OEM means no help from Microsoft

I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a local
computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my copy of
Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer re-booted
to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and I
had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I thought
there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him in
person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip. Oh
yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
can't do anything. Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
what the problem can be. Thanks.

You can activate Vista by performing the following:

1. Click on the Start button and in the Start Search box type in: slui.exe 4
2. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
3. Select your Country.
4. Follow the instructions for phone activation.
5. Once completed, restart your computer.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Cartoonstrips" <> wrote in message
news:1376D4F7-3642-4CAE-AA1A-...
I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a local
computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my copy of
Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer re-booted
to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and I
had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I thought
there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him in
person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip. Oh
yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
can't do anything. Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
what the problem can be. Thanks.

In article <1376D4F7-3642-4CAE-AA1A->,
says...
> I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a local
> computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my copy of
> Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
> originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer re-booted
> to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and I
> had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I thought
> there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
> Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him in
> person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip. Oh
> yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
> can't do anything. Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
> what the problem can be. Thanks.

If the key was "Already In Use" and you just installed it, you should
have a nice sticker from MS with your key, then you need to talk with
your vendor.

As for MS, you don't need to mention OEM or anything else to them, just
follow the activation by phone process...

--

Leythos
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
(remove 999 for proper email address)

You might want to post this issue in the Microsoft System Builder
Newsgroups:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...ysbuilder.mspx
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Cartoonstrips" <> wrote in message
news:1376D4F7-3642-4CAE-AA1A-...
>I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a
>local
> computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my copy
> of
> Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
> originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer
> re-booted
> to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and
> I
> had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I
> thought
> there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
> Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him
> in
> person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip.
> Oh
> yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
> can't do anything. Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
> what the problem can be. Thanks.

Cartoonstrips wrote:
> I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a local
> computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my copy of
> Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
> originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer re-booted
> to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and I
> had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I thought
> there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
> Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him in
> person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip. Oh
> yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
> can't do anything. Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
> what the problem can be. Thanks.


If you ever have to reinstall from CD again look for a "Activate Now"
during the install (Very early on in the process) MS sneaked that in
there hoping that most people would identify their machine to the
servers without realizing it, but once done, as you discovered, if the
install goes belly up, which is a risk increased by self built machines,
your first demoralizing experience with Vista will be WGA and WPA
jumping all over you refusing to activate.

Get a human operator and explain that you had a power outage or crash
during the install and had no option... if they refuse then you are
relying on your supplier, and please report back what you experience.

I think Microsoft can decipher the channel the license was distributed in
through the Product ID or Key, whether its Retail, OEM or Volume License.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Leythos" <> wrote in message
news:. ..
> In article <1376D4F7-3642-4CAE-AA1A->,
> says...
>> I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a
>> local
>> computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my
>> copy of
>> Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
>> originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer
>> re-booted
>> to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and
>> I
>> had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I
>> thought
>> there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
>> Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him
>> in
>> person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip.
>> Oh
>> yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
>> can't do anything. Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
>> what the problem can be. Thanks.
>
> If the key was "Already In Use" and you just installed it, you should
> have a nice sticker from MS with your key, then you need to talk with
> your vendor.
>
> As for MS, you don't need to mention OEM or anything else to them, just
> follow the activation by phone process...
>
> --
>
> Leythos
> - Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
> - Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
> drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
> (remove 999 for proper email address)

Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin] wrote:
> You might want to post this issue in the Microsoft System Builder
> Newsgroups:
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...ysbuilder.mspx


Andre my experience is not good, with the MSDN edition (Retail)
"Activate now" is very early in the install, and place insignificantly
away on the top left so it is (by intention I think) hardly noticeable.

It got me just once, and I had almost exactly this experience, a power
failure. This is bad practice, XP did not do that until after most of
the install, but this does and denies you.

As Carey has stated, you will have to activate your system by phone as the
key already IS in use, by YOU - from the first time you installed and
activated the O/S. If you did not remove the check from the box that says
"Activate Automatically When On Line", or something to that effect, the
system was activated automatically when the computer first reached the
desktop. Then when you installed it a second time you found the key was
already in use. This is expected behavior, though not necessarily desired
behavior - by the customer.

This should not take more that 5-10 minutes for the free phone call.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)



"Cartoonstrips" <> wrote in message
news:1376D4F7-3642-4CAE-AA1A-...
>I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a
>local
> computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my copy
> of
> Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
> originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer
> re-booted
> to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and
> I
> had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I
> thought
> there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
> Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him
> in
> person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip.
> Oh
> yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
> can't do anything. Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
> what the problem can be. Thanks.

"Richard Urban" <> wrote in message
news:...
> As Carey has stated, you will have to activate your system by phone as the
> key already IS in use, by YOU - from the first time you installed and
> activated the O/S. If you did not remove the check from the box that says
> "Activate Automatically When On Line", or something to that effect, the
> system was activated automatically when the computer first reached the
> desktop. Then when you installed it a second time you found the key was
> already in use. This is expected behavior, though not necessarily desired
> behavior - by the customer.
>
> This should not take more that 5-10 minutes for the free phone call.
>
> --
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
>
>
> "Cartoonstrips" <> wrote in message
> news:1376D4F7-3642-4CAE-AA1A-...
>>I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a
>>local
>> computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my
>> copy of
>> Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
>> originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer
>> re-booted
>> to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and
>> I
>> had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I
>> thought
>> there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
>> Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him
>> in
>> person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip.
>> Oh
>> yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
>> can't do anything. Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
>> what the problem can be. Thanks.
>

Only takes 5-10 mins true. But expect to be on hold. I've had to do it twice
and both times were approx 30-45 mins on hold. Or do like I will do next
time. : )

Cartoonstrips wrote:
> I bought a bunch of new parts; and a OEM copy of Window's Vista from a local
> computer shop. Everything works great except that I can't activate my copy of
> Vista - it says "the product key you entered is already in use". I
> originally thought that I installed it wrong because the computer re-booted
> to the Vista CD during installation and install started from scratch; and I
> had to enter my key again. So... I reformated the hardrive because I thought
> there was some dual install thing going on; but still the same problem.
> Now - my computer guy won't return my emails so I will have to go see him in
> person - but I was hoping to get it worked out without making the trip. Oh
> yeah - as soon as I mention OEM to Microsoft on the phone - they say they
> can't do anything.


That's true. Microsoft has never provided support for OEM licenses;
that's one of the reasons - probably the least significant one, though -
that OEM licenses cost less than retail licenses. Support is entirely
the responsibility of whomever built the system and installed the OEM
license.


> Just wondering, before I confront my computer guy -
> what the problem can be. Thanks.


The problem would appear to be that you were sold an OEM license that
has already been installed elsewhere. You may well have been defrauded.


--

Bruce Chambers

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