Licensing Question

My sister needed help with her Vaio Laptop that was in desperate need of
a wipe and reinstall. Unfortunately she didn't know where her Vaio's
copy of Windows Vista Premium was.

While I was at my campus bookstore, I asked them if they had a copy of
just the media itself as I already had my sister's Vaio license. They
sold me a copy of the Ultimate version for $20 or $40 dollars, I don't
remember how much exactly.

I knew that the Ultimate version had all the versions, including the
Premium version my sister had a license for.

I used Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder to look up her license which I
e-mailed to myself.

I reinstalled Vista which installed as the Premium version, just as I
expected. Five to six hours later I had everything set up. I thought
everything was activated and working just fine. I was wrong.

And now a week later, my sister brings me her laptop and complains her
background is gone. The operating system had reverted itself to its
limited "Illegal State".

Frustrated and not wanting to spend another five hours redoing it all,
I tried using the license that came on the back of the CD that I got at
my campus bookstore which Windows refused. It won't allow me to upgrade
to Ultimate either.

What is my best solution at this point? Will Microsoft support me in
this? Can I get a disc replacement from Vaio? The last thing we want to
do is have to buy another license. I don't know if if its okay to use
the license that came on the back of my Ultimate disc either.


-**-


--
ThePickler

Use the key on the COA sticker on the bottom of the laptop, NOT the one you
got with magicjellybean. You'll have to call in for activation.

--


------
"ThePickler" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> My sister needed help with her Vaio Laptop that was in desperate need of
> a wipe and reinstall. Unfortunately she didn't know where her Vaio's
> copy of Windows Vista Premium was.
>
> While I was at my campus bookstore, I asked them if they had a copy of
> just the media itself as I already had my sister's Vaio license. They
> sold me a copy of the Ultimate version for $20 or $40 dollars, I don't
> remember how much exactly.
>
> I knew that the Ultimate version had all the versions, including the
> Premium version my sister had a license for.
>
> I used Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder to look up her license which I
> e-mailed to myself.
>
> I reinstalled Vista which installed as the Premium version, just as I
> expected. Five to six hours later I had everything set up. I thought
> everything was activated and working just fine. I was wrong.
>
> And now a week later, my sister brings me her laptop and complains her
> background is gone. The operating system had reverted itself to its
> limited "Illegal State".
>
> Frustrated and not wanting to spend another five hours redoing it all,
> I tried using the license that came on the back of the CD that I got at
> my campus bookstore which Windows refused. It won't allow me to upgrade
> to Ultimate either.
>
> What is my best solution at this point? Will Microsoft support me in
> this? Can I get a disc replacement from Vaio? The last thing we want to
> do is have to buy another license. I don't know if if its okay to use
> the license that came on the back of my Ultimate disc either.
>
>
> -**-
>
>
> --
> ThePickler

Thank you so much David B. It worked brilliantly! It activated it just
fine without me having to call anyone.

You're my hero.

I didn't realize Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder couldn't work for this.

Its also good to know that I now have an all powerful Ultimate disc
that I can use for these sorts of things.


--
ThePickler

ThePickler wrote:
> Thank you so much David B. It worked brilliantly! It activated it just
> fine without me having to call anyone.
>
> You're my hero.
>
> I didn't realize Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder couldn't work for this.
>
> Its also good to know that I now have an all powerful Ultimate disc
> that I can use for these sorts of things.
>
>

Explanation:

If you had a factory-installed OEM license, and hadn't since
reinstalled the OS, the revealed Product Key is that of the drive image
used at the factory and not her specific Product Key; therefore, it
probably cannot be -- and definitely should not be -- used for a
re-installation or activation. She needs to use the Product Key that's
stored on the CoA label that the PC manufacturer affixed to the exterior
of the PC case, or on the bottom of a laptop.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

Glad your all set, I should have provided the reason for this but it was 5pm
on a Friday, I was lazy, but Bruce filled the gap.

--


------
"ThePickler" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Thank you so much David B. It worked brilliantly! It activated it just
> fine without me having to call anyone.
>
> You're my hero.
>
> I didn't realize Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder couldn't work for this.
>
> Its also good to know that I now have an all powerful Ultimate disc
> that I can use for these sorts of things.
>
>
> --
> ThePickler