Cannot Activate Windows Vista??

[Jeff]

I recently formatted my hard drive so I could set up a RAID array. Windows
Vista is now asking me to activate it again, but it wont accept my product
key because it says it is an upgrade edition. I already upgraded from
Windows XP to Windows Vista, I don't know why it wont accept the key. Is
there anything I can do?

 

[It's Only Me]

I recently formatted my hard drive so I could set up a RAID array. Windows
Vista is now asking me to activate it again, but it wont accept my product
key because it says it is an upgrade edition. I already upgraded from
Windows XP to Windows Vista, I don't know why it wont accept the key. Is
there anything I can do?

AFAIK an upgrade has to be done OVER Windows XP. Install XP and then UPGRADE
it to Vista. Is that not what you did first time?

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

It doesn't know you previously upgraded. An upgrade key only allows for an
upgrade installation. If you got through this install, then I would
speculate that you didn't enter your Product Key when prompted during setup,
or you wouldn't have been allowed to continue. Here's what you *can* do:
Reinsert the Vista disk into the running installation, then follow the
prompts to do an in-place upgrade. Even though it's not really an upgrade,
the installer will see it as one and allow for use of your Product Key. This
is a commonly known work-around for using an upgrade disk for a clean
installation. The downside is that you have to go through the whole thing
again.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Saucy]

I recently formatted my hard drive so I could set up a RAID array. Windows
Vista is now asking me to activate it again, but it wont accept my product
key because it says it is an upgrade edition. I already upgraded from
Windows XP to Windows Vista, I don't know why it wont accept the key. Is
there anything I can do?

That's because Vista records whether it was installed clean or as an
upgrade. You will have to to an in-place upgrade i.e. upgrade Vista with
Vista. There are a few sites on the web that tell you how to do so. My
website does an exhaustive step-by-step ( a regular Bataan Death March of
the process), but you probably can figure out what to do from the website
posted in the SIW2's reply or from Paul Thurrott's Winsupersite.com:

[How to Clean Install Windows Vista with Upgrade Media]
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

Saucy