Question about Win7 licensing

This should probably be posted in a Microsoft forum somewhere, but here we go...

I have a client that bought a new laptop approx 16mon ago. It did not ship with recovery media, but did have a recovery partition. The hard drive crashed. She was told by the manufacturer that the PC was no longer under warranty. She brought the PC to me. As I reviewed the scenario, I noticed the product key sticker on the bottom of the laptop was worn to the point of being illegible, and I informed the client that I could install Windows without a product key, but after 30 days she would have to contact Microsoft and explain the situation for full activation and licensing. She said "OK". So installed a new hard drive, installed clean Win7, drivers, updates, etc. After about 3 weeks, my client calls Microsoft to activate and make the OS legitimate. They said that she has to buy a new license/product key. OK- I understand that, because the sticker is trashed, a new product key/license must be purchased, I'm OK with that.... But here's the kicker: they told her that even if the product key sticker was perfectly crystal clear, she would STILL have to buy a new license!!

What?!?!?!!?!!? What is the purpose of a product key sticker if not to allow the end user to reload their systems and make them legitimate as required by Microsoft? I have never heard this before, and I have reloaded MANY systems using the unique key sticker on the PC and have NEVER had problems with licensing or activation (except in a few cases where the end user shared the key with all his friends and neighbors). I have read on many MANY web sites that the product key sticker on the PC is to be used for legal reloads on the PC that the sticker originally shipped with. Can everyone be wrong?

I have posted very similar questions before, but this is the first time (I think) that I have been told that even with a perfectly clear legible sticker that a new product key would be required to activate Windows.

Thanks for any light that can be shed on this....

 

Microsoft can be a real pain the the Butt with there Keys

Way do you think they get hacked

But i have never seen or heard of this issue.

They must smoking some thing while on the job:major

They Seem too be trying to hard too prevent hackers with the new OS 7 When its really causing more issues with there paying customers.

The only real purpose of the Product key is for them too make more money.I remember when XP use too cost 200$ flat just for a Key

 

Yes, heaven forbid a company works to protect an operating system that they have worked hard to build. Also funny how for as much as people bitch/hate ms, they dont switch to alternative free options. Any how dlb, thought i posted this yesterday, but probably just misunderstanding /communication with ms, because thats exactly why they have the key on the bottom, to prove that the os is legit installed, and that key should work for you at any point to reinstall.

 

Reads like it's an issue between the laptop makers and MS Licensing and dlb and client are stuck in the middle.

Maybe the makers failed to work within the limits of the specific license they were issued by MS.

If you can find the Activation Error Code you can check it against the list here.

 

This has got to be the most ridiculous post I've ever read on this forum. rolleyes

 

With Microsoft there are few different licensing options, the ones you need to be concerned about here are the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and retail.
When you purchase a OEM version of Windows 7 and activate it, that license key is now registered with that particular computer and cannot be transferred to another computer.
If you purchase a retail copy of Windows 7, that license key can be transferred to another computer. What is the difference ?
As always it comes down to money. I can get a OEM copy of Windows 7 Professional for~ 125 or so, I think the retail (full) is approximately 299 (last I checked). Quite a big difference when you look at it.

You take the risk with OEM, if you install and activate Windows with a OEM and the drive goes bad, you are out of luck. Microsoft will not let you reactivate the OEM software.

I have many clients who insist upon OEM because it so much cheaper, they take the risk though, so who am I to say

Hope this helps
Tim

 

@ Colemanguy: yes, the key on the bottom of the laptop should work, and probably would work if it hadn't been worn to the point where 90% of the ink is gone, making the key illegible. If I can't read it, I can't type it in.

@ solaris89: I agree 100%. Kind of a waste, no?

@ satrow: there is no error. The problem is that the product key sticker on the bottom of the laptop has been worn off. The sticker itself is still there, but after a year or more of regular use, the ink has worn off rendering the sticker unreadable.

Back in the XP days, I never had problems with the ink getting worn off the product key stickers. The XP stickers were made of some type of strong plastic and the ink was almost part of the plastic, where the Vista and 7 stickers are made of cheap paper and the ink is simply printed on top. I have seen so many worn Vista and 7 stickers, and in some cases I can still read the key with a magnifying glass. When this happens, I write the key on a label and stick it under the battery where it can't get worn off. Then I inform the client about the importance of the product key, and about the fact that I preserved it on a label under the battery.

Anyway- I just cannot believe that MS licensing told my client that even if the sticker was perfectly clear, she would be forced to by a new product key. So what's the point of having the sticker there in the first place if you're not allowed to use it to re-install your OS?

 

Perhaps you installed the wrong version of Windows on the new drive, it would need to match the license type of the original. Contact the laptop makers again, most supply reinstall media for a small fee.

 

Yes this can lead too issues there are what 4 or 5 different Version of 7 now So if you installed the wrong kind then yes i agree it could cause issues with microsoft.

Windows 7 Starter
Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Enterprise
Windows 7 Ultimate

And don't for get the 64bit version.

 

Yeah but you know lol i am right.about alot of stuff in that posting i did.

 

No, I didn't install the wrong version, and 32bit product keys will work for 64bit installs, and vice-versa: a product key for 32bit Win7 Home Premium will work w/o problems for a 64bit install of Win7 Home Premium.

Perhaps people are skimming my posts. THE PRODUCT KEY CANNOT BE READ ON THE STICKER. The only problem I am having w/ activation is the fact that the key on the sticker cannot be read; the ink wore off.

Yup. Did that yesterday. I think we paid about $35 including 3 day shipping.

I guess the point of this thread was that I was merely astounded that MS told us that even if the key was NOT worn off, we would still be forced to buy a new key to re-install Windows.

 

I don't see anything worthwhile in your previous post. You basically said Microsoft should just let computer users do whatever they want with regard to getting and installing Windows and, if they lose millions or billions of $ due to software pirating and all forms of illegal installations, that's OK. So, what part of what you said do you think is right?

 

Yeah, I bet you believe that too.