restore disc error

[Carl Lawrence]

Hello guys,

If I restore my PC to factory settings, using the restore discs that I made soon after I got it. It runs Windows Vista alright but, for some reason it needs activation again (although it shuld already acivated). Why is this and also how I do it. It says that I need to change the product key etc? Is there a way around this?

 

[Brink]

Hello Carl,

No worries. You will just need to enter the product key number on the COA sticker on the PC to activate with instead.

If needed, the tutorial below can help show you how to be able to change the key number to the COA one instead.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18630-product-key-number-change.html

 

[NoelDP]

Please follow this tutorial and post an MGADiag report - then we can see what the problem is.

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/234159-windows-genuine-activation-issue-posting-instructions.html


Please also state the Version and Edition of Windows quoted on your COA sticker (if you have one) on the case of your machine (or inside the battery compartment), but do NOT quote the Key on the sticker!
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/Hardware.aspx

 

[Carl Lawrence]

Is it worth it just try this and see what happens?

 

[Brink]

If you have the product key number from the COA sticker for that computer, you'll be fine to change the number to it instead.

 

[NoelDP]

Very often, a non-genuine notification is caused by a minor fault in the filesystem or in the BIOS, which can be fixed in 5 minutes after proper amalysis of an MGADiag report.

Until we see the report, we cannot say what will be required.