Why can't I activate my Windows Vista?

L

Ladic

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
Messages
1,232
I bought a while back ago a Homepremium upgrade, beacuse you could technically use it as a full install of vista.

I went ahead and install the upgrade the first, w/o the serial key, and installed it again on top of that this time with my serial key and supposedly you cant the full Vista this way.

But when I go to activate vista, it tells me this key is already in use?

I had installed this same vista a while back ago and gave me no problems.

Why cant I install it now?
 
It's just a hiccup. Online activation has failed for some reason or other. Simply activate by telephone instead.

This doesn't mean that you can't activate your Vista install. It simply means that the activation has been queried. It's probably your own earlier installation which is triggering the "key already in use" message, and possibly not enough time elapsed since then for online activation to proceed again unhindered.


Explain to the call centre that you've reinstalled and you'll be assisted to get it activated. People usually only get asked to verify that it's only installed on the one machine. No biggie!
 
A further comment:

It's not very likely, but there's a slight possibility that somebody else has installed and activated Vista using the same install key as you have. Key generators and the like do exist, after all.

But even if this has happened it'll only be a temporary inconvenience to you. You're the person with the package and the proof of ownership, so you're the person who'll end up with the legitimised install. In that event you'd end up issued with a new install key, and the old one would end up 'blocked', leaving the mongrel who pinched and used it to be a sad puppy! :D
 
ah ok, but in the first installation I didnt use the cd key, only in the 2nd one, thats why I find it strange.
 
When you ran the second install you did so from within the existing (trial) Vista installation didn't you? In other words, you fired up Vista, popped the Vista DVD in the drive and performed an install from within Windows, this time entering the install code?

If you booted from the DVD and installed that'd trigger an error. Vista Upgrade has to be installed from within Windows. It is possible to allocate an install code to a trial install and then activate it, but console commands need to be used to do it that way.

If you've followed the techniques correctly it'll simply be a different glitch holding you up at present.
 
ok callled msoft and got an indian guy who validated my vista.

very weird what happened.
 
Catweazle said:
When you ran the second install you did so from within the existing (trial) Vista installation didn't you? In other words, you fired up Vista, popped the Vista DVD in the drive and performed an install from within Windows, this time entering the install code?

If you booted from the DVD and installed that'd trigger an error. Vista Upgrade has to be installed from within Windows. It is possible to allocate an install code to a trial install and then activate it, but console commands need to be used to do it that way.

If you've followed the techniques correctly it'll simply be a different glitch holding you up at present.
Click to expand...



what I did was install the vista w/o activation key, once inside vista I ran the setup again but from there. And did the whole installation thing.

I thought it was supposed to be like that?
 
ok, thanks for help guys.

I got 2 more quick questions.

How do I install acrobat reader? and how do I get rid of the recycle bin on my desktop?

im just gonna leave it as a shortcut on my taskbar.
 
Install Acrobat Reader by running it as administrator and choosing Windows XP SP2 compatabilty mode . After that it will install fine.
 
Ensure that you've downloaded the most up to date install of Acrobat Reader. Install it with UAC enabled. That should work fine. Does for the majority of people, anyway.

Installation errors generally occur on machines where UAC has been disabled. This and this should give you clues to workarounds.

Recycle bin icon can be removed simply by right-clicking and deleting it. If you ever want the thing back again you need only right-click the desktop, choose 'Personalize' and then use the 'Change desktop icons' feature. Or you can remove it from there to begin with. Either way works fine :)
 
Ladic said:
and how do I get rid of the recycle bin on my desktop?

im just gonna leave it as a shortcut on my taskbar.
Click to expand...

Right click on your desktop and go to "Personalize".

On the "Personalize" screen, look on the left for a link to "Change Desktop Icons".

:)

<EDIT>

Catweazel is a sneaky-ass ninja editor! :D

</EDIT>
 
thanks guys, and how do i get rid of the annoying user account control?
 
okay I've disabled UAC, but how do I stop making that warning thing on the taskbar to stop appearing telling me I have deactivated UAC?
 
Re-enable UAC!



Nah, just kidding :D Try Security Center -> Change the way Security Center alerts me.
 
That all said, disabling UAC is a rather drastic step to take simply to avoid what is, after the initial software installations and configurations are completed, only a slight and infrequent annoyance. As this article indicates, there are resons to leave it active and there are alternative ways to reduce the number and type of prompts you see.

Disabling UAC is sorta like wringing your dog's neck because it was barking, rather than training the dog not to bark all the time. You'd hardly call it a measure of competence!

Doing the 'training' can be a pain in the bum on Visyta Home versions, though, because Vista Home does not include the secpol.msc management console interface tool. All of the rquired changes can still be made, though, because all secpol.msc really does is alter registry entries, and those can be altered manually using the registry editor. People need only google up the necessary 'tweak' for the change they want or need to make.
 
^^ but leaving it disabled will allow people to blame MS and how insecure they are when they're comp goes to all hell because spyware / virus and such got installed.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top