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Vista Product Key Not Accepted After Re-Install

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onthelimit1
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Posted January 22, 2013 at 4:18PM

Toshiba Satellite with damaged hard drive. New drive installed, run Vista disc. All OK until I type in the product key. 'Appears not to be a valid Vista key'. The COA sticker is a little worn, but quite legible, so I'm pretty sure the code is correct. Any suggestions as to where to go from here? Original version and disc are for Home Premium.

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SillBill

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 4:27PM

Found this online "OEM copies do sometimes have this problem. If you are sure you are installing the same version of Windows as your product key, install Windows without the product key if necessary and activate using the free phone activation (if online activation is not working, and you make the effort to phone up, Microsoft assume you are telling the truth and activate your copy of Windows anyway) This should fix the problem."

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Chronos the 2nd

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 4:39PM

Yes do the phone activation,it is maybe a little long winded but it will work.

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onthelimit1

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 4:45PM

Thanks, I'll give that a go.

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lotvic

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 4:53PM

You may have mixed up 0 O D or B 8

At what point in the install were you putting the Product key in? It is best to not put it in at the beginning (just click on Next to skip it and skip the auto activation when online part as well) You can put the product key in after (you have 30 days)

You will prob have to (as SillBill said) telephone to activate the product key if it won't do it online.

Most of the keys on the Stickers have been disabled from online activation (that key is different one to the Manufacturers Factory pre-activated key that was used for the original install) and now have to be phone activation.

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Jock1e

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 4:53PM

Maybe try it one more time just before you phone just in case you got one of the letters mixed up.

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SillBill

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 4:59PM

I practically always have to use a magnifying glass to be absolutely sure what the printed letters are!

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onthelimit1

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 5:00PM

Thanks Lotvic et al - I've had a strong magnifying glass on it. If a number/letter looks marginal, I've tried to alternatives with no success. It doesn't get as far as activation - the message appears when the code has been typed in. Just in the process of trying again.

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SillBill

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 5:04PM

Just had a look at one of my COA Keys, none of the letters/numbers are ambiguous! Miracles never cease!

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rdave13

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 5:11PM

The recovery discs would have worked, if they were burnt.

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onthelimit1

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Posted January 22, 2013 at 5:13PM

rdave. Very true, but I've found very few people bother. I'f I'm setting up a new one for them, I do it for them.

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