Windows 7: Inactive Windows 7 Home Premium

I installed Windows 7 Home Premium and am unable to activate because it was previously loaded on a different PC. I want to revert back to Vista Home Premium but do not have c:\Windows.old as required. I have access to a legal download of Windows 7 Professional Upgrade but am unable to download it because of Home Premium being installed on my PC. When I purchased my laptop, Vista Home Premium was preloaded and I do not have a recovery disk.

Can I reinstall Vista Home Premium by downloading from Microsoft and using the product key on the bottom of the laptop or am I screwed? According to what I've read, I am unable to install Windows 7 Professional without first purchasing a Windows Upgrade Anytime key. I do not want to purchase anymore than I absolutely need to; thus the reason for wanting to revert to Vista Home Premium.

Thanks

If your system came with Vista preloaded, you should have a recovery partition from where you could reinstall. Depemding on the make of your PC, there are different procedures. If you have a recovery partition (usually D) and post the make, I will see whether I can find the procedure in my files.

whs: wonder if the vista recovery partition still exist since he installed Win 7... It may unless Windows 7 formatted the drive.

If you are tring to activate a copy of Windows 7, but cannot because it was on a different PC, there may be a solution. If the prior computer came with windows 7 pre installed you are out of luck. If you bought a copy of windows 7 and installed it on a computer and now want to install it on antother computer, this is what you must do. Uninstall windows 7 from the first computer. Install in the second. When you are asked for the key number do not give it. In addition, make sure that the box authorizing automatic activation after install if not checked. After you are installed try to activate. If you cannot you will be given a phone number, call it and activate. If still a problem, a rep will come on the phone to help you. If you tell him the history of the Windows 7, in question, and that it is not on any other computer, he will activate you.