Vista activation problem

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Max Power

Mr Beans Sidekick
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Well ive been using Vista since it came out and bought the upgrade version. Origonal I just upgraded from my xp installation but with my new PC I just did the thing where you install vista upgrade then upgrade from that. It was working fine for awhile but today when I turned on my PC its locked and I need to activate it and it wont take my upgrade license key so i figured I was screwed so I tried to reinstall vista and start over but now it wont boot from my vista dvd. When i try to boot from the dvd it just starts up my vista installation.
 
That is cause you bypassed the upgrade by the steps you took. The Serial you ahve is for a upgrade version but the isntall thinks it is a fresh full version. So you kinda screwed yourself on that one.

TBH i dont know what can be done to sort this. Try to call M$ and see if they can help you and give you the code needed to activate Vista again.
 
that upgrade trick to get it to install fresh should work. I think the problem is that he already activated it on another pc . the new pc fails the activation for this reason.
 
bought the upgrade version

That is why the activation failed. You cant buy a upgrade version and do a fresh install and think that the serial will pass for activation. They use totally different sets of serials for Full copies than they do upgrade copies. So using a Upgrade serial for a fresh install will cause this to happen.
 
As implied above, call the M$ support in India. Don't accept "no" as an answer, and get your OS activated. :) They'll say you have to buy a new copy, but do not accept that... they will give in.
 
It should be on the license info somewhere, or when Vista wants to be activated, it will provide a 800 number for you to "activate by phone". I found lots of numbers on Google, but no one specific number to be sure of, so...yeah, one of those two options would be best.
 
ya i called them before and i had to say 9 sets of numbers to a machine and it didnt work so they were going to put me onto a actual person but i didnt want to deal with it but I will try and get them to activate it tomoro
 
Hello,

That is cause you bypassed the upgrade by the steps you took. The Serial you ahve is for a upgrade version but the isntall thinks it is a fresh full version. So you kinda screwed yourself on that one.

TBH i dont know what can be done to sort this. Try to call M$ and see if they can help you and give you the code needed to activate Vista again.

This is incorrect. You can cleanly install Windows Vista from an Vista Upgrade disc and have it activated using the Vista upgrade product key, so long as you follow the procedure correctly.

The procedure is to perform a clean install of Vista using the upgrade disc by skipping the product key entry phase and deselecting 'Automatically activate Windows when I'm online'. Once installed, the unactivated OS will functional for 30 days. Before this expires, the user must then perform a Vista upgrade on the currently installed Windows Vista, from which the user can enter in the upgrade product key and activate Windows Vista.

I just did the thing where you install vista upgrade then upgrade from that

As Max Power stated, he did this procedure (a clean install then an upgrade). If performed correctly, and you entered in the upgrade product key correctly in upgrade procedure, then it should have worked.

Ensure that you have followed the steps outlined here by Paul Thurrott:

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp
 
This is incorrect. You can cleanly install Windows Vista from an Vista Upgrade disc and have it activated using the Vista upgrade product key, so long as you follow the procedure correctly.

The procedure is to perform a clean install of Vista using the upgrade disc by skipping the product key entry phase and deselecting 'Automatically activate Windows when I'm online'. Once installed, the unactivated OS will functional for 30 days. Before this expires, the user must then perform a Vista upgrade on the currently installed Windows Vista, from which the user can enter in the upgrade product key and activate Windows Vista.

Okay first off that is assuming that the person didnt install Vista Ultiamte to begin with so there would be no chance to UPGRADE. If they already install Ultimate then how can you upgrade if you already have the best?

Also you are taking Paul Thurott's advice. He has been wrong more times than right when it comes to Vista and its working. So i would take his "procedure" with a grain of salt. I am not saying it can not be done. But Paul never mentions that you cant isntall Ultimate first does he? If you install Ultimate and then try to upgrade what will happen? Nothing.
 
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