Win 7 ultimate 64bit, can I use current OEM Key and reinstall

[Foxtrot]

Hello all,
I have a hand me down VAIO laptop that is running Win 7 ultimate 64 bit and MS Office. I used productkey to find out the Win OEM prodcut key and also the MS Office product key.
I have been having problems for a while and the computer wont let me restart unless is on safe mode, I tried repairing it but it doesnt work. I dont have a back up and no restore date so I can't go back to before it started acting up.

Can I copy as much as I can on an external harddrive and install Win 7 ultimate from the beginning and use the OEM product key I have? can I do the same to reinstall MS Office?

 

[torchwood]

Hi Foxtrot,
unlikely that comp came with Ultimate, but possible.
Make an image most here use Macrium (free)

There should be a COA sticker on it showing the originally installed OS type, and a spare key
(dont post it)
IF it states Ultimate try a factory reset
run this little tool, copy/paste the output
(it will show errors but thats because your in safe mode)

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=52012

We'll go from there


Roy

 

[Foxtrot]

Hi Foxtrot,
unlikely that comp came with Ultimate, but possible.
Make an image most here use Macrium (free)

There should be a COA sticker on it showing the originally installed OS type, and a spare key
(dont post it)
IF it states Ultimate try a factory reset
run this little tool, copy/paste the output
(it will show errors but thats because your in safe mode)

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=52012

We'll go from there


Roy

Thank you Roy for the reply, that is a good question, my sister gave me the laptop so I am not sure if she later installed the Win 7 Ultimate, I was able to get the product key using produkey. I haven't checked for a sticker, I will check tonight and run the tool you mention and will post it.
Thank you again!

 

[Foxtrot]

Hi Foxtrot,
unlikely that comp came with Ultimate, but possible.
Make an image most here use Macrium (free)

There should be a COA sticker on it showing the originally installed OS type, and a spare key
(dont post it)
IF it states Ultimate try a factory reset
run this little tool, copy/paste the output
(it will show errors but thats because your in safe mode)

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=52012

We'll go from there


Roy

Hello, sorry it took a long time to get back, I checked the sticker below and the originally installed OS was Windows Vista Home Premium OEMAct. I guess they installed Windows 7 because if I recall Windows Vista was not the greatest OS. So it seems that I have a original Windows Vista product key(sticker) and Windows 7 Ultimate installed. I rather have the Windows Ultimate, I have an ISO Win 7 Ultimate on a flash drive, I am just scared that if I install Win 7 and enter the product key I got from ProduKey it will not work.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Foxtrot,

post the results of the tool,
i will be able to check it for you.

Roy

 

[Megahertz07]

A windows vista key obviously wont work on a Win 7 installation.
As Roy suggested, you should run http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=52012 and post the results here. If it's a genuine key, we can guide you to get the installed key.

 

[Foxtrot]

Hi Foxtrot,

post the results of the tool,
i will be able to check it for you.

Roy

Is there anything that I should whiteout(product key, product key hash, product ID, product ID type, ID) before posting the results?

 

[Layback Bear]

Hi Foxtrot

Roy is off line but let me assure you that their is nothing in the log Roy requested that will give anything that shouldn't be posted.
Thousands of members have posted such logs.


http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=52012

Here is a tutorial by Brink that will guide you.

Windows Genuine and Activation Issue Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Help Forums

When Roy comes back he will give you guidance concerning the log.
Jack

 

[Foxtrot]

Hi Foxtrot

Roy is off line but let me assure you that their is nothing in the log Roy requested that will give anything that shouldn't be posted.
Thousands of members have posted such logs.


http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=52012

Here is a tutorial by Brink that will guide you.

Windows Genuine and Activation Issue Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Help Forums

When Roy comes back he will give you guidance concerning the log.
Jack

Thank you Jack!

 

[Foxtrot]

Hi Foxtrot,

post the results of the tool,
i will be able to check it for you.

Roy

I apologize that I couldnt copy paste it, I had to take a pic as I was running out the door. I hope this works.

 

[AddRAM]

System Locked Pre-installation - Wikipedia

Maybe you should just upgrade it to Windows 10 now, then you could clean install 10.

 

[Foxtrot]

I believe that for Win 10 I would have to pay for it, this is an old laptop and I have the product key for vista, in the worst case I would rather go back to vista. Not cost effective to spend more money on the OS than what the laptop is worth.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Foxtrot,
not good news im afraid.
Even with the little i can see, the key in use is for a Dell machine making it a non-genuine install.

If its been updating i can summise an activation exploit is in use, which will be overwritten on a clean install, and if you look at the bottom of the full report i suspect there are some dell references.

If you want to re-install Ultimate you will have to purchase a genuine licence
Expensive and hard to come by nowadays.
Boys from your side of the pond will know the reputable ones.

Roy

 

[AddRAM]

You don`t need Ultimate.

Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit-Newegg.com

or just install a free Linux version.

Zorin OS 12.1 Core is good. Scroll down past the Ultimate version, the Ultimate version is not free.

Download - Zorin OS

 

[Foxtrot]

Hi Foxtrot,
not good news im afraid.
Even with the little i can see, the key in use is for a Dell machine making it a non-genuine install.

If its been updating i can summise an activation exploit is in use, which will be overwritten on a clean install, and if you look at the bottom of the full report i suspect there are some dell references.

If you want to re-install Ultimate you will have to purchase a genuine licence
Expensive and hard to come by nowadays.
Boys from your side of the pond will know the reputable ones.

Roy

Thank you for your help and time trying to solve this. The laptop works well on safe mode but then it has problems on normal start. I guess I can back up the information. Is there any way to repair the current version with the ISO copy of Win 7 ultimate or it's a lost cause.

If so, I guess I can go to Vista since I have the original product key. I am wondering what would that do to MS office and Photoshop.

There are a lot of programs on that laptop is there a better tool than the internal Win tool to remove those programs that I dont need?

 

[Megahertz07]

Backup your data.
Download Win 10 installation iso.
Extract to a flash disk.
Under Windows, launch setup.
You will end with a win 10 Pro with all your data and programs.

 

[Foxtrot]

Backup your data.
Download Win 10 installation iso.
Extract to a flash disk.
Under Windows, launch setup.
You will end with a win 10 Pro with all your data and programs.

Thank you for the advice, but I dont think is very cost effective to spend more money on the OS that what the laptop costs. And if you were referring to the free Win 10 upgrade, I believe that expired and it was for machines running Win 7/8. So I think my options are limited, back up the info and either reinstall Vista or Linux.

If I reinstall Vista would it delete my MS Office and Photoshop?

 

[Megahertz07]

- You can download and install win 10 for free. The free Win 10 upgrade is still working.
- Not sure but I think that to downgrade to Vista you have to do a Clean install. And Vista support has ended (no updates). Forget Vista.
Try to upgrade to Win 10, if it doesn't work, install a Linux (Zorin or Lubuntu).

 

[torchwood]

That would depend upon the OS being genuine, need to see the full tool reports.

It wont upgrade a non-genuine.

Roy

 

[SIW2]

You can use server 2008 updates for Vista till 2020, I believe.
Server 2008 Updates on Windows Vista - Windows Vista - MSFN

- You can download and install win 10 for free. The free Win 10 upgrade is still working.
- Not sure but I think that to downgrade to Vista you have to do a Clean install. And Vista support has ended (no updates). Forget Vista.
Try to upgrade to Win 10, if it doesn't work, install a Linux (Zorin or Lubuntu).