Hey guys I need some explanation of what I've done since I'm absolutely not too familiar with Windows 7 "activation". Couple weeks ago I purchased a new HP Laptop with Windows 7 64 bit Home Premium. Works great. But loaded with bloatware. I try to reinstall windows with the recovery discs (the plan was to reboot when it began installing the bloatware) the system made me create when I first turned it on (3 DVD's), and DVD number 2 is shot. So I have a laptop with no OS, and no vendor recovery. They're sending recovery discs to me now, I fail to understand why they don't just save time and ship them with the systems. Anyway, last night I "got my hands on" an OEM copy of Windows 7 64 bit Home Premium. Installed it this morning, used the product key on the tag on the bottom, and started working with it. Tried activating online and it failed...It said to try activating over the phone, which I did, and it worked. My question is this: So now that I've installed the same OS, but not exactly the one the vendor provided, activated it over the phone, and essentially registered this notebook's hardware config, will I still be able to use the recovery discs they send? Is it possible that this OEM copy of Windows 7 is for a Dell, a Lenovo? Basically explain the pros and cons of what I've done and what I can expect in the future. Right now I'm bloatware-free and living Windows 7 64 Home Premium, but is that for good? Thanks for the help
Yes you will be able to use the recovery discs since they will contain the HP certificate and default OEM key built into them. The key on the bottom of your laptop and mostly all others is put there to fulfill Microsoft licensing requirements by having a COA with all OEM computers shipped with there OS installed on it. That key is unique unlike the OEM key that comes installed with new laptops. Even if you loose the recovery disc they send you , you will still be able to install from any RTM dvd as long as you slip in your manufacturers certificate and key (can be found on this site as well others) You are money, no worries
Awesome. Thanks for the reply. It sounds like I'm good to go. Couple more questions. I used the Windows 7 Product Key checker and noticed that the product id for my id key doesn't match the description in the Computer information screen exactly. Specifically the first five digits of the Product ID are off. The tool reports the first digits as 55041-OEM and the System reports 00359-OEM. Everything else pretty much irons out the same. So what exactly did I do by "activating" this copy of Windows with the key that's on the bottom of my notebook. If I use HP's recovery discs, will I be able to "activate" that copy as well, or you think it will already be activated seeing as it's directly from the vendor? Thanks again, I'm an IT guy, but this whole activation thing has got me thrown...I've seen rumors of a limit to the number of times a product key can be activated. Does the activation system just hash against the current hardware config and bios level? Is there a good quick read about activation in Windows 7 that I haven't found while searching these forums?
Yes your HP recoery disc will activate automatically once instaled You can only use the HP recovery discs on an HP SLIC2.1 capable machine or at least one with a modded SLIC 2.1 HP bios. The key that you activated over the phone is a legit and currently activated key. I doubt you could use that key again to activate on a completely different piece of hardware ( I never tried before because it is easier to install an OEM certificate and such.) Others here may have more insight.