N
nsharazer
Is there any way you can contact Microsoft to find out how many times a key
for vista has been used in activating a copy of window?
for vista has been used in activating a copy of window?
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R
Richard Urban
No.
Just keep going until it will not activate anymore. Then continue to
activate by phone.
Just keep going until it will not activate anymore. Then continue to
activate by phone.
J
John Barnett MVP
AFAIK you can activate as many times as you like, there is no restriction.
The only 'proviso' is that the first activate will (or at least should)
occur via the Internet - you simply elect to activate over the internet.
Once that 'first' activation has occurred and subsequent activations will
fail 'over the internet' because your product key is 'already in use.'
Consequently the second and any future activations will require a telephone
call to the Microsoft activation line. This is a free phone number but the
service is automated. If you get a refusal from the automated service then
'don't hang up,' stay on the phone and you will be transferred to a 'real'
person who should be able to guide you through the activation process.
--
--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience
Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
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The only 'proviso' is that the first activate will (or at least should)
occur via the Internet - you simply elect to activate over the internet.
Once that 'first' activation has occurred and subsequent activations will
fail 'over the internet' because your product key is 'already in use.'
Consequently the second and any future activations will require a telephone
call to the Microsoft activation line. This is a free phone number but the
service is automated. If you get a refusal from the automated service then
'don't hang up,' stay on the phone and you will be transferred to a 'real'
person who should be able to guide you through the activation process.
--
--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience
Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..
M
Mick Murphy
John, it is a little bit about number of times for internet Activation
without Hardware changes.
"Windows can be activated any number of times, but your re-activation
experience will vary based on the way you acquired Windows.
If you acquired Windows Vista via retail purchase (boxed product), you may
activate via the Internet the first five times. Subsequent activations are
allowed but must be completed via telephone.
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/activationfaq.mspx
If you acquire Windows Vista pre-installed on a computer, re-installation
would not require additional activation steps unless significant hardware
changes were made."
A handy link to have.
without Hardware changes.
"Windows can be activated any number of times, but your re-activation
experience will vary based on the way you acquired Windows.
If you acquired Windows Vista via retail purchase (boxed product), you may
activate via the Internet the first five times. Subsequent activations are
allowed but must be completed via telephone.
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/activationfaq.mspx
If you acquire Windows Vista pre-installed on a computer, re-installation
would not require additional activation steps unless significant hardware
changes were made."
A handy link to have.
J
John Barnett MVP
Mick the 'boxed' version scenario doesn't actually run true in my case. I've
reinstalled Vista about 3 times since it was released. The very first time I
activated over the internet 'all' subsequent time I was informed that 'my
product key was in use' making it impossible to activate over the internet.
So while Microsoft advocate that a retail box can be activate 5 times over
the internet it isn't doing it for me. Okay I have four product key numbers
so it was easy for me to simply 'change' the product key number rather than
having to telephone, but it was still rather an inconvenience.
Now, however, I prefer to simply image my hard drive and then re-image back
when a problem occurs to save the bother of activation. Fortunately I
haven't had to change any hardware, so imaging is the easiest option for me.
Thanks for the link, though, it is a useful piece of information.
--
--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience
Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..
reinstalled Vista about 3 times since it was released. The very first time I
activated over the internet 'all' subsequent time I was informed that 'my
product key was in use' making it impossible to activate over the internet.
So while Microsoft advocate that a retail box can be activate 5 times over
the internet it isn't doing it for me. Okay I have four product key numbers
so it was easy for me to simply 'change' the product key number rather than
having to telephone, but it was still rather an inconvenience.
Now, however, I prefer to simply image my hard drive and then re-image back
when a problem occurs to save the bother of activation. Fortunately I
haven't had to change any hardware, so imaging is the easiest option for me.
Thanks for the link, though, it is a useful piece of information.
--
--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience
Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..
N
nsharazer
What do you use to image? Will the full Ultimate Backup work as well?
J
John Barnett MVP
I use Acronis True Image 2009. Vista Ultimate's Complete PC Backup will do
the trick but I found that, after using it for a few months, it started
telling me that the removable drive I use for backup did not have enough
room. This was strange because I always delete the last backup prior to
creating a new full backup, so , to all intent and purpose, the hard drive
was actually completely empty. The first time I got this message I just
thought it was a glitch, but after almost a dozen attempts it still came up
with the same error message so I dumped Complete PC Backup and went back to
Acronis True Image.
--
--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience
Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..
the trick but I found that, after using it for a few months, it started
telling me that the removable drive I use for backup did not have enough
room. This was strange because I always delete the last backup prior to
creating a new full backup, so , to all intent and purpose, the hard drive
was actually completely empty. The first time I got this message I just
thought it was a glitch, but after almost a dozen attempts it still came up
with the same error message so I dumped Complete PC Backup and went back to
Acronis True Image.
--
--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience
Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..