that version of Windows is authorized to be Upgraded to Vista.
If the user decides not to enter a Product key, the installer does not know which version of Vista to install, so it asks the user. The user selects which version of Vista he/she wants to install. Vista uses it's own Default Product Key. At this point, the installer still doesn't know if it's a Full version or an Upgrade so it defaults to a full version install.
So, in your case, since you did not enter a Product Key during install, the installer defaulted to a Full version of Vista and since it is a full version, when you try to change the Product key to the Upgrade Key, Vista will not accept it.
To resolve this, you have 2 options
1) Use the Windows Restore process (that was provided by the Computer Manufacturer) to return Vista back to the Vista Home version. Then do the Upgrade to Vista Business and make sure to enter the Upgrade Product Key when asked, duing the install. Once complete, you will be able to Activate without issue. (each computer manufaturer does the Windows Restore process differently, so please see the documentation that came with the computer or contact the manufaturer for information on how to conduct the restore process).
2) You could buy a Full Version copy of Vista Business and use that product key to replace the Default one currently in Vista. Your current install of Vista Bisiness will accept the Full Version key and you will be able to Activate without issue.
NOTE: if you do consider following this option, you may be able to return and obtain a refund for your Upgrade copy of Vista Business by following the Microsoft North American Retail Product 45-Day Refund Policy http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/productrefund/refund.mspx
I hope this was helpful,
Darin Smith
WGA Forum Manager
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 12:01 AM
All replies
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Hello curlyc,
I am unsure what you mean. If the laptop came with Vista Home, pre-installed, it would have been activated at the factory.
If you used an Upgrade version of Vista Business, then during the upgrade, you entered the Vista Business Upgrade product key, correct?
If so, then once the upgrade was complete, you need to Activate. If the Activate by Internet method did not work, you tried the Activate by Phone method, correct?
In addition to answeing the above questions, please also 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.
Thank you,
Darin Smith
WGA Forum Manager
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 8:35 PM -
Hi Darin,
Thanks for your response. I suspect that for whatever reason the original Vista Home OS was not activated correctly before it was supplied to me, anyway here is the data
Diagnostic Report (1.7.0069.0):
-----------------------------------------
WGA Data-->
Validation Status: Genuine
Validation Code: 0
Online Validation Code: 0x0
Cached Validation Code: 0x0
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-8Q22B-K8BM3-MRW4W
Windows Product Key Hash: N1+BJIdShRdqRg3OhCo6d8hCl70=
Windows Product ID: 89576-009-0000025-71808
Windows Product ID Type: 5
Windows License Type: Retail
Windows OS version: 6.0.6000.2.00010100.0.0.006
CSVLK Server: N/A
CSVLK PID: N/A
ID: {A852D7E8-EDB8-4DC2-A98E-827FFB3B60DE}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
WGA Version: Registered, 1.7.59.1
Signed By: Microsoft
Product Name: Windows Vista (TM) Business
Architecture: 0x00000000
Build lab: 6000.vista_gdr.071023-1545
TTS Error:
Validation Diagnostic:
Resolution Status: N/AWgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: 6.0.6001.18000Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002OGA Data-->
Office Status: 102
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: FCEE394C-2920-80070002_77F760FE-153-80070002_7E90FEE8-175-80070002_025D1FF3-282-80041010_025D1FF3-170-80041010_025D1FF3-171-1_025D1FF3-434-80040154_025D1FF3-178-80040154_025D1FF3-179-2_025D1FF3-185-80070002_025D1FF3-199-3Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.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: AllowedFile Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{A852D7E8-EDB8-4DC2-A98E-827FFB3B60DE}</UGUID><Version>1.7.0069.0</Version><OS>6.0.6000.2.00010100.0.0.006</OS><Architecture>x32</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-MRW4W</PKey><PID>89576-009-0000025-71808</PID><PIDType>5</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-3219079560-2022422487-3388694790</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>Sony Corporation</Manufacturer><Model>VGN-CR21Z_R</Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>Phoenix Technologies LTD</Manufacturer><Version>R1100Q0</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="4"/><Date>20071018000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>EA333507018400FA</HWID><UserLCID>0809</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>GMT Standard Time(GMT+00:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM><OEMID>Sony</OEMID><OEMTableID>VAIO</OEMTableID></OEM><BRT/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>102</Result><Products><Product GUID="{91120000-0051-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}"><LegitResult>100</LegitResult><Name>Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007</Name><Ver>12</Ver><Val>9DA88FE429E0A60</Val><Hash>fbnG+R0L5aA3LQJZKRQdfF913/I=</Hash><Pid>84890-304-7516342-63694</Pid><PidType>10</PidType></Product><Product GUID="{91120000-00CA-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}"><LegitResult>100</LegitResult><Name>Microsoft Office Small Business 2007</Name><Ver>12</Ver><Val>94371F84642AA62</Val><Hash>3oXgzv1f5axcBdoMV3ZPGxyYrEQ=</Hash><Pid>81606-305-1806067-64585</Pid><PidType>10</PidType></Product></Products></Office></Software></GenuineResults>Spsys.log Content: 0x80070002
I realise returning the laptop to the supplier might be the easiest option but I have some mission critical work ongoing that I do not want to be delayed by returning my laptop if possible.
Thanks againTuesday, March 11, 2008 10:59 PM -
Hello curlyc,
Whether the original copy of Vista was Activated or not makes no difference.
The problem, that I see, is that during the Upgrade install, you did not enter the Vista Business Upgrade Product Key. I know this because the Product key shown in your Diagnostic Report ends with the digits MRW4W. This is the Default product Key that Vista uses when a full version of Vista Business is installed, but no product key was entered by the user. This key will allow the Vista Business to be used for 30 days and then will go into reduced functionality mode unless the user changes the product key to a Valid Full Version Vista Business product key.
All versions of Vista are included on a Vista install disk. The way the Vista installer works is that when you start an install, the Vista installer will ask you for a product key. The Product key tells the Vista installer what version of Vista to install and if it is a Full version or an Upgrade.
If the key that was entered is for an Upgrade, the installer will check the computer to see if a lower version of Windows is already installed and if that version of Windows is authorized to be Upgraded to Vista.
If the user decides not to enter a Product key, the installer does not know which version of Vista to install, so it asks the user. The user selects which version of Vista he/she wants to install. Vista uses it's own Default Product Key. At this point, the installer still doesn't know if it's a Full version or an Upgrade so it defaults to a full version install.
So, in your case, since you did not enter a Product Key during install, the installer defaulted to a Full version of Vista and since it is a full version, when you try to change the Product key to the Upgrade Key, Vista will not accept it.
To resolve this, you have 2 options
1) Use the Windows Restore process (that was provided by the Computer Manufacturer) to return Vista back to the Vista Home version. Then do the Upgrade to Vista Business and make sure to enter the Upgrade Product Key when asked, duing the install. Once complete, you will be able to Activate without issue. (each computer manufaturer does the Windows Restore process differently, so please see the documentation that came with the computer or contact the manufaturer for information on how to conduct the restore process).
2) You could buy a Full Version copy of Vista Business and use that product key to replace the Default one currently in Vista. Your current install of Vista Bisiness will accept the Full Version key and you will be able to Activate without issue.
NOTE: if you do consider following this option, you may be able to return and obtain a refund for your Upgrade copy of Vista Business by following the Microsoft North American Retail Product 45-Day Refund Policy http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/productrefund/refund.mspx
I hope this was helpful,
Darin Smith
WGA Forum Manager
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 12:01 AM