Solved Will a factory OEM key work with a retail re-installation?

[stevieray]

I am helping a friend deal with his malware infested PC. He already took it to a Famous Electronic Store (the Best place to Buy stuff) and asked the geeks to fix it. One week and two hundred dollars later, it is still infected with the same scareware and hijacker... so now it's up to me. Yikes!

I am leaning toward pulling his personal files, wiping it, and re-installing the OS. He has only the usual factory recovery disc.

I would like to use my retail x64 disc to install the OS, and put in his product key when activating it. Will that work?

 

[bassfisher6522]

Not sure....if its the same OS and bit I would think so. I've never tried it. What does it look like in disk management? IS the hidden OS partition still there and does it say healthy partition. Depending on make, there are options to reset to factory condition....whether with built in proprietary software or from the hidden partition.

 

[stevieray]

Not sure....if its the same OS and bit I would think so. I've never tried it. What does it look like in disk management? IS the hidden OS partition still there and does it say healthy partition. Depending on make, there are options to reset to factory condition....whether with built in proprietary software or from the hidden partition.

Well, I think the hidden OS partition is still there... the first partition on the HD is labeled "OEM partition"; at 64 MB it's about the right size.

But I don't know if I want to trust that it's clean and disease free. This PC has been infected since November when he took it to the geeks, and has resisted every fix thrown at it. I think I might be better off if I start completely clean...

 

[bassfisher6522]

The hidden partition is generally 8 to 12 gigs for the factory OS...not in MB. Now there is a 100 mb partition and contains important bootable files. See post here for that info...

http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/10408-whats-100mb-partition-can-i-delete.html



I don't have a hidden partition because this is a custom build and I have the disk to re-install.

 

[stevieray]

This PC has one HD with three partitions:

The first is 64MB and is called "OEM Partition"; Simple, Basic, *no file system*, Healthy (OEM Partition)
The second is "Recovery"; Simple, Basic, NTFS, Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition)
The third is C:; Simple, Basic, NTFS, Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)

But I don't really think any of this matters... I don't want to try any recovery/restore function. I think that's what the geek squad guys did, and it didn't work. Heck, for all I know, the scareware/hijacker could be hiding out in the OEM or Recovery partition.

What I need to know is whether a Dell OEM supplied key will work with a retail installation... I don't know if MS has some way of differentiating the two. Or if they even care to differentiate.

 

[whs]

You can use any installation disc and apply the key that is on the PC's COA sticker (not the one that you see in Computer Properties that has 'OEM' in the middle). But you must have the same distro - e.g. Home Premium 64bit. The key for that would not work on a Home Premium 32bit or a Professional 64bit.

 

[stevieray]

You can use any installation disc and apply the key that is on the PC's COA sticker (not the one that you see in Computer Properties that has 'OEM' in the middle). But you must have the same distro - e.g. Home Premium 64bit. The key for that would not work on a Home Premium 32bit or a Professional 64bit.

Thanks whs. That's what I figured, but I wanted to be sure before I brought out the blow torches and cattle prods. (heh)

Now I just have to figure out which product key is the correct one -- the sticker says one thing, and jelly bean says something else. I wonder what those geeks did to this thing..?

 

[bobkn]

I've been waiting for someone to mention the procedure to modify the installation to make it generic, by removal of the ei.cfg file.

Does that extend to OEM keys? I vaguely recall reading that it does, but I've never tried it myself.

 

[whs]

You can use any installation disc and apply the key that is on the PC's COA sticker (not the one that you see in Computer Properties that has 'OEM' in the middle). But you must have the same distro - e.g. Home Premium 64bit. The key for that would not work on a Home Premium 32bit or a Professional 64bit.

Thanks whs. That's what I figured, but I wanted to be sure before I brought out the blow torches and cattle prods. (heh)

Now I just have to figure out which product key is the correct one -- the sticker says one thing, and jelly bean says something else. I wonder what those geeks did to this thing..?

The geeks have probably stolen the product key and installed some pirated key that will expire all of a sudden. If that is the case, you have a problem and might have to call Microsoft. In any case, it is the key on the COA sticker that counts.

Another possibility is that the system was upgraded at a later time and Jelly Bean shows the upgrade key. Ask your friend.

 

[gregrocker]

Clean Reinstall Factory OEM steps

 

[stevieray]

Clean Reinstall Factory OEM steps

Big pile of info... nice! Thanks!

 

[stevieray]

The geeks have probably stolen the product key and installed some pirated key that will expire all of a sudden. If that is the case, you have a problem and might have to call Microsoft. In any case, it is the key on the COA sticker that counts.

Another possibility is that the system was upgraded at a later time and Jelly Bean shows the upgrade key. Ask your friend.

Ask my friend..? Heh. I'd be better off asking my cat. He's a great guy, but he knows little about computers, and most of what he knows is wrong. As long as he can get to his fantasy football websites, he's as happy as a clam. And his wife is even worse... I could give them back a waffle iron with an etch-a-sketch strapped to it and she wouldn't know the difference.

I suppose I'll just try the sticker key first, if that doesn't work I'll try the other. And if that's a no-go, I'll call MS.

 

[whs]

I would try to find out what the story of this Jelly Bean key is. It's only a phone call here: Activation and registration of a Microsoft product

 

[gregrocker]

The reason the keys don't match is because the key audited from the HD is the OEM-SLP factory mass-activation key used at the factory for offline activation, while the key on the COA sticker is the OEM-COA key which is to be used for clean reinstall by the consumer.

When you use the key from the COA sticker it changes the activation from the manufacturer's control to MS Activation Servers. The first time it may require a robocall to exchange a series of numbers which marries the hardware signature to the key. Reactivation after that is easily done online.

There are benefits to having MS manage your activation beyond just getting the vastly superior clean reinstall.

MS will protect your right to use either 32- or 64-bit with each license whereas the manufacturer might think it can limit you in violation of the EULA. Your activation is also not at the mercy of often incompetent OEM tech support - although if forced to call them under warranty I would not tell them you clean reinstalled as they may use it as an excuse to not help you even though they can't invalidate your hardware warranty. Save your Recovery disks in case you need to ship it back under warranty.

 

[SIW2]

What I need to know is whether a Dell OEM supplied key will work with a retail installation...

If you mean the Dell key on the sticker on the machine ...Yes, it will work.

You might need to add drivers later - but d/l them first and put on a cd - just in case the nic card drivers are not included in 7 install media already.

Then just do the usual boot the dvd and install the edition the key is for (probably home premium ).

Pop the key in.

You should at least get to the desktop.

Then check in device manager and install any drivers still needed form the cd you made.


[unless they do things differently in your country - Dell key activates just fine online like any bought product key]

 

[theog]

How to use Dell Recovery Partition,make Recovery Disks & how to order Recovery Disks.
Dell - Support

 

[Layback Bear]

The reason the keys don't match is because the key audited from the HD is the OEM-SLP factory mass-activation key used at the factory for offline activation, while the key on the COA sticker is the OEM-COA key which is to be used for clean reinstall by the consumer.

When you use the key from the COA sticker it changes the activation from the manufacturer's control to MS Activation Servers. The first time it may require a robocall to exchange a series of numbers which marries the hardware signature to the key. Reactivation after that is easily done online.

There are benefits to having MS manage your activation beyond just getting the vastly superior clean reinstall.

MS will protect your right to use either 32- or 64-bit with each license whereas the manufacturer might think it can limit you in violation of the EULA. Your activation is also not at the mercy of often incompetent OEM tech support - although if forced to call them under warranty I would not tell them you clean reinstalled as they may use it as an excuse to not help you even though they can't invalidate your hardware warranty. Save your Recovery disks in case you need to ship it back under warranty.

 

[stevieray]

Thanks for all the help, everybody. The re-installation went smoothly... the product key on the case sticker worked fine, and the flames were minimal. The fire marshal says the smoke damage will clear up in a few days. (heh... kidding)

 

[SIW2]

You're welcome.

Glad it went well.