Why is windows 7 RC asking me to validate?

Deadbeat · 12 Aug 2009 at 10:38

It's the RC, shouldn't it run fine at least until the release comes out? Yet it keeps asking me to activate, and threatens to withhold features if I don't. Why does Windows 7 hate me?

blastman · 12 Aug 2009 at 10:42

did you try to remove the time bomb???

Or apply any other crack?

z0mbi3 · 12 Aug 2009 at 10:44

Have you actually put in your RC key?

reflux · 12 Aug 2009 at 10:46

You need to activate the RC over the net with a valid key, just like any other MS OS.

Fire Wizard · 12 Aug 2009 at 10:58

As the people above me have mentioned, you still need to activate the Release Candidate of Windows 7.

I'm not sure if the 32-bit and 64-bit keys overlap each other but if you just type either of the keys below, depending on weather you have installed the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 7, it should activate absolutely fine:

32-bit:

Microsoft said:
Product key: P72QK-2Y3B8-YDHDV-29DQB-QKWWM

64-bit

Microsoft said:
Product key: MT39G-9HYXX-J3V3Q-RPXJB-RQ6D7

DataCabbitKSW · 12 Aug 2009 at 20:37

There are a large number of keys for Windows 7 RC. Much like others pointed out, even though it is free, you still need a license key for it and to have it validate it. This is part of testing out the mechanisms as much as any other thing. You could use those above keys posted by Fire Wizard or just get your own by going to the download page again (and just not downloading). That page would be over here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx . Just sign in with a Live ID (hotmail, MSDN, etc) and it will spit out a license code and give you the link to redownload the DVD .ISO if you should need it.