Windows 7 authentication

[Bondbug 32]

A bit more up to date than my Amiga problem last year, but not much you may say.  Out of date as usual, but someone may have a polite and useful suggestion.

This concerns Windows 7. OK when you have finished rolling about laughing …. We keep an old set up with Windows 7 and XPPro. I have legitimate disks for XPPro, W7 and W8. For technical reasonsI cannot update this PC set up to W8, which would be a preferred solution.

Recently I had problems and had to reinstall W7. Unfortunately the installation disk, which I believe is legal, is Windows 7 Home Premium, and “Intended for distribution with a refurbished PC” and was given to me, funnily enough, long time ago when the PC was refurbished. Unfortunately it has no key code with it for activation. So we are constantly pestered for activation (as if they cared now) for a PC which is only very rarely connected to the internet, and we constantly suffer inerference and even blockage.

I can find no Windows Help service which cares for anything before W10. Does anyone here know how to deal with this and rid us of constant inbuilt pestering  

[Timotheus 430]

Just to be sure, it has been completely wiped so there's no way to run a keyfinder or smt like that? I think there's no way to help out now I guess, aside from obtaining a key. Just a thought: you could try to get your hands on an older OEM pc case with a key sticker on it. IIRC the activation process with W7 was still quite lenient with activating (might have to ring CS) so you might get away with it. 

Though, I haven't looked into whether you can still obtain a license that way.

[Bondbug 32]

Part of the problem is that they stopped selling/providing keys for W7 long ago.

As you may have noticed, I am no expert.. Could you explain what you mean by "Just to be sure, it has been completely wiped so there's no way to run a keyfinder or smt like that?". Keyfinder:) Is that possible?

What is annoying me is that I have been through this problem before but a few years back. I have no record of what I did and the old grey matter is so shrivelled up these days as to be a complete blank. 

Good to talk to you again. Seems a long time.

[Timotheus 430]

How to find Windows 7 product key

I'm sure there are programs which would do the same, the link above provides you with a guide to find the key manually.
If you are able to reproduce your product key this way, the next step is to:

Activate W7 by phone

I hope this helps. 

[Timotheus 430]

If the above does nog solve your problem, could you tell me the exact version you are running (e.g. Home Premium OEM UK 32-bit, so: version, license type, language, and bit-version). I could try to help find a license key. 

Edited April 17, 2020 by Timotheus

[Bondbug 32]

Thanks Timo, I eventually got it sorted. None of the above worked, nor did the many keys found on a web search.................BUT, and I hate to confess it, I found the original receipt and code in a heap of old Junk I was sorting for the bin.

Now safely filed with XPPro and W8 - perhaps, with my wishy-washy old brain it would be safer to put them in a bank vault.

 

[Timotheus 430]

Good to hear you've managed to solve your problem