Windows 7: Activation reset issue - lab environment

I'm having a weird issue that I've never come across before. I recently upgraded all of my company computers, and we're doing a training in social media for some of our Board of Directors. I picked the nicest 13 laptops from our recently returned models, and planned to use them for the training before selling to staff or recycling them.

Those laptops contained employee info, so I planned to wipe them clean and install a plain, new version of Windows 7. However, I'm seeing the activation is suddenly giving me a 3 day timer instead of 30. I followed my normal routine of using the slmgr to reset it, and that isn't working. I reboot, and the timer still says 3 days. I'm not going to burn activations on these computers, because after next week, they will be wiped clean again, and will have their individual Vista installs put back with their valid licenses. I've never encountered this issue, where I couldn't extend the timer with the rearm. What's going on here?

Hello Scott,

You get the 3 day period instead of 30 day grace period when you check the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box below during installation. Leaving it unchecked will give you the full 30-days. When checked, slmgr will not help.



Hope this helps. :)

That might have been the case. Damn. I ran slmgr /dlv and it said I already used the 3 activation periods, so I'm S.O.L. I think. Better build a new image and follow your suggestion above.

Thank you...much appreciated!!

You're most welcome. Please let us know how it goes. :)

That worked! My training class on Wed will go much more smoothly now, knowing that the systems won't be shutting off or giving activation messages during the training. Thanks again!

Great news. I'm glad that was all it was. :)