Activating a Windows 7 Retail Clean Install using a OEM Product Key

[KingIsaiahIV]

My cousin give me a HP Mini 110-3715TU which is running Windows 7 Starter. After 15 days it won't start and I've decided to perform a clean install, However I used a retail copy of Windows 7 which I write to a USB Flash Drive. After the installation, I can't activate it using the product key on the COA sticker, it says that the product key are not valid. It is possible that OEM Product Keys are for OEM versions of Windows or it is meant for the OS only pre-installed by the OEM?

P.S. On the COA Sticker it says "Windows 7 Starter OA SEA".

Thank You.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

As far as I know, that Product Key on that sticker can only activate Starter version, which I am guessing isn't the retail version you had on your installer.

 

[KingIsaiahIV]

I've installed Windows 7 Starter Retail. And how about the "OA SEA" at the COA sticker, what is it means?

Sorry for the English

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Hmmmm..............as far as I know the Starter version is not sold at retail. Or available for download.

Everything I've read says it is available only pre-installed.

So I'm wondering where you bought it.

Maybe an OEM version is available in some parts of the world?

 

[KingIsaiahIV]

I've copied an iso image of Windows 7 from a friend. He gave me Windows 7 Home Premium, and when I opened it I've deleted the "ei.cfg" in the "sources" folder. So I able to install Windows 7 Starter on my PC.

 

[NoelDP]

The OA SEA on the sticker almost certainly breaks doewn into
OA - OEM Activation - a COA sticker from a major manufacturer.
SEA - I suspect that this means that activation is limited to the South East Asia region - activation anywhere outside that will fail, and validation may also fail.


Please follow this tutorial and post an MGADiag report - then we can see what the problem is.

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/234159-windows-genuine-activation-issue-posting-instructions.html

Ignore errors produced when clicking on the Copy button - they simply mean that the tool could not create the backup files for some reason. The data is still copied to the clipboard for pasting to your response.

Please also state the Version and Edition of Windows quoted on your COA sticker (if you have one) on the case of your machine (or inside the battery compartment), but do NOT quote the Key on the sticker!
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/Hardware.aspx