Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Activating Windows 7 issues.

  1. #1
    Member Trash Man's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Oxfordshire
    Posts
    3,771
    Thanks
    103
    Thanked
    46 times in 41 posts
    • Trash Man's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P8Z77-V LE Z77
      • CPU:
      • i5 2550k
      • Memory:
      • 8GB 1600 DDR3
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 128GB Crucial SSD 1 x 1TB Seagate
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 1.5GB 580 GTX
      • PSU:
      • Be Quiet 680W E9
      • Case:
      • CM 830 Stacker
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 x 2
      • Internet:
      • 20mb IDNet ADSL

    Activating Windows 7 issues.

    I've just upgraded my computer and have reinstalled Windows 7.

    I'm having a problem activating it. I have the upgrade version, so I'm guessing it's a issue with that and the fact it's a clean install as I got a new drive.

    I've read that you can activate it by phone but it's not giving me an option to do so.

    Am I going to have to install XP first and then W7 over the top? Hope not as that would be a pain in the bum.

    Living and dying laughing and crying
    Once you have seen it you will never be the same
    Life in the fast lane is just how it seems
    Hard and it is heavy dirty and mean

  2. #2
    jim
    jim is offline
    HEXUS.clueless jim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Location: Location:
    Posts
    11,435
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked
    1,639 times in 1,304 posts
    • jim's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Maximus IV Gene-Z
      • CPU:
      • i5 2500K @ 4.5GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Corsair Vengeance LP
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Sandisk SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ASUS GTX 970
      • PSU:
      • Corsair AX650
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Fortress FT03
      • Operating System:
      • 8.1 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2716DG
      • Internet:
      • 10 Mbps ADSL

    Re: Activating Windows 7 issues.

    It's not possible to clean install an upgrade edition (or at least it's not meant to be), it needs to be installed over the top of a Windows install... whether that's 7, Vista or XP doesn't matter AFAIK.

  3. Received thanks from:

    Trash Man (18-04-2012)

  4. #3
    Member Trash Man's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Oxfordshire
    Posts
    3,771
    Thanks
    103
    Thanked
    46 times in 41 posts
    • Trash Man's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P8Z77-V LE Z77
      • CPU:
      • i5 2550k
      • Memory:
      • 8GB 1600 DDR3
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 128GB Crucial SSD 1 x 1TB Seagate
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 1.5GB 580 GTX
      • PSU:
      • Be Quiet 680W E9
      • Case:
      • CM 830 Stacker
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 x 2
      • Internet:
      • 20mb IDNet ADSL

    Re: Activating Windows 7 issues.

    Quote Originally Posted by snootyjim View Post
    It's not possible to clean install an upgrade edition (or at least it's not meant to be), it needs to be installed over the top of a Windows install... whether that's 7, Vista or XP doesn't matter AFAIK.
    It's definitely possible to do a clean install with an upgrade version, I've just done it. It's activating it that I'm having a problem with at the moment. I've just read elsewhere that you can reinstall W7 over the top of my current W7 clean install with allow me to activate it.

    I'm going to trying phoning first though.

    EDIT: No joy with either way. Looks like I'm going to have to buy another key as my copy of XP was an upgrade edition as well.

    Anyone know the cheapest way to get a Windows 7 key?
    Last edited by Trash Man; 17-04-2012 at 07:20 PM.

    Living and dying laughing and crying
    Once you have seen it you will never be the same
    Life in the fast lane is just how it seems
    Hard and it is heavy dirty and mean

  5. #4
    jim
    jim is offline
    HEXUS.clueless jim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Location: Location:
    Posts
    11,435
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked
    1,639 times in 1,304 posts
    • jim's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Maximus IV Gene-Z
      • CPU:
      • i5 2500K @ 4.5GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Corsair Vengeance LP
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Sandisk SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ASUS GTX 970
      • PSU:
      • Corsair AX650
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Fortress FT03
      • Operating System:
      • 8.1 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2716DG
      • Internet:
      • 10 Mbps ADSL

    Re: Activating Windows 7 issues.

    Quote Originally Posted by Trash Man View Post
    It's definitely possible to do a clean install with an upgrade version, I've just done it. It's activating it that I'm having a problem with at the moment. I've just read elsewhere that reinstall W7 over the top of my current W7 clean install with allow me to activate it.

    I'm going to trying phoning first though.
    Sorry, for "install", read "activate" in my post. Bad use of terminology.

  6. #5
    Member Trash Man's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Oxfordshire
    Posts
    3,771
    Thanks
    103
    Thanked
    46 times in 41 posts
    • Trash Man's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P8Z77-V LE Z77
      • CPU:
      • i5 2550k
      • Memory:
      • 8GB 1600 DDR3
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 128GB Crucial SSD 1 x 1TB Seagate
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 1.5GB 580 GTX
      • PSU:
      • Be Quiet 680W E9
      • Case:
      • CM 830 Stacker
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 x 2
      • Internet:
      • 20mb IDNet ADSL

    Re: Activating Windows 7 issues.

    Quote Originally Posted by snootyjim View Post
    Sorry, for "install", read "activate" in my post. Bad use of terminology.
    No problem, you were correct anyway

    Bit annoyed that I need a new key so close with W8 coming out.

    Living and dying laughing and crying
    Once you have seen it you will never be the same
    Life in the fast lane is just how it seems
    Hard and it is heavy dirty and mean

  7. #6
    jim
    jim is offline
    HEXUS.clueless jim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Location: Location:
    Posts
    11,435
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked
    1,639 times in 1,304 posts
    • jim's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Maximus IV Gene-Z
      • CPU:
      • i5 2500K @ 4.5GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Corsair Vengeance LP
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Sandisk SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ASUS GTX 970
      • PSU:
      • Corsair AX650
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Fortress FT03
      • Operating System:
      • 8.1 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2716DG
      • Internet:
      • 10 Mbps ADSL

    Re: Activating Windows 7 issues.

    What happened? Did you try installing it over the top of another installation and still no joy?

  8. #7
    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    /dev/urandom
    Posts
    17,074
    Thanks
    228
    Thanked
    1,027 times in 678 posts
    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 5900x
      • Memory:
      • 64GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Seagate Firecuda 520
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G3
      • Case:
      • NZXT H210i
      • Operating System:
      • Ubuntu 20.04, Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 34GN850
      • Internet:
      • FIOS

    Re: Activating Windows 7 issues.

    Licensewise, you need to buy either Windows 7 OEM (which will be tied legally to your current motherboard) or Windows 7 retail (which can be re-used as often as you like on future PCs)

    The main reason to pick retail is it means upgrade versions of Windows (e.g. Windows 8 upgrade) inherit the parent OS license terms, so you can reinstall Windows 8 onto new motherboards etc. Whereas with OEM, you can buy Windows 8 upgrade for your current PC, but are not licensed to use it on a new board unless you buy an OEM license attached to that PC.

    The main reason to pick OEM is it's cheaper.

  9. #8
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    182
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked
    23 times in 22 posts
    • barry2811's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3
      • CPU:
      • Intel i5 4670K (cooled by Noctua NH-D14)
      • Memory:
      • 2 x 8GB Corsair
      • Storage:
      • Samsung Pro 128GB Boot Drive, 1 x 6TB Seagate, 1 x 3TB Seagate and 256GB Crucial SSD for games
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus GTX970 Strix
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNova 650 G2
      • Case:
      • NZXT S340 Elite
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Viewsonic VG2439M-LED
      • Internet:
      • Sky Fibre

    Re: Activating Windows 7 issues.

    Quote Originally Posted by Trash Man View Post
    I've just upgraded my computer and have reinstalled Windows 7.

    I'm having a problem activating it. I have the upgrade version, so I'm guessing it's a issue with that and the fact it's a clean install as I got a new drive.

    I've read that you can activate it by phone but it's not giving me an option to do so.

    Am I going to have to install XP first and then W7 over the top? Hope not as that would be a pain in the bum.
    http://www.winsupersite.com/article/...e-media-128512

    Option 2 is quickest.

  10. Received thanks from:

    Trash Man (18-04-2012)

  11. #9
    Member Trash Man's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Oxfordshire
    Posts
    3,771
    Thanks
    103
    Thanked
    46 times in 41 posts
    • Trash Man's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P8Z77-V LE Z77
      • CPU:
      • i5 2550k
      • Memory:
      • 8GB 1600 DDR3
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 128GB Crucial SSD 1 x 1TB Seagate
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 1.5GB 580 GTX
      • PSU:
      • Be Quiet 680W E9
      • Case:
      • CM 830 Stacker
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 x 2
      • Internet:
      • 20mb IDNet ADSL

    Re: Activating Windows 7 issues.

    Quote Originally Posted by snootyjim View Post
    What happened? Did you try installing it over the top of another installation and still no joy?
    Yea, I tried installing over the top and it would not let me. Gave me a message, something along the lines off. "You are trying to install a version of Windows older than your current version"

    I think that might be because I had run some windows updates first? I guess I could try installing again and then again over the top of that before updating anything.

    Quote Originally Posted by barry2811 View Post
    Thanks very much for that. I've tried option 3 on there already with no luck but I'll have a look at option 2 later

    Living and dying laughing and crying
    Once you have seen it you will never be the same
    Life in the fast lane is just how it seems
    Hard and it is heavy dirty and mean

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •