Is activation of W7 via phone possible for a not running version?

[oao]

I have purchased a laptop that came originally with the OEM W7 Home Premium 64.
The previous owner had deleted the recovery partition and installed Ultimate on it which has a key.

I used an official Digital River ISO to create an install disc of Home Premium and validated the original OEM copy's key.

I need to use XP Mode and that is available only for Prof and Ultimate. I was wondering if I can replicate the ISO process and have the key of Ultimate validated by MS, so that I can switch to it.

When I validated the key by phone it used the running the version of W7 to which the key belonged. I am wondering if I can validate the other key even though I do not yet run that version. If not, is there another way to activate while that version is not running?

Thanks.

 

[NoelDP]

You can use Anytime Upgrade to install the Upgrade key you purchase (Anytime Upgrade, full Upgrade, or Full Retail license) - you will need internet access, as it checks validation during the process.

You cannot activate a Key that is not in use.

 

[oao]

Thanks. That's what I suspected.

I dk how the previous owner acquired the key and I don't want to go through an upgrade only to find that the key cannot be validated.

What I need is for MS to tell me whether the key is legit. Then I can install Ultimate from ISO and validate the key. I would have preferred to do it by email, I really don't want to be on hold, but I have no choice.

 

[NoelDP]

If that's what you need, use teh Anytime Upgrade process - it won't proceed without checking the Key first.
your other option is to ring the Activation Operators at your local number from this list.... How to contact a Microsoft Product Activation Center by telephone
and check the actual current status of the Key, and what type it is. Technically, if the previous owner didn't also provide the other parts of the Ultimate package (either the email from an Anytime Upgrade, or the packaging and Key from a normal retail upgrade/full pack) then they are still the owners of the license.