Windows 7 Activation Issues

Tews said:

Your key (the one on your COA sticker) is only valid for an OEM version of Windows 7 ...

Chill, chill. All win7 install disks are identical. The iso's available on the net, when installed and yet not activated with ones own key will show RETAIL license type with the default, embedded key for that edition. The license type will change after one uses a particular key, depending on the key type.

The key in the OP's mgadiag report is the default key for home premium. Also, the report shows grace period expired which is normal- had the iso been loaded with an autorunning patch or crack, windows would have been either fine and dandy or non-genuine.

OP, please continue with the phone activation, that should work just fine.

I really can't remember where i downloaded it - i checked on users\downloads and searched the folder but I can't find any sign of a signature/website :|

Well there is a difference since i had the virus problem, between the bios and the windows load screen I do get a black screen with two options but its about choosing Windows 7 home premium (the current, working version) OR the Home premium RECOVERED version, which is the old one but doesnt work, and it still has the problem i used to have when not being able to start the computer and get to a working desktop.

Tews said:

Your key (the one on your COA sticker) is only valid for an OEM version of Windows 7 ... not a retail version!

I recall words to this effect on the MS Answers forum.
Advice on the forum continues to say it is both technically possible and legal (in all cases) to use retail install disks along with your COA sticker number.

Bill2 said:

Tews said:

Your key (the one on your COA sticker) is only valid for an OEM version of Windows 7 ...

Chill, chill. All win7 install disks are identical. The iso's available on the net, when installed and yet not activated with ones own key will show RETAIL license type with the default, embedded key for that edition. The license type will change after one uses a particular key, depending on the key type.

The key in the OP's mgadiag report is the default key for home premium. Also, the report shows grace period expired which is normal- had the iso been loaded with an autorunning patch or crack, windows would have been either fine and dandy or non-genuine.

OP, please continue with the phone activation, that should work just fine.

From what I have read on line the ei.cfg file if present determines if the installer will accept a retail or OEM key, it also locks in what version is going to be installed. If the ei.cfg file is set to retail an OEM key will not be accepted. If you remove the ei.cfg file you can use a retail or OEM key and select what version you want to install. Your product key still has to match the version you install. If you select Ultimate and try to enter a Pro key it will be rejected. Master product keys are only used on modified OEM install media that uses SLP for activation. And then only if the BIOS SLIC table on the PC matches the OEM info on the DVD. The OP's install likely originally used an SLP master key. The key on the sticker was never used. Normally you could still use it but have to activate by phone when it won't activate on line. My guess is the ei.cfg file on the ISO he downloaded is for a Retail version. If so I would just delete the ei.cfg file from the sources folder it to make it a universal install disk. Then do another clean install and see if it accepts the key on the COA sticker.

mjf said:

Tews said:

Your key (the one on your COA sticker) is only valid for an OEM version of Windows 7 ... not a retail version!

I recall words to this effect on the MS Answers forum.
Advice on the forum continues to say it is both technically possible and legal (in all cases) to use retail install disks along with your COA sticker number.

All win7 disks are identical (except of course reinstall disks customized by OEMs), there used to be confusion on this count when win7 was just released just like there was confusion about whether its possible/legal to clean install with upgrade disks. The difference lies only in the key.

This was actually a welcome move away from XP. XP disks were different for different editions and you'll still see a lot pf pages on the internet telling people how to change the license type of the disk so it would take a different key.

alphanumeric said:

Bill2 said:

Tews said:

Your key (the one on your COA sticker) is only valid for an OEM version of Windows 7 ...

Chill, chill. All win7 install disks are identical. The iso's available on the net, when installed and yet not activated with ones own key will show RETAIL license type with the default, embedded key for that edition. The license type will change after one uses a particular key, depending on the key type.

The key in the OP's mgadiag report is the default key for home premium. Also, the report shows grace period expired which is normal- had the iso been loaded with an autorunning patch or crack, windows would have been either fine and dandy or non-genuine.

OP, please continue with the phone activation, that should work just fine.

From what I have read on line the ei.cfg file if present determines if the installer will accept a retail or OEM key, it also locks in what version is going to be installed. If the ei.cfg file is set to retail an OEM key will not be accepted. If you remove the ei.cfg file you can use a retail or OEM key and select what version you want to install. Your product key still has to match the version you install. If you select Ultimate and try to enter a Pro key it will be rejected. Master product keys are only used on modified OEM install media that uses SLP for activation. And then only if the BIOS SLIC table on the PC matches the OEM info on the DVD. The OP's install likely originally used an SLP master key. The key on the sticker was never used. Normally you could still use it but have to activate by phone when it won't activate on line. My guess is the ei.cfg file on the ISO he downloaded is for a Retail version. If so I would just delete the ei.cfg file from the sources folder it to make it a universal install disk. Then do another clean install and see if it accepts the key on the COA sticker.

The ei.cfg file only determines what edition of win7 will be installed, it has nothing to do with retail/oem.

Every windows disk contains the images of every edition, this is possible to fit on a single dvd because of the technique called "single instancing". That means that theres only one copy of any file instead of one copy per image.

Deleting the ei.cfg file simply confuses the installer, as a result every edition is offered for install. So, deleting ei.cfg creates a universal disk that can be used to install any edition provided one has the correct edition key in ones possession.

This is the ei.cfg file from my Windows 7 Home Premium DVD. You can see that under [Channel] it says OEM, why do that if it doesn't matter?

[EditionID]
HomePremium
[Channel]
OEM
[VL]
0

If the OP posts his ei,cfg I bet it says RETAIL. Looking though the OPs post the report posted shows it installed as RETAIL. The key also listed in the post would be the default key entered for a 30 day trial, which is what you get if you don't enter one. I agree with the other post. His key is being rejected because it an OEM key and his install is Retail. He can't activate on line if he can't enter a key in the first place. I'm just trying to help, I'm not doing this just to be argumentative. :)