Need guidance with W7 Authentication Key

[LouG]

Please don't flame the author, but it would appear that I've gotten myself into a jam and I'm running out of places to go for help.....

My wife's T400 just had it's HD replaced by the tech support person who does work in my office. He reloaded W7 Home Edition just as it originally came when bought new from Lenovo, however he did not enter an authentication code upon completion, so I'm now forever reminded that I'm using a non-genuine copy of W7. Yes, the machine still has its original Windows sticker on the bottom of the case, but the key numbers are pretty much all worn-away and not legible. I called Lenovo, but they tell me they no longer have any record of the key number as the machine is now out of warranty. The tech guy told me he can't just give me another key as that would make whatever W7 he takes it from useless.

Can this be fixed though buying another copy of W7 Home edition and just using the key number that comes with it (without reinstalling the newly-bought OS), or do I have to wipe the HD clean and start all over again?

[loyukfai]

You can always buy another copy and use its key, AFAIK, unlike older versions (like XP), newer Windows don't have key restriction like requiring special ones for OEM.

The key on the labels use a different ink or whatever however. Even mine (>6-year old X61T with a Vista key) is still perfectly legible even though the rest of the label has faded. Sounds strange to me that yours are gone.

Cheers.

[Temetka]

Or you can buy a set of restore discs for that machine. They will load the SLIC info and automatically activate your copy Windows 7. A set of discs can be found in the marketplace here for a reasonable price. Just post a want to buy ad, list your machine model and move on.

[RealBlackStuff]

Or modify your BIOS with a version that already includes Slic, such as from here:
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... post544727
After that, tell Windows to activate (but not via online).

[ducky2802]

If your T400 came with windows 7 from the factory, it has an OEM key. These are not secret, you can look them up online for any manufacturer. There is 1 key per windows 7 version, so your key for win 7 HP is exactly the same as any other thinkpad running windows 7 HP, and this key is different than a thinkpad running windows 7 Pro. The license printed on the bottom of your machine is just proof that you have paid for your version of windows.

For an OEM activation, you need 2 things: the key I mentioned above (which is not the one printed on the bottom of your machine) and the OEM certificate (xml file).

If you have access to another thinkpad that has windows 7 factory installed, use a program called ABR Beta to backup the OEM certificiate and key. If that key happens to match your version of win 7, use the the program to restore the 2 files on your machine and it will be activated. This is 100% legal AFAIK, because you bought the machine with win 7, you have the license (however illegible it is now), and you are performing an OEM activation exactly how your machine was activated when you bought it with the OEM key/Cert it would have come with. This is also one of the ways to do a clean install of your windows and how the R&R software activates.

If the key you backed up from the donor thinkpad does not match your version of win 7, you can do a search for the key it should have come with and edit the text file to match.

You dont need to reinstall windows to activate with this method.

[jayton4]

I sure hope your office is getting a great deal on that tech guy, hahaha.

ducky2802's method should work exactly as stated. I have not tried ABR Beta before, as I have used another tool called Slic Toolkit that does the exact same thing. For myself, I use the command line slmgr -ilc certificatefile.xml; slmgr -ipk KEY

There are few different ways to do the exact same offline activation.

*edit, just realized I was replying to an old thread. The original poster has likely resolved his issue by now.

[Temetka]

If it were me, i'd use the restore discs.

Then use belarc advisor to pull the OEM key, then reload from a clean OEM image which has only pure Windows in it. THis may be a little work in the beginning because you are essentially loading Windows twice. But, it guarantees an install that is clean and cruft free. Secondly, now that you have the OEM key, print it out and tape it inside the battery compartment in case you need it again in the future.

Typically I use retail OEM media to re-load the OS even in Dell/HP/Lenovo discs are present. Reason being that I want only a pure Windows install. Dell's are usually pretty clean. I haven't used a restore disc on a Thinkpad since my old T61 but even then there was a lot other crap installed.

Good luck with whatever you choose to get your wife's system up and running.