Windows 7: Wondering...

If memory serves me, during the install process there is a prompt asking you if you want to automatically activate online. If you say yes I believe thats when you may get the "Automatic activation after 3 days" prompt. That doesn't mean activation will run out in three days. If you say no to the automatically activate online prompt you will get a prompt telling you you have X days to activate windows do you want to do it now. Something like that, I don't remember the exact wording.

I just finished repair install. And here's what I was talking about.



What do I need to do for it to activate?

Why does it say INVALID FOR ACTIVATION when I clicked the Activate now:





So I clicked the USE AUTOMATED PHONE SYSTEM and it made me choose the nearest country I am in. So I choose Saudi Arabia. And then this is the next dialog box:

So this is what I was asking about "Automatic Activation". So I guess even If I let 3 days pass and let the system do the automatic activation then it would still detect that my product key in INVALID. Why is it invalid in the first place????? I have a genuine activated OS before the repair install and I used the product key (during repair install) located at the bottom of my laptop. can someone please help....

and after the first run of updating this is the result:




The NOTORIOUS 80004005 error code is still there!!!!


I'm gonna do a reboot and try again...

After reboot I tried updating again and the same error persists. I'm installing Update readiness tool right now and then will update again.

If your original install was a factory OEM install using SLP activation then the product code on your COA sticker was never used. The Major OEM's like Dell, HP, Acer etc, have a master product code that they use on all of their SLP installs. They have to provide a COA sticker but the product code on it isn't used. To prevent you from using it on another PC it's blocked from automatic activation. You should still be able to activate by phone.

Clean Install : Factory COA Activation Key

EDIT: At this point I think you might want to consider doing a clean install.

Thanks alpha, but a CLEAN INSTALL is a big no for me. After reading this thread:

New laptop, changing partition disks?


Can I use a SP1 retail ISO to repair install my Windows 7?

I'm thinking to restore to the initial image again and then do a repair install using a windows SP1 retail ISO.

Would that work?


About the activation I read from here about a link for restore your windows keys? or something, that you wouldn't need to keep re-activating your windows online. And it led me to this site:


Paymyrent Token restore for mak keys and retail


How does this work? Please help. I downloaded this file but I don't know how this works. almost 12 midnight now. gotta hit the sack and continue this tomorrow after work.

Last question for tonight:

Im downloading 2 windows 7 sp1 ISO's at the moment. I'm wondering which is much newer of the two.



I'll use whichever is the latest one. Please provide some info folks...

When you say "restore to the initial image" are you talking about restoring your laptop to factory condition using the built in factory restore utility? If yes activation should be automatic and you shouldn't have to enter a product code. You shouldn't have to do a repair either there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. I think you are just digging yourself into a deeper hole with all these repeated repair attempts.