Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Ok I executed the clean reinstall, and I have encountered a "product key you typed is invalid for activation" message.

The problem is I have not yet connected, so wonder how it now "thinks" this is so (I have rebooted several times without issue over the past few days, and I am now on day three of the activation "grace period").

Some background in case this will help:

• My license key is for an OA or OEM install.
• I have used the following English image: Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 U (media refresh) X17-58997.iso
• Though I do see they have: Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 (old) X17-24209.iso and others with various letters behind them (some explained on the website - which don't apply - , others not explained - eg RTM - I'm guessing Release To Market as it seems the first release delivered according to the Wiki on Win 7).
• I suspect this may be where my problem is, but before pulling the trigger on a reinstall with another ISO, I thought I'd check here.
• I am at step 9 - the computer cannot connect without the LAN driver and I have not yet installed that (that was to happen today).
• I see that step 15 may require a robocall, but I have not attempted activation yet, so not sure if my problem is "normal".

If I install the LAN driver, establish web connection, will I be able to overcome this?

gregrocker said:

You used the correct ISO if you have Home Premium on the COA sticker. Always use the latest installer - this has no bearing at all on activation.

There is no reason to wait on installing the LAN driver. You should do that first anyway to run all Important and Optional Updates after enabling Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware.

As long as you are inputting the correct key (the most common mistake is failure to do this) it will activate even if you end up needing To Activate Windows 7 by Phone Step-by-Step Guide.

Thanks.

I guess I was confused by the error message hitting now vs earlier, or now vs after connecting. Doesn't seem logical (IMHO), so thought there was something wrong with what I've done.

Seems that it just pops up perhaps after a set time or set number of reboots.

I have a few changes to make before connection, and it, if I understand correct, seems that I can ignore it until I install the LAN driver and connect for the first time.

bbbluz said:

Hi Gentlemen,

I'm helping a fella who just installed a new HDD on a Samsung R530 Win7 OEM Home Premium 32-bit and his repair disk that he created from the system at purchase is not co-operating. I thought maybe this might be the way to go.

The correct .iso needed is Windows 7 Home Premium x86 SP1 U (media refresh) X17-58996.iso and I found a link to the drivers on the Samsung support site.

May I have your opinion, please?

Edit: My apologies. I meant to mentioned that we do have the product key that is listed on the sticker.

Thank you!

Donna :)

Donna, I went with a fresh install vs the recovery disk approach and seems to work fine - so far. It is a pain though to download all the drivers then install them. That took a lot of time to sort through. For me, it was maybe a bit easier because I already had one machine that I could validate against what was already installed. It would have been more of a challenge otherwise, but quite doable.

Also want to add that I am not overly technical, so I took my time to get it right.

Hi Transplanted99,

Thank you for your response. I'm not so worried about reloading the OS on the new HDD, it's the drivers I am worried about!

I believe I posted in the wrong thread. I'll start a new thread in the appropriate forum as soon as I figure out which one it would best fit under, to prevent from sending this topic too far off track of the main topic.

Donna

Please read the tutorial again as it's quite clear how drivers are handled In Win7, the first driver-complete Windows OS.

Most drivers not provided by the installer are supplied during all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates, when you enable Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware (Step 3).

Just be sure to put your wireless or ethernet adapter in your backup in case it doesn't start up ready to connect to your network, so you can install the driver to get online and do all of your Updates until they are exhausted.

Any drivers missing in Device Manager after all Updates are done can be found on the Support Downloads webpage for your model PC or device. There's usually no more than one or two.

You can always ask back here if there's any problem.

Samsungs can have problems getting the badly-written OEM software to work correctly if its needed after reinstall. Read the Special Note to Samsung Owners at the end of the tutorial so you're prepared, and as always be sure to make your Recovery Disks so you have a path back if it can't be resolved - the only such case we've ever had here in countless thousands of installs was a Samsung.

Hello Greg-Rocker!
.....I know sometimes you get tired from me..... but I have to inform you that
....I CLEAN install before some days...
...Thank you that you gave me the virus...and tutorial
My system is just Great now!
..I prepared it maybe 2 months! the most of that time was for drivers and the order to install them.

..It is not total true that we'll need only 1-2 drivers ...and that the rest Windows updates will arrange...
..At least for my model Dell (xpsl702x)...if I add some softwares too....then are many many (15 for me!)
...Anyway thanks thanks thanks....you are helping us a lot..
Last 2 questions : You advise us that we make recovering disks in the case someone wants a way to roll back to factory image.
...So if someone has change partitions completely in a different plan (eg having 2 Os or many partitions etc).
Do you know recovering disks will function well and bring back everything like system was from factory?
...or partitions must stay intact untouched?
Is there a way to use the camera? (driver is installed)...or I have to download also the software was from factory?
....because I cannot find a way to trigger it...to use it...Do I miss anything?
.....Again thank you for all your help...... and

See you!

...Also "VistaKing" gave somehow wrong informations about Arb.beta here in this thread.
He said that Arb.beta is not for a clean install and that it functions only with oem recovering or installation...
...It is not a big deal......always is better to be afraid than unable....
.....I activated Windows very easy with Arb.beta after a clean install...just with a few clicks....
.............I was very happy about.....

Did you run all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates after enabling Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware (Step 3)?

Normally there are only a few drivers needed afterwards. Download the others from the Dell Supports Download webpage for your tag number.

If you have have the cam driver installed it should work with any programs using a cam (e.g. Messenger). But if you want special controls for the cam in a freestanding program that software is normally posted on Dell's Downloads page for your model. Try the driver first, then look for the software package.

I don't know what arb.beta is. Can you explain? If it is a program that backs up factory activation from its SLP factory activation file then it is not supported here. However generallly speaking the key which would be found by keyfinder programs on a factory preinstall is a batch key used to activate a large number of PC's at factory, is not the same key on the COA sticker and cannot be used to Clean Reinstall. MS forces OEM's to provide the COA sticker so you have a safe path to reinstall activated directly with them, and which cannot be interfered with by differing OEM policies.

Running Recovery disks will normally wipe out all partitions and recreate the factory partition scheme. If not and there are problems booting or running them I would wipe the HD first with Diskpart Clean Command.