Product Key Number - Uninstall and Deactivate in Windows

Hmm, interesting, will this reset the re-arms too?

Hello Gary,

That's something I didn't check before and after. I'll have to test later on tonight, but you can use the command in the yellow TIP box at the top of this tutorial to see how many rearms you have left before and after.

https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...-120-days.html

thanks, I wasn't going to test it, I'd end up with an invalid key. I have 4 rearms remaining.

Gary,

This tutorial will only uninstall the product key number to make Windows 7 or Vista unactivated, it will not invalidate the product key number. You would just have to renter the product key number (same one or a different one) again afterwards to activate Windows 7 or Vista again.

After testing, uninstalling the producting key number had no affect on the rearm count though. My rearm count was at 2 since I had tested the extend tutorial on it previously. The rearm count was the same before and after activating again after doing the tutorial.

Ok, thanks Shawn. :)

You're welcome. :)

What versions of Windows 7 does this work on? I take it OEM will still not be able to transfer as this will break the EULA

Hello Josh,

This works in all editions, versions, and types of Windows 7 and Vista. :)

You can use this for a OEM computer, but you will still only be able to use the same OEM product key number on the same computer that you first activated it with on, and not on any other computer. You could use a new OEM product key number that hasn't been activated on any other computer though.

Just a quick note to remind people that removing the activation from the computer itself does NOT affect the activation status as far as MS's records are concerned.
As Brink noted above, an OEM License remains locked to THAT computer - and cannot be moved, as MS's database still has the original data required for activation to be verified. MS also retains an activation history for the Key which includes a hardware hash and date of activation. This is not affected by deactivation, and MS has no record of any deactivation except as done by activation itself (which invalidates any prior install)

To be honest, I can see no really valid reason for ever doing this - if one is going to sell a PC in an unactivated/unactivatable state, then it would be better to reformat and wipe it to ensure that all user data is erased. If the an OEM Key is going with the computer, then it should be reformatted using the manufacturer's Recovery system if possible, or the OPK. In the case of a Retail disk going with the system, then a sensible purchaser would reformat/reinstall anyhow.

Hello Noel,

I agree that it would be best to just format the compter and not enter a product key number if selling or giving it in a unactivated state.

This is just an option that may be best for if say you were wanting to use your retail product key number on a new self built computer of yours, and didn't want to uninstall/format Windows and all of your programs, settings, and files on the old computer. This way you could legal unactivate the old one to use it on the new one.