Solved Invalid Product Key when installing on new SSD

[WaffleMuffin]

I switching from HDs from the 3.5 HD OEM to a 2.5 SSD. I had recently installed WIN 7 a little over a month ago on the OEM HD with the product key that was re-emailed to me from Microsoft. I am now trying to use that same product key on the new SSD, but it says that my product key invalid. What do I need to do? I'm working on this now, help is very needed right now. Thanks.

The orginal OEM HD had vista on it, upgrade to WIN 7 a year ago, and then the reinstall a month ago with product key that was re-emailed to me.

 

[armyslowrdr]

I had the same happen on my new build last week. I just used the phone dial in service easy peasey. You just follow the prompts.

 

[WaffleMuffin]

Thanks, what number did you call? Is a 24 hour hotline? I would like to get this done tonight? Thats what I was think I might have to do.

 

[armyslowrdr]

Yup--the computer prompted me and I am sure it was late evening when I did it. I dont know number off hand...
Oh here are the instructions : Activate Windows 7 on this computer

Phone instructions down page a ways...

 

[WaffleMuffin]

Is there a difference between product keys for WIN 7 upgrade and WIN 7 new install? Looks like I have 30 days to figure out the product key also.

 

[armyslowrdr]

I thought you said you had an emailed product key.. ? Use that. If the phone system won't activate it wait for an operator.

 

[WaffleMuffin]

I do have a product key that emailed to me. I already used that for once for the OEM HD when reinstalled WIN 7. I'm trying to install WIN 7 with the same product key on my new SSD that will be my new OS HD.

 

[WaffleMuffin]

Can someone please post the phone number to call to activate my product key. I do not have the that option listed on my activation window as seen here, How to contact a Microsoft Product Activation Center by phone

My 2010 Office product key is not working also. HELP!

 

[gregrocker]

If it's Upgrade version then you have to do a quick workaround to activate Win7 upgrade version on a new or wiped HD: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Easiest is registry edit. Set a System Restore Point first.

This is made available by MS so that users don't have to reinstall the qualifying OS first to reinstall Win7, or if HD replacement is required.

You can migrate retail Win7 as often as you want for the life of the OS.

How To Activate Windows 7 by Phone Step-by-Step Guide

 

[armyslowrdr]

Hmm on my new system build I used an upgrade disc and did not have to do any work around except to use the phone activation panel that the op says he can't see..... Then again maybe I did as I did a clean install....

 

[WaffleMuffin]

What do I do after I complete the "Clean Install with a Upgrade Windoes 7 Version"? I tried entering the product key after that and it didnt work.

I tried doing the System Restore Point, but that didnt seem to do anything?

Then I tried calling, and they said I would have to install Vista first and then install Win 7? I dont have the Vista disk or the product key for it since it's 5 years old and I didnt keep good records like that back then. They tried transferring to Customer Service, but that was taking for ever and it's late, so I hung up.

 

[gregrocker]

If there is any OS on the HD the installer will see it at boot and allow use of Upgrade version key during install. If none then it requires doing one of the two workarounds given in Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version tutorial. Which one did you do?

Easiest is this one:

OPTION THREE
Clean Install with a Registry Workaround for Error Code 0xc004f061

Note
If you get a activation error code 0xc004f061 while doing OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO above, then you will need to use this option instead documented by Paul Thurrott's Supersite Blog: Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media.

1. Do a clean install of your upgrade Windows 7 at boot without checking the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box during the installation process.
NOTE: If you already did this from OPTION ONE above and got a activation error, then skip this step and just proceed to step 2 below instead. There's no need to reinstall again.

2. Ensure that there are no Windows Updates pending that would require a system reboot to finish installing. (You'll see an orange shield icon next to Shutdown in the Start Menu if this is the case). If there are, then restart the computer to let them finish installing before proceeding to step 3 below.

3. Click on the Download button below to download the MediaBootInstall.reg file, and save it to your desktop.

​

4. Double click on the downloaded MediaBootInstall.reg file to merge it, then approve the merge.
NOTE: This will change the MediaBootInstall value from 1 to 0 at the registry location below automatically for you.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\OOBE


​

5. Open a elevated command prompt.

6. In the elevated command prompt, type slmgr -rearm and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

​

7. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

​

8. Close the elevated command prompt, and restart the computer.

9. When the computer is finished restarting, then manually activate Windows 7 with your product key number.
​

Quote: Originally Posted by Pual Thurrott
The method described above should work for just about anyone, with the understanding that any pending Windows Updates could screw things up. If that happens, just shut down, restart, rerun the command line sequence (steps 5 to 8), and retry activation.
​

If activation doesn't work then the main cause is inputting incorrect digits. Triple check what you type before sending it.

If that fails try phone Activation using the link I gave earlier.

 

[WaffleMuffin]

I tried both, but I could not get to step 4 in the second option. Where is that window?

I tried calling, but tech support had told me that I needed unistall Win 7, install Vista, then upgrade to WIN 7. I just found the product key for Vista. Is there some where I can down the ISO file of Vista 64-bit? I dont mind doing the work if it means i dont have to talk to tech support again.

 

[gregrocker]

There is no reason to install Vista.

To check that the Reg file you downloaded and Merged as instructed changed the Registry value correctly, type Regedit in Start Search box, rightclick on result given to Run As Administrator, browse to the path shown on the bottom of the Window in step 4 after clicking to enlarge it.

Once you verify the Registry Edit was made, you'll need to run the Elevated command in Step 5 and then you can Activate at Computer>Properties link.

 

[WaffleMuffin]

OK, so the instructions above do work. Thanks for the tip for checking the Reg file.