2nd installation?

[robtucker430]

I bought Vista Premium and installed it on my only home computer. Two days
later, the entire system fried - I still don't know if Vista had anything to
do with that. Long story made short, I had to buy a whole new computer that
had Home Basic on it. I re-installed Premium on it and when it was
"activating", it said I had already used Vista and that I would have to buy a
new activation code.

How do I verify or get Microsoft to let me use my original copy - it's a
legal copy that I purchased, but because it was on my first computer for a
few days before the computer fried, what are my alternatives?

 

[peter]

How do I activate Windows?
You can activate either online or by phone. To activate online you need an
Internet connection. Activating by phone requires interacting with an
automated phone system.
To activate Windows on this computer, do the following:

Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button , clicking Computer,
clicking Properties, and then clicking Click here to activate Windows now.‌
If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the
password or provide confirmation.

You can then select the method you want to use to activate.

NoteIf you chose to automatically activate Windows online when you set up
your computer, automatic activation begins trying to activate your copy of
Windows three days after you log on for the first time.


peter