I just performed a clean install on my new SSD and didn't enter the product key at install. However, I'm at the "preparing your computer for the first time use" screen and it won't accept my install key on my Win7 x64 Pro upgrade disc. I'm stuck. Any ideas?
Can you temporarily bypass it?
I went through something similar when I upgraded to SSD with Home Premium upgrade disk and can't recall exactly what I did. I called MS and remember that they were no help.
Now that you have Win7 installed, don't try to activate it now.
Put the install disc in and run setup again and this time select the upgrade install and put the key in and it should work perfectly for you.
Ignatz, I can't get to the desktop or anything to bypass it, unfortunately.
Thanks, I'll try that, Kipper.
It's easier to do the quick registry workaround given here: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version
Doing the workarounds is required when you clean reinstall to a new or cleaned HD, since the installer doesn't see any OS when booted and therefore will not accept the Upgrade version Product Key up front.
Greg, that's what I did (and have done several times before in doing a clean install via an upgrade cd), but I could never get past the Product Key window to enter the desktop to do anything. I've never encountered that before.
I'm back on track now, though. I just used my slipstreamed upgarde disc with SP1 and it worked a charm. I'm in and all set up. Thanks for all the help, guys. Sometimes I just can't help the brain farts.
I have absolutely no clue what happened. I did the same thing I've always done using an upgrade disc for the clean install. I wish I knew what went differently this time.
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