Reinstall & Activation question

[dockster]

I've installed WIndows 7 Ultimate with an activation key on a PC. If for whatever reason I need to re-format and reinstall it -- will I get an error about the key already being used?

Couldn't find any details on this on the MS site.

Thanks.

 

[Perrybucsdad]

You shouldn't, but it may tell you that you have to call MS to validate it. If you do, just call them and tell them that you had to reinstall on the same computer and what the reason was.

Now, if you are asking can I install on a second computer, the answer would be no. One license, one computer.

 

[zigzag3143]

I've installed WIndows 7 Ultimate with an activation key on a PC. If for whatever reason I need to re-format and reinstall it -- will I get an error about the key already being used?

Couldn't find any details on this on the MS site.

Thanks.

Dockster

Hi and welcome

You will not have a problem for the first 3-4 times activating online but at some point you may have to make a phone call. thats all there is to it.

 

[gregrocker]

If it is retail Win7 it belongs to you and is yours to use on the machine of your choice (but only ONE machine at a time) permanently. It is not tied to any machine.

If it is an Upgrade, then by License Agreement is is tied to the underlying hardware and upgraded Vista/XP which are also by license agreement not useable again except for reinstall. However there is no mechanism by which MS disables or deactivates the underlying XP/Vista, it only keeps track that the Upgrade key is used on one machine at a time. Others may know how tied to the hardware it becomes, but the MVP's on Technet say there is no way MS knows if the Upgrade migrates to another machine just that it is not on more than one machine at a time.

 

[TheSchaft]

I've installed WIndows 7 Ultimate with an activation key on a PC. If for whatever reason I need to re-format and reinstall it -- will I get an error about the key already being used?

Couldn't find any details on this on the MS site.

Thanks.

If the version you have is from MSDN, you have 10 licenses. Once you have re-installed (and activated) 10 times, you'll have to call Microsoft and ask for another set of keys. No big deal.

If you image your initial install on the other hand, you should be able to recover that without any re-activation.

 

[slnm]

just to continue on the same topic - I have Win7 x64 installed on one computer, but I also have a separate (unused) MSDNA licence for x86 version

What I'd like to do is remove the current x64 installation on computer A, and put x86 installation on it and then use the already activated x64 on a second computer. Would that require a phone call to Microsoft or would it go through without any hassle?

 

[sup3rsprt]

when you put it on the other computer, you will need to reactivate. Whether or not you need to call Microsoft depends on how many activations you've done with your current product key.

 

[slnm]

when you put it on the other computer, you will need to reactivate. Whether or not you need to call Microsoft depends on how many activations you've done with your current product key.

just the one time and i plan to do it once more and that should be it.

 

[sup3rsprt]

it could also depend on what kind of license it is? Is it retail or MSDNAA or ?

 

[gregrocker]

No worries: if it is retail it belongs to you, you own it for life, and you are entitled to have it activated no matter what on the machine of your choice (but only one at a time).

I have never had to go to a person on the MS activation phone option, and I move my retail licenses whenever and wherever I please. Usually they self or web activate, sometimes I have to swap numbers on the auto phone system, but no more.

If I ever got a person, I have the proofs of purchase which is what ultimately rules under the EULA and the law. You own it, they cannot steal it back from you.

That said, their retail tech support is worth the price of the product. You can get a full education on reinstalls, optimizing, debugging, etc.

 

[slnm]

it could also depend on what kind of license it is? Is it retail or MSDNAA or ?

yes, it's msdnaa.

 

[ajcgi]

So hypothetically I could move my retail license off this machine onto a new one at some point in the future? That would be more than handy.

 

[Tews]

@gregrocker.... Just to clear up a point ... you may have paid for it, but you do not own it, you are leasing it... I aint sayin... Im just sayin..

 

[Shinobi73]

Windows 7 is designed that when you install it on your PC it will log or "remember" your system's hardware setup (i.e. RAM, Motherboard, Processor, Video Card). This is achieved thru the part's "PID"

So lets say your just reinstalling your Win7 OS co'z your system crashed, unless you've made any modifications like changing graphic cards or upgrading your RAM, the installation will not ask for verification.

 

[sup3rsprt]

So lets say your just reinstalling your Win7 OS co'z your system crashed, unless you've made any modifications like changing graphic cards or upgrading your RAM, the installation will not ask for verification.

When does the installation ever ask for verification?

Even if you clean install it on the same computer (by that I mean format hdd and reinstall), you will have to activate it again even if none of the hardware changed.

 

[Shinobi73]

Actually there is a 20% threshold on the modifications.

Like if your just changing your monitor or keyboard that wont make a difference. But if your changing your RAM that's 5% each - HDD is around 5% - Processors 30% - Motherboard 30% - VGA is 10%

I need to confirm the exact % but the ones above can give you a rough idea

A clean install is ok as long as you don't change anything with your hardware setup that exceeds the 20% threshold

 

[Iomegaman]

So lets say your just reinstalling your Win7 OS co'z your system crashed, unless you've made any modifications like changing graphic cards or upgrading your RAM, the installation will not ask for verification.

When does the installation ever ask for verification?

Even if you clean install it on the same computer (by that I mean format hdd and reinstall), you will have to activate it again even if none of the hardware changed.

But on the same machine it should reactivate without question when the system ID is passed up to the activation servers.

Reinstalling on a completely different machine will (for certain types of licence/key), result in a refusal to activate.

 

[Shinobi73]

But on the same machine it should reactivate without question when the system ID is passed up to the activation servers.

Reinstalling on a completely different machine will (for certain types of licence/key), result in a refusal to activate.

Yes that's very much the idea

 

[sup3rsprt]

I am not disputing that you'll need to reactivate when the hardware changes.

What I am trying to point out is that you would need to reactivate even when the hardware doesn't change. i.e. when you clean install Windows on the same computer.

But on the same machine it should reactivate without question when the system ID is passed up to the activation servers.

I agree. but that is not really the point I was arguing.

 

[Iomegaman]

Yes you will still need to activate even when the hardware doesn't change - but reactivation is much easier with the same hardware.

Even this can be difficult. Certain licences and keys will activate up to so many times on the same hardware and then require either a call to MS, or the automatic key retrieval thing, to activate from then on.

So long as your genuine - you shouldn't have a problem