Product key Windows activation client

Poppy9

My laptop went for repair - screen smashed.

Came back yesterday all working fine but they installed a new hard drive (they gave old one back).

Worked fine last night but today when I turned on it asked for Windows activation client or it will expire in 16 days.



So what do I do?

Nilrem

It sounds like they may have used a generic OEM version of the OS install media rather than one for your specific make of laptop.

How bad is the activation key for readability?

What I've found in the past is that if you take several pictures with a good quality camera (with good lighting and flash both on, then off), you can often get it readable with image manipulation programmes (such as irfanview) to adjust the contrast of the picture (basically one of the tricks the police use if they can't read a number plate on CCTV or a speeding camera picture).

Poppy9

it's bad - trying now with a picture but not hopeful

bod1467

Why did they replace the HDD if the screen was smashed?

Can you put back in the old HDD, boot up then install and use something like Belarc Adviser to retrieve the original product key? Armed with that you should be able to then put in the new HDD and run the activation.

cookie365

Why did they give you a new hard drive?

If you really can't read the code off the sticker, is the original windows installation on the old drive intact?

If so, you could swap the old hard drive back in, and use Belarc Advisor to find out the W7 activation code

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

cookie365

I promise you, bod1467 and I are different people

Poppy9

Not sure why they replaced it and now I have a warranty sticker across the back of my laptop so I can't open it up. Even if I could I wouldn't know how to put in the old hard drive!

bod1467

Then you need to ask them why you are getting this problem after their repair. This issue was not there BEFORE they did the repair, and if you didn't ask for a new HDD yet they supplied, fitted and charged you for one then I'd be asking them questions!

macman

As above. Why did you additionally pay for a new hard drive without first asking why it had been replaced? If the drive was damaged when it was dropped (and you were unaware of this) then they should have told you before replacing it, and quoted you an extra price. No proper repair shop would proceed to do additional work without getting your OK first.
Buy a cheap USB drive caddy and see if you can access the old drive. If you can, it's not broken and you didn't need a new one-time to ask for a refund.
If it is broken, then you won't be able to get the old licence key off it anyway, so make the repairer sort it out.

NiftyDigits

Should be a simple fix. You don't need the Product key on the COA to reinstall and activate.


You can either run a clean install with a matching recovery disc which will activate automatically with your machine or you can enter the missing components from your current install.
Of course we have no idea as to where they sourced the disc that they have utilised.


So, tell me...which would you prefer? A clean install with a branded Recovery Disc or just to complete what you have now?

Mondez

You could also fix this by tracking down a copy of the OEM activation certificate for your brand of laptop and the SLP key for your manufacturer and windows version. You can then use the command line "slmgr" to point windows at the cert file and enter the key. This is how the OEM activated windows originally at the factory and how a factory restore activated, as the cert and key match to information in the bios to ensure its an OEM machine and then activate without phoning home to MS.