Hey all, My new laptop HP came pre-installed w/ win7 (build 7600.16385.090713-1255).. and HP no longer provides a Windows disk. which i think is crap. the new system restoration disks take 2 hours to wipe out all your partitions and put all their partitions back on..4 primary partitions mind you so i have no place to put linux. in trying to set up my dual boot i've mucked up everything and want to start from a fresh windows install not a system retore. but i digress... i was reading the Windows 7 repository thread.. is there a way to use those isos and my current license? i tried (both w/ the key on my sticker and the key i found w/ a key finder) and was told i didn't have a valid key. do i have to mod the ei.cfg? or should i not bother and just follow the steps from the win7 thread? thanks.
As long as you are using the COA key on the sticker on your computer...and you are using it on the version of Windows 7 it is for...then there should be no problem. Make sure you are installing the correct version of Windows. If you cant get Windows to accept your COA key, then you can probably just use one of the SLP keys from around here... The BIOS in your computer (if it is a PC that came with Win7) should be SLIC 2.1 compliant, so you just need to locate a HP certificate and use any SLP key in the SLP keys thread that matches the edition of Windows 7 you are installing (e.g. Ultimate/Professional/Home Premium/etc...). An HP certificate and SLP keys for your edition of Windows 7 can all be located easily via a forum search. EDIT: If you want (and you are sure you are doing everything correctly and Windows wont activate) you can call MS and do a phone activation with your COA key...
HotCarl, Thanks for the help. I will try another iso and double check it is the same as the version i have installed. i just did a factory restore.. can i pull the certificates from there? a post on the mydigitallife.net site (i'd post it but i am too knew still) made me wonder about the ei.cfg and if there was a difference between sold-in-store and pre-installed windows. it commented that you can change the version by editing ei.cfg from Windows 7 RTM retail ISO: [EditionID] Ultimate [Channel] Retail [VL] 0 ei.cfg of Windows 7 RTM OEM ISO: [EditionID] Ultimate [Channel] OEM [VL] 0 thanks again.
wow... awesome info. thank you for the help! i dont care what version i get... i only need windows for a few things that absolutely won't run on ubuntu.
COA keys do not work they never have and never will because they are not real keys. You need to use a SLP key to activate your copy of windows after you install your HP cert. The BIOS on the laptop already has a SLIC 2.1 table if it came with Win7, you just need to download a clean ISO and delete the ei.cfg if it exists then install the version of 7 you want after wiping your partitions. After the install just download the HP certificate for 7 and follow the instructions in the win 7 repository thread on how to install and activate using the OEM method.
what the hell are you talking about? Get your facts straight before declaring something... Check my screenshot...
Oem Coa keys are real keys that activate with a phone call to ms. I have used an Oem Coa from a new HP computer with Windows 7 on a custum built computer with a motherboard that could not be modded.
I don't think so... its very clear.. "coa keys don't work never have and never will... NOT REAL KEYS!"
Theoretically he is right in some part, OEM:COA keys can not be used for online or offline (OEM:SLP) activation since XP SP1 was released... just phone activation seems to do activate OEM:COA keys (or is this changed with Win7?) Anyway, the mainstream of users here come to look for OEM:SLP aka offline activation, so it isn't that hard to suggest he meant what Hazar said BTW, watch your attitude in your post(s)... everybody is trying to help
... alright sorry.. I was just so shocked because he seemed so sure.. and he stated it as a fact loud and clear...
Ignorance does prompt frustration... but it was probably a mistake on his part, I think HSChronic knows his stuff about keys etc, he was probably just in a rush!
I did indeed understand your either or reasoning HotCarl. I am hoping to go w/ my COA key as that seems the easiet, but the directions aren't too bad if I have to go the other route. I wish I could report my success but so far I havent been able to dl a good iso. the torrent I just downloaded from the Windows 7 thread seems wrong. Its a 3gb iso but when I extract it to try to edit the ei.cfg there is only 1 boot folder (with only a few files within) and nothing else. Basically it doesn't look like what I am used to seeing in a windows disk. I downloaded 2 different ones now and they both look like that. any ideas what is up with that? I'll give you a little cred back for being qrong.
@HotCarl I do think it is no longer possible for other members to rep down, last thing i read is that a rep down can only been done by mods and/or admins. (and it was not me ) @admin and other mods Am i wrong here?