need to delete OS off recovery drive!

Product Key Number - Change

OK... NOW I'm activated! :) The product key beneath the battery didn't work, either. I had to call in.

Question about this:

... change the key to the OEM key from the sticker to avoid wasting the $100+ license tied to the machine.

While I agree it may be avoiding wasting the license tied to the machine... I still wasted the $100 in going out and buying a retail version which included the 64-bit AND the 32-bit, though... right?

So it's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't kind of scenario really... wouldn't matter WHICH product key I used?

gms said:

OK... NOW I'm activated! :) The product key beneath the battery didn't work, either. I had to call in.

Question about this:

... change the key to the OEM key from the sticker to avoid wasting the $100+ license tied to the machine.

While I agree it may be avoiding wasting the license tied to the machine... I still wasted the $100 in going out and buying a retail version which included the 64-bit AND the 32-bit, though... right?

So it's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't kind of scenario really... wouldn't matter WHICH product key I used?

You can order Recovery DVD's from Dell x32 or x64 (may be a postage fee)

You will need to check in Device manager to if you have all drivers installed.

gms said:

OK... NOW I'm activated! :) The product key beneath the battery didn't work, either. I had to call in.

Question about this:

... change the key to the OEM key from the sticker to avoid wasting the $100+ license tied to the machine.

While I agree it may be avoiding wasting the license tied to the machine... I still wasted the $100 in going out and buying a retail version which included the 64-bit AND the 32-bit, though... right?

So it's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't kind of scenario really... wouldn't matter WHICH product key I used?

Which key is on there now?

It doesn't matter if you want to keep the retail key activated for now, but it is still an issue of $100 wasted if you never again use the licensed OEM key which came with the machine.

When you need the retail key for another machine, or want to sell it to a friend, or give it as a gift, you can always change the product key back to the key which is permanently locked to that machine. Then you have recouped your loss.

For example, I bought a Home Premium pre-sale for $50 which is not being used now that we bought several new computers with OEM keys included. I did not waste that money as that key is available when I want to use it, give it away, sell or loan it to a friend, etc. But I would never use my retail key to replace an OEM license as it would seem wasteful.

That makes sense.

The key that is on there now is one that I had to call in to activate... some funky one that was all numerical.

Well at least you got a new, clean, activated install of the Windows 7 that your wife needs with no "space" warnings; so all's well that ends well eh.

Thanks for the update.

Thanks to you guys... you all were truly awesome!!

theog: Which drivers should I be looking for?

gms said:

Thanks to you guys... you all were truly awesome!!

theog: Which drivers should I be looking for?[/QUOTE]

You will need to check in Device manager.

Sorry to drag this out, but you need to know if you used your Win7 retail key you bought separately, or the OEM key which is on the sticker on the bottom of the laptop.

If you activated the key on the bottom of laptop then you are free to use the Retail key elsewhere. If not, you can change it to the key stickered to the bottom of laptop when you are ready to use your Retail key elsewhere.

A retail key can migrate to any machine of your choice for the life of the operating system, as many times as you want as long as it is on only one machine.

The OEM key is locked to the machine it is first installed on.

Like I said, I had to call in and use some funky all-numerical key... so I used neither my retail OR my OEM.

For some reason, neither of them would work.

Is there a way to check in the System what product key was used to activate Windows?