Windows 7: Just installed Windows 7, can't use it

a friend just installed an OEM copy of Windows 7 professional for system builders in a tower today only to find out that the user can't use windows 7. He's already connected it to the internet, so it's been validated, but he now has to remove it and install windows xp, which the user has purchased. Is there any way to reuse that disk and code, as it's not going to be used in that system now?

Technically, no.

However, I recall one of our regulars (Kari) had a similar situation , and phoned MS activation line.

They allowed him to reinstall on another machine.

It's worth a try.

I'm sure MS will allow this, but technically it's directly against the OEM rules.

Proactively you can call MS Customer at 1-800-MICROSOFT service to ask them to open a case to get it activated later because of the exceptional circumstances.

Otherwise you'll need to talk with an Activation agent when you install on another computer to explain the situation and hope they make an exception, which have been reported here. If not you'll need to call Customer Service then to plead you case. Just tell them it was installed momentarily to the wrong machine (the truth).

Often times when people post they can't use Windows 7, we find that they don't know about compatibility mode to run XP programs correctly, or have other issues which can be resolved. Can we help your friend with any of these?

There really isn't any reason to wait since Windows 7 is the future, will run anything Vista can, and XPired is fading fast.

I really don't know what the guy's conflict is, but I'm not terribly interested in resolving it if I can use the 7 disk, as I have some extra DDR3 that I can trade him for most of the cost of the windows 7 disk (if it is still usable, obviously)

Have him, installed Windows XP quick on the other PC. Now for yours, you will have to called Microsoft activation line and see if they can help activate it. They will ask how many computers have this copy of Windows installed on...

Technically One- Once you friend removes it and installs XP.

That should be all you have to do.

Good luck,

Let us know what happens

It should be fine as this would be a sort of refusal of EULA and that's perfectly legal and you can take the copy of 7 back and reuse it on a different PC as the customer did not accept Windows 7 on his PC.

Once it's in another PC, sometimes it will activate without issue online but if not, just call up Microsoft, explain the situation and all should be good. Essentially, the customer did not accept Windows 7 for A or B motive and you were forced to take it back.

looks like the guy figured out that he can use 7 afterall, so I guess the point is moot.

I wouldn't say it's moot. At least someone searching can find this for reference. And to clarify, it doesn't matter if you've used the key or not. As long as you're only installing it on one computer, it doesn't matter which computer you install it to. You may in the future however have to call to activate because the keys can only be used a certain number of times (3 times I believe.) I was told this by an activation rep when I had to call and activate 7.

Full retail activation keys can be used as many times as needed on one machine at a time, there's no limit at all what-so-ever and can be moved from one PC to another as long as the key is only activated on one PC at a time.