Windows saying my product key is in use.

[Guest]

I've had Vista installed since it was first available to the public, and for
some reason just the other day, I got a message saying my product key is
already in use. I tried re-entering the number, but it still says it's in
use. I know I have a legit copy as I bought it from Office Max and I doubt
they carry bootleg copies. I was going to contact Microsoft about this, but I
have to pay way too much for that. So I was hoping someone on here could
help. Thanks in advance.

 

[Guest]

Have you installed Windows Vista on another computer with the same product
key? That isn’t possible because you can only use one key for one computer at
the same time.

 

[Guest]

Sometimes when you've made a major system or hardware upgrade; genuine will
think it's on the wrong PC. You can call customer service and they should be
able to give you anothe key if everything is legit and this is the original
PC that Vista was intially installed on. Like Ronnievdl said "ONE KEY,LICENSE
FOR ONE PC". Make sense?

 

[Andrew McLaren]

I've had Vista installed since it was first available to the public, and
for
some reason just the other day, I got a message saying my product key is
already in use. I tried re-entering the number, but it still says it's in
use. I know I have a legit copy as I bought it from Office Max and I doubt
they carry bootleg copies. I was going to contact Microsoft about this,
but I

Hi Robert,

Have you changed the hardware in any way, lately? Even pluged in a USB
device? (or removed one?).

Vista watches the hardware to see if it has changed since Vista was
installed. This is supposed to be an anti-piracy measure - if the Vista
installation is copied to a new machine, it will start promting for
re-activation. However the algorithm to detect hardware changes goes a bit
haywire sometimes and even very minor changes can kick it off (not juch
major changes like, oh, a whole new PC; minor changes like replacign the
keyboard. Seriously).

In any case, it should be fairly easy to correct. When the message to
re-activate appears, you will find a phone number to ring Microsoft on. This
call is free of charge. You ring up, tell the operator your Vista machine
hasn't changed, but it's asking for re-activation; they'll give you a new
activation code over the phone; and you should be back up and running in 5
or so minutes. In m experience they don't ask any probing questions, they
just give you the number.

If you can't find the number for your region in the error messge, run this
command:
slui.exe 4
to get the right phone number.

In summary - ring Microsoft, get an activation code, plug it in, and you
should be back in business.

Hope it helps,

 

[Steve]

In any case, it should be fairly easy to correct. When the message to
re-activate appears, you will find a phone number to ring Microsoft on.

It's hard to imagine another product that could require this without
absolutely infuriating its purchaser.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

It's hard to imagine another product that could require this without
absolutely infuriating its purchaser.

True, I agree. Maybe some music DRM crap is equally frustrating ... but that
still doesn't make it okay.

I hope that Microsoft put some serious work into fine-tuning their
hardware-detection algorithm. Judging by the posts in this group, it
currently throws up a small but significant number of false positives.
Enough to annoy the crap out of users.

 

[Gerry]

run slue 4
call phone activation explain that is only installed on one PC they will
generate a new confirmation id
back in business

 

[Gerry]

Sorry that should be SLUI4

run slue 4
call phone activation explain that is only installed on one PC they will
generate a new confirmation id
back in business