Windows 7: Will windows treat a restored backup as another use of it's key?

I want to restore my copy of windows to a backup I made right after a fresh, activated, install, will this count as another use of my CD Key? I am supposedly on the last valid use of my key already, I'd rather not have to go through all the trouble of explaining what happened over the phone so that they can give me a working validation code.

In theory it makes no difference either way - you are allowed to reactivate on the same hardware as many times as necessary.
What makes you think there is a limit??

When I replaced my motherboard due to faulty hardware, windows detected a hardware change, and required that I reactivate windows. I am on a OEM licence for Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit, and when reactivating windows with my key failed, I tried the phone activation method, at which point the automated system told me that my licence only allows me to install on a limited number of systems, which I assume to be 3.

I build my own computers, I first installed this license on my original computer. Although I slowly upgraded parts, by now, every part has been replaced, technically it would be considered a second computer I guess...but by now I had done many re installs and the likes. I assume windows incorrectly viewed a few of these re installs and the likes as new systems.

Long story short, when I tried to reactivate windows a few days ago I was told that I was on the limit of my activation allowance, and had to call windows to get a activation code. So in answer to your questions, I suppose you are right that it is all the same hardware and theoretically shouldn't matter, however the situation arose because I wasn't always re installing on identical hardware, which was in conflict with my license, if you will.

Thanks for the input though, much appreciated. I have also thought it through though and decided that rather then effectively wiping everything, ill just do some extensive "spring cleaning" :P.

Make sure you've got a current backup/image before you start!

Good luck with it.

Thanks

Very interesting, feels a little back handed, I guess, to be doing this with a legitimate copy of windows myself, though I can't say I agree with the cost of windows, given the limited uses . Thanks for the heads up

Update:
Running that elevated command gave a somewhat lengthy output window, I can't seem to copy it, nor am I sure its secure to share it all (not that I suspect anyone here of exploiting information), although a point of interest, towards the bottom:

License Status: Licensed
Remaining Windows rearm count: 4

Thanks for the help with this Kaktussoft, you've helped me in the past and I really appreciated it then, I'm sure this will yield similar results

I'm by no means certain what you are trying to achieve, Kaktussoft??
The hack to reset the rearm count is still a crack, whatever you choose to call it.
The /DLV switch simply reports the current licensing status. - it doesn't back it up.

I'm curious though, regardless of all this, as to what it means when it reports the remaining rearm count as 4, I would have thought by this point it would read "0"

If you want to copy/paste the output, run it in a command prompt -
CSCRIPT SLMGR.VBS /DLV
which will put the output into the CMD window, and it can be copied from there.

Better still, run MGADiag, and copy the report to a text file - the Licensing Status section is the output from a /DLV

Resetting the rearm count will do precisely nothing for an activated system - it only counts down when the system is rearmed during a grace period.

Sure it will do nothing for an activated system, but if the count is currently at 4, then does that not mean I could re-install/rearm 4 more times on a new system?