Windows 7 Activation

ste-sim2x9 · 21 Feb 2010 at 20:01

My brother brought the retail windows 7 and put it on his computer but some devices he uses don't work right so he went back to vista. He decided to put his copy of win 7 on his acer laptop so he installed it but it won't take his activation key, it say the key is wrong. Any suggections.

Craig321 · 21 Feb 2010 at 20:09

If he is installing from the original media using the correct key there won't be any problem. The key entering process during installation has nothing to do with the activation process (any key, no matter how many times it has been used will work, providing it's compatible with that product).

He must be entering the key in wrong, has he double checked the key making sure he's not using '0' instead of 'o' etc?

I'm baffled as to why he went back to Vista though! Did he try using the Vista drivers for the devices that weren't working under Windows 7? Generally they will work.

ste-sim2x9 · 21 Feb 2010 at 20:16

Yes it the original media using the correct key what came with it.

Craig321 · 21 Feb 2010 at 20:22

If he has used the key before successfully from the Windows 7 box then he must be typing it in wrong on the Acer. Try again, if you are certain it's correct then try replacing letters - e.g. '0' with 'o'.

ultrakipper · 22 Feb 2010 at 06:03

I had this when i changed motherboard, Use the phone number it gives you and do as it says, its all computer controlled and you just type your numbers in when asked and then it gives you some numbers to type in to get your windows activated.

ricky1981 · 22 Feb 2010 at 06:52

As Craig says, the key is only checked for previous activations after you've installed Windows so if it's not working during Windows setup then he's entering the key incorrectly (or has the wrong one).

ste-sim2x9 · 22 Feb 2010 at 17:15

My brother reinstalled win 7 and still told him he has the wrong key. He phoned the number it tells him and a automated woman advisor asked him to put the first 6 digits of something. I've never had to do this so i don't know what he was on about.