Windows 7 Home Premium issues with License Key

[RickZler]

Hi:

Love the forum and I've been avidly reading it for many years now. This is my first post. Here are the details. I have a Dell
Inspiron 15 running Windows 7 Home premium OEM. I also have a HP Pavilion15 running Windows 7 home Premium OEM.
The hard drive died on the HP and I couldn't find the original HP Media disc that came with the computer. So I installed the
Dell Media on the HP just for the O.S. Everything installed perfectly and the machine was running great for just about a month. Then I got the dreaded 6801 error "this is a not a genuine install of Windows Please re-activate"
I tried to re-arm with my valid license from the HP Windows Sticker but it wouldn't take it. I tried both the SLMGR way and the SLUI.EXE 3 and 4 way and even tried the phone activation and talking directly to a tech who said it's a manufacturer problem contact HP. So my question is, is there something I can change in the $OEM$ directory to get it to accept the dell
install key. I know
cscript %windir%\system32\slmgr.vbs -ilc %windir%\SYSTEM32\OEM\*.*.XRM-MS
cscript %windir%\system32\slmgr.vbs -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Will register the License key but isn't it the manuf. product code that I need to get?
Now it's saying "License will upgrade in 3 days" under my computer properties Microsoft Windows Install.
If I buy a new retail copy will that license key work without re-installing it. I just moved gigs and gigs of data and re-installed all my apps and I really don't want to go through that again just because Windows isn't accepting my VALID license key. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Instead of buying a new license, contact HP for specific recovery media that works with your machine. I may cost you $20, but it will be cheaper than buying a new license.

 

[RickZler]

Instead of buying a new license, contact HP for specific recovery media that works with your machine. I may cost you $20, but it will be cheaper than buying a new license.

Cliff, thanks but will I have to do a re-install and scrap all my hard work since the OEM disc don't have a license key but use the
behind the scene authorization during install. Is there a way to get the key from the disc without doing the full install?

Thanks
RickZler

 

[TrainableMan]

The OEM recovery media doesn't actually include the product key; your license key (or coded links for it) are stored in the BIOS SLIC table, the recovery media simply self-activates.

Are you absolutely sure you typed the product key in correctly? Some letters and numbers look very similar.

 

[RickZler]

The OEM recovery media doesn't actually include the product key; your license key (or coded links for it) are stored in the BIOS SLIC table, the recovery media simply self-activates.

Are you absolutely sure you typed the product key in correctly? Some letters and numbers look very similar.

Yes, I'm sure. Is there a way to display what key is stored now?

SLMGR.EXE -DLI is just creating a pop-up with all the SLMRG options listed like a help menu. I thought it would just give me the current product key.
This machine currently is running Windows 7 Home premium but was out of the factory with Windows 8 installed by H.P.
It was downgraded to Windows 7 Home premium. I lost the HP disk from other laptop I was going to use to gen this machine so I used the DIGITAL RIVER Windows Home premium
ISO (I thought I used the Dell Install but I just put the Digital River disc in the Dell DVD envelope upon checking this morning) so yes I think it might be a branding issue or something to do
with SLIC. What are my options now?
to re-cap
1) Downgraded from Windows 8 on HP Pavilion
2) Installed D.R. Windows Home Premium on H.P.Pavilion
3) 6801 error some weeks later and tried to rearm no luck
4) Tried to activate on-line SLUI.EXE 3 and over phone SLUI.EXE 4 with no luck
5) All error codes say invalid product-id please use valid key to activate Windows

Thanks
RickZler

 

[TrainableMan]

If you downgraded to W7 then you had to have a W7 product key. If it came with W8 H.P. Installed then the key on the machine is for Windows 8; I suggest you try installing Windows 8 with that key on the sticker.

I honestly think Windows 8 is your best chance of reinstalling for free. If the only thing keeping you from using W8 is the start menu then know that it is supposed to return to Windows 8.1 this fall and until then there are a couple free or inexpensive alternatives.