SOLVED OEM vs Retail iso's ?

[Mrt1989]

Hello , have a problem . Downloaded W7 Home Premium 64bit iso and tried to activate it with my OEM key and it wont let me to activate. Is there difference between Oem and Retail ?

 

[TrainableMan]

Yes you should be able, but are you sure your OEM key is for Home Premium, not Home Basic or Home Starter?

Have you already installed and just bypassed the product key? If so, RIGHT-click on Computer and choose Properties. Go to the bottom and you should see "not activated{". Click change product key and enter your Home Premium OEM product key.

OEM licenses cannot be transferred to a new computer so if it has been used on a different machine you cannot use it again; even upgrading your motherboard invalidates the license. If it is the same machine with a new hard drive then you may be required to call Microsoft to reactivate.

 

[Mrt1989]

Yes im sure its Home premium , i once installed it to my desktop and worked fine.
I tried with the SP1 version witch was already preinstalled to windows might that be the case ? Ive read that you cant activate if SP1 is already installed.

 

[TrainableMan]

i once installed it to my desktop and worked fine.

You mean the same desktop you are trying to install it on now, correct? Because if it was on a different desktop then it is associated with that desktop and can't be moved.

I tried with the SP1 version witch was already preinstalled to windows might that be the case ? Ive read that you cant activate if SP1 is already installed.

I've never heard of that, in fact we post links to the W7 SP1 ISO and people use it to install so it has to be possible to activate.

What kind of error do you get? Are you sure you are typing it in correctly, some characters look very similar like 8's and B's?

 

[Mrt1989]

I bought notebook with OEM installed with key , then installed it on to my desktop using same key - worked.
Now bought second notebook , bought a new OEM cd key and it says its not compatible with the windows i have ... I will try again and copy the error code here.

 

[Mrt1989]

0xc004c008

The activation server determined that the specified product key could not be used.

Its a new key .never been used

 

[TrainableMan]

I bought notebook with OEM installed with key, then installed it on to my desktop using same key - worked.

Sometimes this works but it is not legal; OEM licenses cannot be legally transferred. And if you have it on the laptop AND the desktop you are illegally stealing a copy of W7

0xc004c008 - The activation server determined that the specified product key could not be used.

Its a new key .never been used

Did you buy it directly from Microsoft or from an actual computer store? Or did you get it from eBay or other risky supplier?

Is the W7 already installed or are you attempting to install it now? If you are trying to install now then just allow it to install without a key, then after it is installed go to change the product key and use "show me other ways to activate". See HERE. That is for the USA but I would assume there are ways offered in your country as well.

 

[pmshah]

I bought notebook with OEM installed with key , then installed it on to my desktop using same key - worked.
Now bought second notebook , bought a new OEM cd key and it says its not compatible with the windows i have ... I will try again and copy the error code here.

I find this quite surprising. The OEMs have long stopped issuing media with laptops / desktops that have factory installed Windows. If you need one it can cost you upwards of $ 75/=.

So honestly how did you install it and what make of desktop? One does not have to go online to activate an OEM installation. If you used any other media and if your installation accepted the key you were simply fortunate. This might just happen if both are from the same OEM sharing some ID information in the bios.

 

[Mrt1989]

I bought it from online cd key store . I have windows installed .

 

[TrainableMan]

Online keys, unless from Microsoft via Digital River, are usually rip-offs. If you go back to them and say the key doesn't work they will likely give you another one. The problem is they may be selling that key to hundreds of other people and in anywhere from a month to 4 months Microsoft will invalidate all of those Activations and your Windows will show as illegal just like the one you have now seems to be doing.

Go back to them and say the key is invalid and you want a refund. If they refuse then contact your credit card company or your bank fraud department (hopefully you paid by credit card). Then buy from an actual retailer.

 

[Mrt1989]

Hmm now i used the phone automated system to get activated , i prevously typed in the cd key i had and then activate by phone system and it worked . Does it means it was valid afterall ?

 

[TrainableMan]

It means it will work for a while but do not be surprised if in 1 to 4 months you wake up to a message that this Windows 7 machine is not genuine.

 

[Mrt1989]

Used well known cd key store , game codes are always worked . Never tried else tho.
Will see , if it turns out to be not genuine will buy from microsoft store .