Windows 7: Windows 7 Enterprise.

Ive been using windows 7 enterprise for almost a year. Today I was prompted with a message in the task bar asking for Activation. When I check to see if Windows is activated it sayd I have 3 days until automatic activation. What does it do when it automaticly activates? Then it has an option to change product key. Ty.

Assuming everything is fine with it and the product key it's using is legitimate, it should just automatically activate. If this was installed by the company you work for, I would contact them about this and they should be able to correct this quickly.

Was this the Enterprise trial version by chance? If not, what school or business is it associated with?

Enterprise uses Volume Licensing which is not regular retail or OEM Windows 7, but used by large institutions who buy licenses in volume.

Enterprise activation takes place via two routes- KMS server and MAK keys. KMS activation involves activation against a local company server (as agreement between company and MS) that also keeps a license count. MAK keys have to be activated with MS servers like retail keys.

ty for your responses, and it is a legitimate product key. I searched the internet to try and somehow go from Enterprise to Ultimate since theyre virtually the same. But obviously I didnt find a LEGAL way of doing this so I wont risk pirating a good Legitimate version of windows. I t was from work which I quit from and It is MY Laptop but they offered to put Enterprise so i said ok. ty

but it had been activated already, why does it need to avtivate again?

KMS activation needs to be renewed every 180 days, your 180 days tranche is probably over thats why its prompting for activation. You'll need to contact the company, they are the only ones that can help.

If you run CMD as admin, and type slmgr -dlv at the prompt, it'll show your activation status and remaining days left.

If your former employer won't help you, you'll either have to purchase a license for a different version of windows 7 or revert to the version of windows your laptop came from the factory with.

I think im going to have to go with Vista then . I have the acivation key for enterprise tho. This sux...so that avtivation key is useless?

Yes, it is no longer a valid key...

Hi there
This is correct -- otherwise the only other LEGIT way for a HOME user to get a copy of Windows 7 Enterprise is via a Technet subscription.

The copy you get with Technet can be activated up to 100 times (on different computers) and activation works like normal "retail" activation -- you'll only get asked for re-activation if you CHANGE significantly the hardware, install on another machine (legal in the case of Windows 7 Enterprise) or re-install on the SAME machine where a re-activation doesn't reduce the number of times you can re-activate the product.

If you DO use technet stick to the terms and conditions however.

Cheers
jimbo