(Re-) Activate, or Flatten and Re-install?

I forgot to post the link to the Drop Box data.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xd26hrn35...p7vzAXTga?dl=0

Because of a comment on this thread, I uninstalled ZoneAlarm, then tried to re-key Win 7.

Quite frankly, it looked like a Firewall issue....I thought that ZA was blocking M$ from connecting back to my computer to diddle it in some manner or fashion.

But....no luck. It failed identically.

I re-installed ZA.

The application event log indicated some sort of resource conflict with Dragon Naturally Speaking 12.5

I wasn't using this software, so I uninstalled it.

ZA is now re-scanning my system to see if any nastiness snuck in during the 10 minutes it was uninstalled.

I haven't yet re-installed Dragon.

I may yet just flatten this damn thing. I have Red Hat 7, and am contemplating installing that first, then running Win 7 in a virtual machine.

According to my RedHat representative, Microsoft supports this, though I am unclear if specifically supports Windows 7. I do know it support Windows Advance Server 2008.

No, I did not run their cleanup tool.

But I will re-uninstall, run the cleanup, then try to re-activate.

I'll post back here with the results.

It just would not surprise me if it was a firewall issue.

I uninstalled ZA, ran their cleanup tool, then tried to re-authorize.

Still the same problem exists.

Do you want me to put the logs again out on dropbox?

The Genuine Microsoft Software website says that I'm not running IE, Firefox or Netscape browsers. Yet the help-->about says that I'm running IE 11.

I re-tried it with Firefox. Here's the result.

Code:

Genuine Microsoft Software – Diagnostic Site
What is the purpose of this site?

These diagnostic pages will help you ensure that your Mozilla Firefox Web browser (1.0.5 or later) settings are configured properly to see images and run scripts.
Genuine Microsoft Software Diagnostic Results
Passed 	Active scripting allowed
Passed 	Display images enabled
Passed 	Computer time and date correct
Passed 	Cookies enabled

There is a new MCADiag file in the drop box. It does not seem to have changed from the previous.

This is what I don't understand. The version that I purchased, and am trying to activate, is the normal, retail version of Windows 7. The version I installed at the beginning, and the one I am trying to validate, is the normal retail version of Windows Home Premium 64 Bit.

However, when I look at the key under Start-->Computer-->Properties, it shows this product key: 00359-OEM-8703917-84XXX

I have NO idea how this product key appeared. Its possible that this is the result of some sort of virus but Google can't find it. Malwarebytes and ZA virus scan do not detect anything either.

I understand the differences between OEM and retail versions of the software. I purchased, and am trying to validate the retail version. It won't let me.