How do I deactivate a Windows 7 Serial code?

draymon · 24 Aug 2012

How do I deactivate my serial code whenever I want to format my PC, so that it resets the limit of how many times I can enter it?

thanks

Brink · 24 Aug 2012

Hello Draymon,

There's nothing you can do to reset how many times you have activated with your product key number. That information is held and controlled by the Microsoft activation servers.

Formating the computer will remove the key number from that computer. You could also use the tutorial below to remove a key number from a computer without formatting it. This still doesn't change what's on the MS activation servers though.

Product Key Number - Uninstall and Deactivate in Windows

Hope this helps,
Shawn

draymon · 25 Aug 2012

Brink said:

Hello Draymon,

There's nothing you can do to reset how many times you have activated with your product key number. That information is held and controlled by the Microsoft activation servers.

Formating the computer will remove the key number from that computer. You could also use the tutorial below to remove a key number from a computer without formatting it. This still doesn't change what's on the MS activation servers though.

Product Key Number - Uninstall and Deactivate in Windows

Hope this helps,
Shawn

So let's say I have entered a code once, and it is used 1/10 times. Then I format, does it go to 0/10?

And how does microsoft know that I formatted my computer?

NoelDP · 25 Aug 2012

No - MS holds a record of EVERY time any Key is activated - and nothing reduces the count.
It's your machine that starts again from scratch.
MS doesn't know you formatted your computer when you activate - but it will know if the hardware has changed since the last time you activated, and will disable validation on the previous hardware.