Reinstalling Windows 7 after hard drive wipe - product key incorrect?

[um4rio]

Hi, I recently purchased a Dell Xps 1340 laptop that came with windows 7 32 bit professional. After a few months, I needed to wipe the hard disk, and so I did. Before I did, I extracted my product key with a program that I downloaded off the internet. I got the following information:

Windows 7 Professional
Product Part No.: X15-37377
Installed from 'OEM' media.
Product ID: ******* match to CD Key data
CD Key: *********
Computer Name: ***-PC
Registered Owner: ***
Registered Organization:

Anyway, I had a RETAIL windows 7 professional disc, and I installed this onto my dell laptop. However, it keeps telling me that my product key is wrong when I try to activate. I have tried both 32bit and 64bit

any idea why this is happening? is it because I'm using a RETAIL windows 7 disc? If I try a dell oem disc, will that work with my product key?

thanks

 

[ken9122]

The Key that came with your dell is OEM and you should use a dell restore disk.

 

[Barman58]

The key embeded on the pre-installed operating system is a special key that is pre-activated and would be restored should you use the Dell restore option.

There should also be a COA somewhere on the system case or documentation - this key will be different from the original but is not a retail key either.

You will need to install this alternate key and then ring Microsoft and speak to an agent.

You need to explain that the restore did not work and you then used a retail disk to install - Microsoft should then manually activate your system, although they have no legal obligation to do so.

When Microsoft supply the OS to Dell they do so on the agreement that all further support and activation issues are handled by Dell.

 

[Lunarpancake]

Dell products since they sell is such high quantities actually have a volume license embedded onto the motherboard. Any Dell Windows 7 disk will be able to install and use the product key automatically.


....imagine if they didint have this and your job was to type in unique serial numbers all day at a Dell plant. NUTS!

 

[um4rio]

thanks for the replies. My friend has a dell 64bit OEM Windows 7 ultimate disc that came with his machine... can I use this to reinstall windows on my laptop? (i.e will it 'pick up' the key that's on my motherboard and use that and activate?)

thanks

 

[ken9122]

Have you tried to contact Dell and see if they will send you a duplicate system disk.?

 

[Barman58]

The Dell recovery media will need to be from the same model and be the same windows version. the activation software looks for markers in the BIOS and hardware to activate the key built into the recovery media.

If you have a retail copy or actual install win7 Pro disk from dell or anywhere else you would need to use the COA key and manually activate with Microsoft or Dell