Invalid product key for windows vista

lisa1969_2

BillScarab wrote: »

Firstly give your son a slap!

Then tell him to get hold of a copy of Vista Home Basic and install it on your machine using the license key you have.

He should be able to download a copy using a well known application that we're not allowed to discuss on here.

Or if he knows someone who has a copy he could borrow it.

Haha...I have done several times!!!!!:p Makes me feel a whole lot better.

Thanks very much

murphydavid

I'm no computer expert but here is a couple of things that might give you a clue
If you can do it without a start key? and I'm lokking at Windows XP but Vista may be the same.
Open Windows help (by clicking start then hit 'help and support')
select 'undo changes to your computer using system restore'
select 'restore my computer to an earlier time'
click on next
select a restore point of a date earlier than when the update disk was used
and restore your computer.

If this does not work
then
Go to control panel
Click on perfomance and maintainance
Click on Administrative tools
Double Click on Computer Management
Highlight Disk Management
On the right you will get a list of your Volumes
If you find one called Recovery then you do still have a backup of the original factory data and you should be able to recover
Try
Open Windows help (by clicking start then hit 'help and support')
In the search box type "recovery" and hit search
select 'recovery consule overview'
look through that and you may find some help.
if not select the related topics link and go from there.
I don't have much time to go further but that might get you started.

Some othe information is that with a lot of new computers that have a dvd writer you don't get a recovery disc but you do get an opertunity to burn one. You are usually prompted to do so when you start your computer for the first time. If you skip that prompt there is a way to do it at any point. I can't remember how and don't have time to find out but if you can burn a recovery disc that would probably solve your problem.
Hope this is of some use.

Also
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/indexwinvista.htm

Donnie

lisa1969 wrote: »

Haha...I have done several times!!!!!:p Makes me feel a whole lot better.

Thanks very much

You have a private message. Pay particular attention to the first paragraph.

banger9365

you have a copy of vista it's the any time upgrade disk,it has all version on (basic home N to ultilmate )all disks are the same it's just the code that makes it different (OEM,retail and upgrade )

Donnie

If that's the case, she can try re-installing Vista Basic from the disc and further to download any missing Drivers from the Acer website.(Then making an image of the installation).

£$&*"($£&(

My neighbour bought an Acer T180. They didn't provide recovery discs but did supply two blank DVDs and the first thing the PC prompted us to do was to make recovery discs.

Wouldn't it be easier just to pay for the accidental upgrade, if it doesn't cost too much.

Conor_3

It'll be "Ultimate" the daft lad put on so it'll cost the thick end of £150.

Donnie

Do I need to inform Social Services?

Smartypants_2

I recently purchased a laptop with Vista Home Basic and a Windows Anytime Upgrade disk which provides another 32 bits - not an upgrade to a better version of Windows such as Home Premium. When I ran the disk it asked for a product licence key (located on the base of the laptop - it had 5 sets of 5 digits = 25 figures/letters). It accepted the key and ran for about 2 hours successfully. Did your son put in the correct key? or was it a non genuine Windows disk??

BritBrat

Someone once posted a link on here to a utility that unencrypted the windows key that' stored on the machine.

That was me.

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