Hello All, I'm new to the concepts of a modded bios and the Slic 2.1 table. Thinking I needed a bios mod for my ASUS M2A-VM HDMI bios ver. 2302, I downloaded and flashed ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 2302 SLIC 2.1 (HP). I installed Windows 7 Ultimate and copied the ASUS certificate to C:\ and manually installed the certificate and a valid key. Windows failed to activate. I tried a different ASUS cert. and another key. (Resetting tokens as well). Reluctantly, having nearly succeded, I opted to use the Windows 7 Boot Loader. It worked perfectly, and I'm happy with the results, but I have a few questions: 1. Was it the wrong cert that caused it to fail? I didn't realize the modded bios was HP until after the fact (I used an ASUS Cert). 2. Would it be beneficial to pursue getting an activation via the modded bios as opposed to the bootloader? I realize this would mean starting over, but I'd be willing to do it for the sake of learning. 3. If my current installation crashes is it possible to reinstall Windows using the current key/activation or would I have to repeat the mod/Cert/Key procedure?
(1) That is your problem right there. You need to install an HP certificate if you use HP SLIC... Only the vendors of the product keys dont have to match (just the edition of Windows 7 the product key is for matters; e.g. if it is for Home Basic vs Ultimate...) (2) If I were you and knew how to mod your BIOS (and you have a BIOS that can be modded)...and you are comfortable with the process, and know the risks inherent in flashing a BIOS...then I would recommend that you mod it... You might as well... (3) Nothing should "crash". However, something can go wrong either when flashing/modding your BIOS or installing the loader file... If you are flashing your BIOS and get a bad flash, you may not even be able to boot your PC after...or recover it for that matter without taking it to a repair shop and paying money (worst case scenario). I recommend reading up on the flashing/BIOS modding procedure so you know what the process entails, and the risks involved. If you decide to use a loader, then if the loader does not work, the worst case scenario is that you pop in your Windows 7 install DVD and boot off of it, then go to your Recovery Options, then to the Advanced Recovery Options and open a Recovery Console. From there, use one of the following commands to make Windows boot again (try the commands until you get one that works, then reboot and Windows should load): Code: "bootinst.exe /fixboot" "bootsect.exe /fixboot" "bootsect.exe /nt60 all" "bootsect.exe /nt60 all /force" **Use this one as a last resort. ------------------------------------------------- IMHO, since you already modded your BIOS, I would use that as your source of SLIC 2.1 and get rid of the loader... Uninstall the bootmgr loader and reboot just to be sure. Windows should be back in trial mode, unactivated. Then install a HP certificate to go with your HP SLIC (in your modded BIOS), and maybe a product key as well to be sure that when you uninstalled the bootmgr loader that the uninstaller didnt install a trial key...
Thanx HotCarl, Bios mod seems to be the way to go, I just had ASUS on my mind when I added the cert. I'll give it a shot and let you know what happens.
HotCarl, I could'nt figure out how to uninstall the Windows 7 Bootloader by DAZ, there was no uninstall to be found, so I deleted the program files and manually deactivated Windows, it was easy to verify. I installed the HP Cert and a new Key and this time Windows acitvated right away. I'm tempted now to repeat the process and mod the bios on my other system (ASUS M2A-VM bios ver 2302) it's pretty much the same mobo, but without the HDMI. I've got Windows 7 already activated in it, but it's strictly running off the bootloader. Let me just take a minute to make this clear: Windows 7 Bootloader by DAZ is a very impressive program, I highly recommend it. It does exactly what it is supposed to do. My thing is I just want to know how to things myself. Thanks for your help HotCarl.
I am glad that you figured it out so quickly. The concept is easy...you just need SLIC 2.1, a matching Cert and a product key for the edition of Windows 7 you are using... Ex.: if you use Dell SLIC you use a Dell Cert, or use HP SLIC and an HP cert...etc...etc... It is even easier to put Win7 Ultimate on a PC that is running Windows 7 already, but it is a lesser edition (like Home Premium or something)... Just right-click on "Computer" on the desktop, then click "Properties". From there, click on the link for the Windows Anytime Upgrade (if you have an edition less than Ultimate, the link will show under where it says what edition of Windows 7 you have, at the top...). After you click the link, you will be prompted for a key...input any Windows 7 Ultimate SLP key from the Win7 SLP keys list in the stickies... 2 Reboots and 10 minutes later your PC will be running Ultimate...ROFL. MS makes things so easy and user friendly some times...it is great!
If you load up the application on the main screen towards the bottom right it has "Uninstall". Thanks for the support! I know you have switched to a BIOS mod and I would too when/where possible, I have got one setup on one of my own systems so I can understand where you're coming from
Daz, I already deactivated Windows manually with slmgr and deleted the installation files for Windows 7 loader. Windows is actvated now using bios mod/cert/key. Should I reinstall the bootloader and uninstall to completely remove it? Does it run every time I boot? I am already using Windows supplied bootloader to dual boot Vista/Windows 7 and I don't want disturb that unless it's easily fixable.
Well if you deleted 2 files and re-run bootsect then you're clean, if however you didn't delete any files from the active partition then the loader is still on the system but simply deactivated. The installation files (what you used to install the loader) are not required on the system once installed anyway, why? Because the application is what actually installs the GRUB hack to your system so that you become activated. So you don't need to worry about but right now you just may have 2 rather useless files hanging around.
It seems to be all well now. Those files are probably there since I only deleted the installation setup directory, but if they are inactive then there's no need to pursue it further on a working system. I have just one more question, if you'll bear with me. Please tell me if I understand this correctly, bootloader runs once to install the grub hack, once grub hack is installed it runs everytime the system boots to emulate the Slic 2.1 table and the certificate. When I use a bios mod, the Slic 2.1 table loads at boot up, the certificate is read off my C:\ drive and activation is enabled with a valid key. If that all is correct then I finally understand it. I thank you again for your patience.
Loader - Runs before the Windows boot manager and loads a SLIC. BIOS mod - Loads a SLIC at a slightly earlier stage, before the Windows boot manager or *any* boot manager. The certificate you dump onto C:\ for installation but then once you have performed the commands to install it you can delete the certificate file. The SLIC contains a key so once you're in Windows it compares this key with the certificate, if the certificate and SLIC match then as long as the correct serial is installed (OEM-SLP) you will be activated. So each and every time you format you will always need the certificate to go with the SLIC thats now in your BIOS as well as a working OEM-SLP serial.