Solved Will windows treat a restored backup as another use of it's key?

[Tomha]

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.

 

[NoelDP]

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??

 

[Tomha]

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" .

 

[NoelDP]

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

Good luck with it.

 

[Tomha]

Thanks

 

[Tomha]

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

 

[NoelDP]

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.

 

[Tomha]

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"

 

[NoelDP]

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

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.

 

[Tomha]

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?

 

[NoelDP]

No.
The rearm count is the number of times that the system can be re-armed during a grace period (i.e. before it must be activated) not the number of systems it can be activated on.

Interestingly, installing SP1 increases the rearm count by 1 - I haven't checked to see what happens if you then uninstall SP1 (does the count decrement by 1?)

The only time the rearm count comes into play is if the system for some reason loses activation and goes into grace - you can rearm it to extend the grace period by another thirty days, while you sort out the problem.

You may have seen that many OEM installs have only 2 rearms left - this is because the OEM has used a couple in the process of sysprepping the system for distribution.

 

[Tomha]

I see, makes sense. Does this also mean that the rearm method, giving you unlimited rearms, would simply mean that you would always be in trial mode, just that you would be able to rearm it once a month?

 

[NoelDP]

correct - it also breaks the terms of the Windows License to which you agree at the start of any Windows OS installation, and MS could sue you for damages.

 

[Tomha]

Gotchya, and I agree with you, I think that's a given with any crack, never hurts to look though

 

[Kaktussoft]

You can still rearm 4 times. What's the problem ?

 

[Tomha]

Oh, twould appear there has been a misunderstanding, I think, largely on my part as to how exactly windows activates. This was more an issue of how windows detects seperate systems, it would appear that it has detected 3 system changes when there have only been 2, so while I can rearm windows, if I were to change motherboard again, technically my license should allow me to install on 1 more "system" (to my understanding), but because of the way it has detected systems thus far, I would not be able to permanently activate the copy of windows using my license key. Does that make sense?

 

[NoelDP]

There is no problem - because rearming was not the original question.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Oh, twould appear there has been a misunderstanding, I think, largely on my part as to how exactly windows activates. This was more an issue of how windows detects seperate systems, it would appear that it has detected 3 system changes when there have only been 2, so while I can rearm windows, if I were to change motherboard again, technically my license should allow me to install on 1 more "system" (to my understanding), but because of the way it has detected systems thus far, I would not be able to permanently activate the copy of windows using my license key. Does that make sense?

How did you restore win7 after swapping motherboards? Just backup/restore with a backup program? Or did you sysprep?

OEM license doesn't work after replacing motherboard. RETAIL license does work.

SYSPREP detects all new hardware after swapping motherboard. But it lowers the rearm count and asks you to reenter license key! http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/135077-windows-7-installation-transfer-new-computer.html

 

[Tomha]

It was a replacement board, identical model, so all I did was remove the old board, get the new one and put it in with the same windows install as the previous board. I tried I use says prep but it failed with various errors every time, so I gave up. Upon restarting windows with this new board I found the system in a trial, and was asked to re-enter my product key, at which point I called microsoft due to the issue with my activation count.

 

[NoelDP]

It would be normal anyhow, for a reactivation request, no matter what else, since changing the board would almost certainly mean changing the MAC address on the NIC, which of itself is often enough to trigger such a request.

Replacement of boards for failure with a manufacturer-approved 'similar' board is allowed under the rules.
Most of the time sysprep wouldn't make any difference to an activation request (in fact, as I understand it, sysprep would make such a request certain)