Reinstallation on SSD, how much GB needed for clean install?

Nyarlathotep said:

I thought, retail copies of Windows 7 weren't supposed to have this problem?

If you have a retail copy of Win7, then you CAN use the license on "another machine", but of course only one machine at a time.

That's why you phone MS when the activation wizard complains, on the phone number they provide. You will then go through the automation to enter the special key they have put on the screen. The automation may or may not now accept your entry, or will put you in touch with a human to whom you'll explain your story, that you upgraded hardware from a dead machine and never had a chance to uninstall/deactivate your retail Win7 license for that other machine. But it's no longer in use, and you now want to activate that license for the new current hardware.

They will make the swap for you, on the phone.

First try to reactivate with your Product Key at the link at Control Panel>System. Make sure the same version is shown on that page as installed.

gregrocker said:

First try to reactivate with your Product Key at the link at Control Panel>System. Make sure the same version is shown on that page as installed.

Yes I tried that first. It is still going to make me call their automated phone system.

Not going to deal with it just yet though, perhaps a bit later.

Yes, I did see your post in the other thread, I posted there first then decided to update this particular thread later on. :)

For now though, everything still seems to be working just fine. Just pushed it through a few runs of 3DMark's Firestrike.. just cause I like watching that one, lol

Oh and yes, it does still show the same version on control panel>system .. .just being fussy over the key.

dsperber said:

....or will put you in touch with a human to whom you'll explain your story, that you upgraded hardware from a dead machine and never had a chance to uninstall/deactivate your retail Win7 license for that other machine. But it's no longer in use, and you now want to activate that license for the new current hardware.

Now here's the catch with that...

I plan to use the former motherboard, CPU and RAM to replace my aging Win XP System currently running on even older hardware.

However for that one, I bought a new OEM copy of Win 7 Home. Basically just going to use the old hardware, to build a completely new system, and install a new and fresh copy of Win 7 Home on it...

Am I going to have any issues activating that copy of Win 7, on a motherboard that had previously already been activated on my 7 Ultimate?

Oh yea, and I almost forgot!

Malcolm the Ferret approves of the new PC!

Cute for a rodent. :)

I hope you didn't get a non-Genuine copy. Where did you say you bought it? It is I believe a UK English pre-SP1 sku so they might want to be fussy and say you can't install with SP1 media as I've heard rarely. But if you bought it from a legit retailer I doubt if it's counterfeit since the packaging looks fully legit, though I haven't seen the COA sticker and you shouldn't post it.

Thats cause a Ferret's not a rodent!

Its a Mustela! Different species and in the same genus as the Weasel.

They're also 100% carnivore! Strictly a pure meat based diet.

They're also the third most popular domesticated pet in America, behind the dog and cat; they combine the playful nature of a dog with the extreme inquisitiveness of a cat; and the laziness of both! LOL

I'll mark this thread solved after I get the product key issue sorted out, probably later tonight or tomorrow evening. :)

Hey thanks for that, it comes up showing as a Retail Key, validity lists it as "valid"..

Only thing odd though is the very last 3 digits in the 4th (final) string of the product ID, are different from what it shows on my control panel>system window.

I would rather run the MGADiag report and post in the Windows Updates & Activation forum for help determining the status of a license.
Folks shouldn't post a license key here, or anywhere ... so why enter a key in some "unknown" site ?
Who knows what is done, or could be done with the full license keys folks enter into a "PIDchecker site" ?

Maybe MS should buy this program so the check is done on a MS site ?