OK, I know Vista is very very old news, but I noticed something that intrigued me this week. I found myself helping to return an old netbook to its original condition, which in this case meant using Windows Vista Home Basic.
Nov 18, 2010 Invalid product key, Windows vista. Windows Vista IT Pro. You can reset your Windows Vista activation by performing the following. Feb 26, 2007. I didn't even have a desktop, not even any Windows wallpaper — just a blank white background. It was stark. You may be prompted to activate Windows Vista on a computer on which Windows Vista activation was not previously required. Although this problem rarely occurs,. Aug 27, 2007 I am using a real version of Windows Vista Home Premium (not OEM) Basically, its been past my 30 days, and I need to activiate windows. I click on &quo. In Windows Vista SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2, after a grace period of 30 days (60 days for Windows Server 2008), the operating system will add a text message in the bottom-right hand corner of the screen stating that the copy of Windows in question is not.
I wiped the drive and reinstalled Vista from the Dell OEM DVD. To my surprise, it shows up as Genuine and Activated, even though at no point did it ask me to put in the Product Key from the sticker on the bottom of the laptop. I never entered anything, never got a notice about needing to activate, it just happened. So has Microsoft given up on Vista to the extent that it's just always activated and they don't keep track any more?
I too was recently re-installing Vista to a friends laptop, as they didn't have a valid key for the W7 it previously had before they fecked it:) I have the media, from my activation pack from MS after getting my first MCP, so loaded and had to activate, all went well, as well as a Vista install can TBH but within a month, he was back onto me, as it was popping up an invalid / pirate OS warning!!!!!!!! AS IF:o) short version - had to get a W7 key, and load that but to my knowledge activation is still needed, but it appears they don't really like you doing it???