Can't activate Windows 7 Home Premium.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I got a new computer with Windows 7 32 bit on it. I have the Vista to Windows 7 upgrade from my old computer. It came with 32 bit and 64 bit. Now that I have a faster computer with new added ram, I upgraded to 64 bit. It's great, everything works better than beef ore.
BUT, I tried to activate it after the 30 days and my product key is invalid. No prob, I'll call for support and they'll give me a new product key as they've always done. Nope. He said I don't qualify anymore and need to purchase a new key for $199 bux. F**k that. I paid for this one way back with my first Vista machine. BUT it has been used on several computers in my household. They do want you to pay for every computer I use it on, but have never given me trouble before.

Everything works fine, but I just keep getting activation notices and can't update. I can reinstall it and get 30 days every time I need to update.

I can buy a new copy online for around $100, but is there any way around buying a new copy? I feel like I paid for this one and it should be legit until the world ends. But they don't share my sentiments.

Any tricks that don't cost an incredibly cheap guy any money?

[roymond]

I feel like I paid for this one and it should be legit until the world ends.

So that's what the fine print says!?

[Billy's Little Trip]

Roy, that comment was well crafted, but my Windows 7 is still not activated as "genuine" no matter how many times I read your brilliant chuckle fest. Perhaps you can think of some other method.

[signboy]

Did you try to keep it from activating itself online in some way? I did that when I used my W7 disc on the umpteenth computer, thinking that I was gonna have to trick it into activating somehow. Nothing worked. So I re-installed, gave it interwebz, and let it activate online automagically, (which it did just fine, sitting beside 3 other computers running the same copy), and now I'm rockin.

at least, until mike rozoft finds this post.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Not sure exactly what you are saying. But I did try to activate it right after I installed it. It popped up a message to activate it online, which I did. It said my product key was wrong. It's the product key right on the jewel case the disc came in.

As I said, this w7 disc has been used several times in my household to upgrade or re-install on other computers without fail.
This is the first time I used the 64 bit disc though. In the past I used the 32 bit disc.

I'm thinking MS may have changed their strictness on the use of their OS discs. They obviously can track it via product key/online activation/updates/etc. I may have to just bite the bullet and pony up the hundy. Or figure out how to make the reminders go away.

[fluffy]

I'm thinking MS may have changed their strictness on the use of their OS discs.

That's pretty much exactly it. OEM licenses are tied to a single computer, end of story. Retail licenses can be transferred but they generally make your life difficult. It sounds like you had an OEM Vista license, and a Win7 upgrade on that - and the upgrade only applies to the Vista license, which is non-transferable. (They actually don't care at all about whether you use the disc or not - the license, i.e. the really long series of letters and numbers you enter at install time, is the important thing.)

Stuff like this is why I stick to Linux and MacOS (although MacOS is getting a little stricter now - product licenses are tied to Apple IDs, so you can't transfer your purchases to others if you sell your computer or whatever, but at least the licenses are transferable to any number of computers to which your Apple ID is associated).

[Billy's Little Trip]

I figured as much. I just click off the reminder when I turn on my computer. Then the pop up for microsoft essentials about every other hour telling me it's not up to date. I know I can just simply uninstall mic ess, but I guess I'm hopeful I might figure out a work around. And I really like mic ess. It's the best non invasive virus/adware program I've ever used. Well, as long as my W7 is genuine and mic ess is up to date, lol.

[Billy's Little Trip]

This issue has been corrected. Thank you Jon.