Cannot Activiate Vista Product Key Number

[davidjb7]

The computer was bought few years ago with pre-installed MS XP OS from
Hewlett-Packard Company and at later date it was upgraded to Vista OS with
Vista upgrade software purchased by me when it was first released.

Few weeks ago, I come upon problems with my home-use computer and I need
your assistance/advice.

Recently, I encountered Vista operating system’s multiple problems,
especially with networking (with another computer and laptop) that prompted
me to re-install the Vista “Upgrade†OS software, hopefully to correct the
problem. At that time, I was unable to “re-install with saved settings†and
the software suggested reinstalling Vista OS “from scratchâ€. Once I
reinstalled the Vista however, it asked for original previous “full versionâ€
MS XP OS discs which I never had it since these discs did not come with the
computer since it was already pre-installed by Hewlett-Packard Company.
Sadly I never made a backup copy.

Currently the Vista OS is running on “30 days to activiate†period. Several
times I tried to authenticate OS with legally owned Vista and XP Product keys
and it will not accept it and I am frustrated how to resolve this problem.

Please advise me how to resolve this situation and in advance I thank you
for assisting me to resolve this matter.

David

 

[Carey Frisch]

You'll have to purchase a "full version" license for the edition of
Windows Vista you installed.

 

[Dominic Payer]

See http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

 

[davidjb7]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will try it over the weekend when I am calmer <G>
Appreciate your time to response to me.

 

[John Dearing]

You'll have to purchase a "full version" license for the edition of
Windows Vista you installed.

NO, he most certainly doesn't.

Given his described scenario, the OP is absolutely a candidate for an
in-place upgrade. Since he was never given the media for the original
Windows XP installation and was only given a Vista Upgrade disk, he
needs to upgrade Vista from Vista.

See the other post that follows for a link to one site that shows you
how to do this.

Basically what you do is a clean install of Vista with the upgrade disk
but *don't* put in the product key when requested. This puts Vista in 30
day evaluation mode.

After Vista is installed and running, put the upgrade disk in again and
upgrade right over top of the existing Vista installation, this time
putting in the Product Key.

This is a perfectly ethical way for the OP to correct his problem.
Microsoft deliberately put this method of installing Vista into the
installation routine. Of course, any other use (abuse) would not be ethical.

The OP paid for and originally received an upgrade of Windows XP to
Windows Vista. The fact that the manufacturer decided to not supply
Windows XP recovery media is their fault/problem not the OP's.

John

 

[davidjb7]

John,

Thank you for your suggestion, your comment is similar to Dominic's
response. I appreciate your time to response back to me. I will try this
method over the weekend when I have more time as well as less tense <G>.
Again, Thanks. I will let you know how it went.

David

 

[Carey Frisch]

Sorry, but you are incorrect. Windows Genuine Advantage will likely
flag this method as non-genuine because there is no qualifying Windows XP
license.

 

[John Dearing]

Sorry, but you are incorrect. Windows Genuine Advantage will likely
flag this method as non-genuine because there is no qualifying Windows XP
license.

Carey,

please see:

http://www.windowssecrets.com/2008/04/03/01-Its-official-upgrade-hack-included-in-Vista-SP1

as well as

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

as well as other sites that all have reported that this behavior by the
Vista installation process is indeed deliberately programmed that way by
Microsoft.

As the original poster noted, he has a legal license for Windows Vista
(as an upgrade from XP).

Windows Vista Upgrade is capable of upgrading from any "qualifying
product" which besides Windows XP also includes Vista itself.
Apparently, Microsoft foresaw possible problems with upgrades and built
in a way to allow an upgrade disk to install over top of itself.

Genuine Advantage will only look to see that the *currently running*
version of Windows is genuine. It has no way of knowing if a previously
installed version of Windows was genuine or not.

This method in Vista installation has been used by many people without
any activation or Genuine Advantage problems.

John

 

[John Dearing]

Sorry, but you are incorrect. Windows Genuine Advantage will likely
flag this method as non-genuine because there is no qualifying Windows XP
license.

Carey,

please see:

http://www.windowssecrets.com/2008/04/03/01-Its-official-upgrade-hack-included-in-Vista-SP1

as well as

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

as well as other sites that all have reported that this behavior by the
Vista installation process is indeed deliberately programmed that way by
Microsoft.

As the original poster noted, he has a legal license for Windows Vista
(as an upgrade from XP).

Windows Vista Upgrade is capable of upgrading from any "qualifying
product" which besides Windows XP also includes Vista itself.
Apparently, Microsoft foresaw possible problems with upgrades and built
in a way to allow an upgrade disk to install over top of itself.

Genuine Advantage will only look to see that the *currently running*
version of Windows is genuine. It has no way of knowing if a previously
installed version of Windows was genuine or not.

This method in Vista installation has been used by many people without
any activation or Genuine Advantage problems.

John

 

[Carey Frisch]

The fact that one can work around a technical limitation doesn’t make the practice legal.

See:

The Vista license “loophole†that isn’t
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=420

and

More nonsense about Vista upgrades
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1909

 

[Dominic Payer]

From David's original post it is clear he has a valid XP Home licence, but
only a restore disk and not an XP installation disk. The workround is
intended for those in his position, to avoid the need to restore to XP and
then upgrade to Vista.

If David had known the method, it would have been easy for him to run two
consecutive installs as required. If he does an upgrade install with his key
now he will need to re-apply Vista updates - not really a problem if he has
broadband, but if he can only get dial-up net access it would be a great
loss of time, particularly if, as is likely, he needed to apply SP1.

It is correct to say, as pointed out in the posts you reference, that
although an activated Vista installation can be achieved with only an
upgrade version of Vista the resulting installation is not legally licensed.

The fact that one can work around a technical limitation doesn’t make the
practice legal.

See:

The Vista license “loophole†that isn’t
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=420

and

More nonsense about Vista upgrades
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1909

 

[John Dearing]

The fact that one can work around a technical limitation doesn’t make
the practice legal.

See:

The Vista license “loophole†that isn’t
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=420

and

More nonsense about Vista upgrades
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1909

Carey,

I think you missed the part I wrote about someone using this method of
installation to avoid properly using their copy of Vista. Any use of
Upgrade media to to a full install without having a previous, properly
licensed copy of Windows would be illegal as well as unethical.

I fully agree with you that *any* other use of this method is unethical
and probably illegal.

Getting back to the original posters situation. He had a properly
licensed version of Windows XP. He was properly qualified for an
upgrade. Due to problems with his machine, he needs to reinstall his
upgrade version of Vista.

His use of this way to install Vista is perfectly proper *in this case*
because he is simply continuing to use his properly licensed Vista
upgrade. He is just simply using an alternative way of reinstalling it.
That's all.