Win 7 computers have a sticker with the 25 character activation number on it. It is on the top or rear of the case on a desktop and inside or on the bottom of a laptop. It is greenish.
The drivers I have are only for Windows 7 or 8. I do not cherish the thought of having to go find new drivers. There aren't any Windows 10 drivers available from Dell for this computer. Too old. Besides - I like Windows 7 and want to stick with it. Just like my other computers are all Windows XP systems. All I really want is to just get Windows 7 to re-recognize I have a valid copy of Windows 7.
This same problem happened for Windows XP as well some time ago. It turned out to be some mistake someone made that caused Windows XP to think it was invalid also. There has to be a simple fix for this problem. I'm thinking this is all caused by the hard drive failure. The new hard drive has a different Mac address so it thinks I've pirated the software. Or it could be some other reason. Don't really care. What it should do is ask me to put the disc back in so it can verify it. Of course, with some of these programs out there (like Gizmo) you can make a copy of a WIndows CD/DVD so I guess that's out for verification. Actually - how DOES Microsoft ever know what is a good install and what is a pirated install? Too many activations of the OS? That would be dumb too. I had a time a few years back when the new houses were being put in that the electricity went up and down like crazy. I also went through three hard drives during that time. So that's not a good way to do it either. Hmmmm.....
Windows 10 has most system drivers inbuilt or obtains them automatically via Windows Update... otherwise you can use the Windows 8 drivers. The user interface of Windows 10 TH2 is much more similar to Windows 7 than Windows 8 was.
I never put the sticker onto the laptop. The Product Key that was installed said OEM in it. I thought about what you said and came across an article that said the sticker sometimes is inside of where the battery is on a laptop. I looked and there it was! It is slightly different from the OEM number. I put it in and Windows 7 Activated! So thanks to you - I figured out what the problem was. Thank you VERY much! :-)
The problem with this answer is - not all of the drivers would update. I've helped a lot of people update their comptuers and there is always one or two drivers that won't update because there just isn't a driver available. This would have been true in this case as some of the devices I use are no longer supported. Being out of work - I do not have the money to upgrade anything. I barely have enough money coming in to pay the utilities and house payment.
Luckily for me - I came across an article that said the Windows 7 sticker might be under the battery on the laptop. So I looked and there it was. It turns out the product key installed from the CD/DVD is only a temporary Product Key. I know this now because the real product key is a bit different.
I put it in and Windows 7 reactivated. So this post can be closed.
Thank you for helping. Although I do not want to upgrade to Windows 10 - it was a fair suggestion to make and I even went and read up about the download. I may go ahead and download the software since my wife is a teacher and she has been talking about upgrading her system. In this way I'll have it when she wants to try doing it (after a full backup of course).
Mary G
4 Operator
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20.1K Posts
0
November 16th, 2015 10:00
Win 7 computers have a sticker with the 25 character activation number on it. It is on the top or rear of the case on a desktop and inside or on the bottom of a laptop. It is greenish.
Philip_Yip
9 Legend
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16.1K Posts
0
November 16th, 2015 11:00
Why not Clean Install Windows 10 TH2 using your Windows 7 OEM product key?
http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-windows-10-oem-and-retail-iso/
mekram
29 Posts
0
November 16th, 2015 12:00
The drivers I have are only for Windows 7 or 8. I do not cherish the thought of having to go find new drivers. There aren't any Windows 10 drivers available from Dell for this computer. Too old. Besides - I like Windows 7 and want to stick with it. Just like my other computers are all Windows XP systems. All I really want is to just get Windows 7 to re-recognize I have a valid copy of Windows 7.
This same problem happened for Windows XP as well some time ago. It turned out to be some mistake someone made that caused Windows XP to think it was invalid also. There has to be a simple fix for this problem. I'm thinking this is all caused by the hard drive failure. The new hard drive has a different Mac address so it thinks I've pirated the software. Or it could be some other reason. Don't really care. What it should do is ask me to put the disc back in so it can verify it. Of course, with some of these programs out there (like Gizmo) you can make a copy of a WIndows CD/DVD so I guess that's out for verification. Actually - how DOES Microsoft ever know what is a good install and what is a pirated install? Too many activations of the OS? That would be dumb too. I had a time a few years back when the new houses were being put in that the electricity went up and down like crazy. I also went through three hard drives during that time. So that's not a good way to do it either. Hmmmm.....
mekram
29 Posts
0
November 16th, 2015 12:00
That is only if you peeled off the sticker and put it on the computer. I do not do that. But as I said - I found it. :-)
Philip_Yip
9 Legend
•
16.1K Posts
0
November 16th, 2015 12:00
Windows 10 has most system drivers inbuilt or obtains them automatically via Windows Update... otherwise you can use the Windows 8 drivers. The user interface of Windows 10 TH2 is much more similar to Windows 7 than Windows 8 was.
mekram
29 Posts
0
November 16th, 2015 13:00
GOT IT! :-)
I never put the sticker onto the laptop. The Product Key that was installed said OEM in it. I thought about what you said and came across an article that said the sticker sometimes is inside of where the battery is on a laptop. I looked and there it was! It is slightly different from the OEM number. I put it in and Windows 7 Activated! So thanks to you - I figured out what the problem was. Thank you VERY much! :-)
mekram
29 Posts
0
November 16th, 2015 14:00
The problem with this answer is - not all of the drivers would update. I've helped a lot of people update their comptuers and there is always one or two drivers that won't update because there just isn't a driver available. This would have been true in this case as some of the devices I use are no longer supported. Being out of work - I do not have the money to upgrade anything. I barely have enough money coming in to pay the utilities and house payment.
Luckily for me - I came across an article that said the Windows 7 sticker might be under the battery on the laptop. So I looked and there it was. It turns out the product key installed from the CD/DVD is only a temporary Product Key. I know this now because the real product key is a bit different.
I put it in and Windows 7 reactivated. So this post can be closed.
Thank you for helping. Although I do not want to upgrade to Windows 10 - it was a fair suggestion to make and I even went and read up about the download. I may go ahead and download the software since my wife is a teacher and she has been talking about upgrading her system. In this way I'll have it when she wants to try doing it (after a full backup of course).
Thank you again!