Can't Activate Vista, Microsoft no help!!!

[Dup]

I've done the same with XP and used the Windows Genuine Advantage site to register the key and it worked fine where Windows wouldn't play ball.

It's difficult fixing PCs where people never keep original discs and I only have retail copies of software as my own so they must have some leniancy somewhere. Instead of wasting money calling them I just got round it as above though. Not sure this will work with Vista.

 

[lokkers]

I can only assume the technet ISO is causing problems OR SP2 is doing the same thing.

I can assure you that my OEM license key works absolutely fine on the copy of the retail version of Vista X64 SP1 I have.

Me too. My Dell laptop came with Home Premium x86, and I have reinstalled several times using the x64 disk from my MSDN subscription using the OEM key on the bottom.