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#1
Unable to get around Win7 product activation problem
Since installing a new mobo & hard drive I've had the classic problem of my Windows 7 product activation code not working. Lots of internet research, consulting a few computer nerds, Microsoft websites and 2 computer technicians later, the answer has always come up the same: call Microsoft, explain the situation, give them my product activation code and they'll reset it to work again. This seems impossible though as all 3 of the phone methods don't work.
Method 1: Speak my activation code into the phone for their voice recognition software.
After 6 attempts it couldn't make out what I was saying.
Method 2: Input the code into the keypad.
Maybe I'm just being a bit mentally challenged here, but how can I give my activation code for each letter when there are 3 letters on each keypad number? I tried doing it anyway, but of course it didn't work.
Method 3: Speak to support staff on the phone.
I tried this and it was one massive exercise in frustration. The guy had such a heavy accent that neither of us could make out half of what the other was saying. I explained to him again and again that my code "isn't valid" because I changed the mobo and hard drive, but he just kept saying "this error message is because your product activation code isn't valid". Upon my last attempt he said something that included "I'll transfer you" and I couldn't make out the rest. I waited on on hold and after 5 minutes the same guy came back on and said "[something incoherent] your activation code isn't valid; thank you for calling Microsoft, goodbye." *click* (I never did give him my code btw; he's just going off the error message).
Can anyone please help me?