New Hard Drive won't take same product key?

[erickim55]

I just bought a new Hard drive and I installed windows 7 onto it, but whenever I put in my product key, it says the key is not valid. Does this mean I have to buy a brand new Windows 7 or is there a way around this?

 

[SIW2]

Is it an Upgrade key?

If so, there are a couple of solutions.

Probabaly easiest ( but not quickest) is to boot into 7, put 7 dvd in drive, rt click dvddrive, select Open and run setup.

Select Upgrade - put the key in during the upgrade installation.

 

[erickim55]

Yes it is an upgrade key. Are you telling me to install it again?

 

[SIW2]

Do an in place install over the 7 you already installed.

It will think you are upgrading and should be fine with the key.

See my first post for instructions.

Ther is a quicker way involving a registry change and a command - maybe easier for you to do the upgrade install.

You could have done it by now . LOL.

 

[gregrocker]

The repair install SIW2 suggests is run from the desktop, an upgrade over itself. The installer sees there is already Windows underneath and accepts upgrade key.

The other method is here: http://community.winsupersite.com/b...-7-upgrade-media-what-about-x64-upgrades.aspx