Best way to activate Win 7 Pro OEM?

[Ronin13]

So I just bought a Windows 7 Pro OEM license.

Normally, I would expect to activate using Windows Activation, like I've done so many times before with my retail version of Win XP Pro.

But with the license came an instruction saying *not* to use Windows Activation "the first time, as the license needs to be locked to the hardware", and instead use cmd and type "slmgr.vbs -ato" - no mention of when to input the 25 digit license key I was supplied with.

Is this legit? Googling that cmd line, it looks like it actually performs an activation, but that it's only good for 180 days...

 

[Dahak]

You can do it like you normally would.

During install of windows, it will ask you for the key during the install, enter they key then, and it will either auto activate if it detects a internet connection, or if not just go into System Preferences and activate it from there

 

[Ketchup]

Doesn't sound too legit, but hopefully that's just the instructions, as a normal OEM license does pair to hardware. Maybe the seller, for one reason or another, doesn't think you want to do that.

 

[Ronin13]

Thanks. I might be paranoid that I've gotten a counterfit key, but why would that cmd process even be suggested (and it being spelled out that I *shouldn't* use Windows Activation) if the license was legit?

As far as I can gather, it merely postpones actual activation by 180 days. Again, why would that be recommended, if the license is legit?

As for pairing it with hardware, I did ask if I could reinstall this without problems, but the instructions I got are obviously his standard formula that get's send with the license key sticker he sells.

Short of trying to activate this, is there any way to check if my product key is legit?

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

I'm suspicious, that it is NOT legitimate.

E.g. Googling what you said, can come up with (NOT quoted in here, as I DON'T want to give tips on pirating windows).

But its title, begins with:

Making a cracked or activated windows

Going on to defeat windows anti-piracy measures.

cmd and type "slmgr.vbs -ato" - no

Does NOT sound like something Microsoft would tell users to do, on installing windows.

 

[pcgeek11]

It should activate just like any other license. Regardless of what the seller told you. Yes you may have bought a fake license... Activate it and see.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

I'm suspicious, that it is NOT legitimate.

E.g. Googling what you said, can come up with (NOT quoted in here, as I DON'T want to give tips on pirating windows).

But its title, begins with:


Going on to defeat windows anti-piracy measures.



Does NOT sound like something Microsoft would tell users to do, on installing windows.

CORRECTION

Maybe it is a VOLUME licence. But that would probably still NOT be legitimate, to be sold on to you, via ebay or however you bought it.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn502540.aspx

Slmgr.vbs Options for Volume Activation

20 out of 28 rated this helpful - Rate this topic
Published: October 18, 2013
Updated: December 15, 2013
Applies To: Windows 10 Technical Preview, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2

 

[Dahak]

So you only got a key without any COA? sounds fishy too... could be they are reselling MSDN or Volume license keys, that could be why for the odd activation methods

As with normal oem kits, you get the media, and a COA which has the key on it, and usually activates without having to do any command line stuff

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

Short of trying to activate this, is there any way to check if my product key is legit?

Microsoft piracy reporting page:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/piracy/reporting/default.aspx

Or phone Microsoft up, and ask/tell them about this.

 

[Ronin13]

Thanks for your replies guys.

So you only got a key without any COA? sounds fishy too... could be they are reselling MSDN or Volume license keys, that could be why for the odd activation methods

As with normal oem kits, you get the media, and a COA which has the key on it, and usually activates without having to do any command line stuff

No, I got a COA sticker that kinda looks legit (I don't really have any to compare to), though it doesn't have any hologram effects or watermarks that I can see.

It came with a dvd too, but not a MS one, just a clone of the installation.

I guess all this means that it isn't a normal OEM version, but most likely a Volume License, which (legality issues aside) may be real?

In that case, am I better off going with the seller's suggested activation method, or should I give it a shot, using the normal activation?

If that command line only activates it for 180 days and requires re-entering every moth after that, which I've seen suggested, that would be a PITA.

 

[Ketchup]

What is sounds like to me: Somebody burned a copy of Windowd to a DVD and sent you a sticker off an OEM machine (think Dell, HP, etc). The rason it won't activate is because the these codes are usually in a range that is tied to that OEM. Once it sees that your board doesn't have the ID in the BIOS for whatever it is, it will tell you to call Microsoft for activation.

If that is the case: contact the seller and tell them that you will give MS their information if they don't refund you for the fraud.

My suggestion: never buy Windows off eBay or a non-reputable etailer. If you find a copy that is significantly less than others are charging, walk (or browse) away.

 

[matricks]

Run:

slmgr /dlv

This will give lots of information about the activation configuration. I can't check what it should exactly output right now, but look for stuff about activation channel, license channel, and also if any KMS server is configured (an IP address or hostname, and a port, default 1688). Post the output (you can run cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv to get output in text instead of a dialog), remove stuff like PIDs (long alphanumeric string), computer hostname if you like and so on. License channel should be along the lines of OEM_SLP, OEM_COA or something for OEM licenses.

 

[Ronin13]

The seller replies that the reason for the command promt activation, is that "that is how you lock the OS to the hardware for the first time". He admits, that it appears to be a 180 day activation, but that it "automatically renews itself and that he has had customers for whom this has worked for years". Should I just go ahead with this, or did I just pay for a way to circumvent activation, and not an actual license?

What is sounds like to me: Somebody burned a copy of Windowd to a DVD and sent you a sticker off an OEM machine (think Dell, HP, etc). The rason it won't activate is because the these codes are usually in a range that is tied to that OEM. Once it sees that your board doesn't have the ID in the BIOS for whatever it is, it will tell you to call Microsoft for activation.

I just called another seller who offers an OEM version at a slightly higher price. When asked, he admits that the DVD that comes with his license is a Dell installation DVD, but "that the rules have been changed, making it legit to install this on any system". He also said that on-line activation might not work, but that the phone activation certainly will. Does this sound right?

 

[Ronin13]

A couple of OEM questions:

A real Windows 7 Pro OEM disk will look like the white disk that shows up on a google image search, with the wording 'Intended for distribution with a new PC', yes?

This should allow (legit) installation on any system, but in the process marrying itself to the motherboard?

And the activation should be easily handled through Windows Activation?

 

[matricks]

Windows has a variety of activation mechanisms. For each of them to work, particular data and possibly services needs to be in place. slmgr /ato will just trigger an activation, which is a process that, abstracted, goes somewhat like this:

- What activation mechanism is configured to be used?
- For the given activation mechanism, is product key and associated data (e.g. OEM license certificate) in place?
- Is the key and associated data valid? (Online checks, if any, happen.)
- If yes, activate. Activation is either permanent or periodical. OEM, MAK and retail is permanent, KMS is 180 days.

So what slmgr /ato will do in your case depends on what Windows is configured to do, which is what I asked you to check in my previous post (slmgr /dlv). What Windows will do by default depends on the installation media, and in your case, what the seller might have messed with on this particular installation media (you seem unsure whether it's a Microsoft pressed media or some small shop burned disc).

OEM factories do OEM_SLP activations. Along with hardware information, BIOS also contains information on what Windows versions the computer (or rather computer model) is licensed for. In Windows, OEMs install a certificate which corresponds with the mentioned BIOS data. Finally, they install a generic SLP key, which just tells Windows to use the certificate+BIOS data to determine valid/invalid license. OEMs install certificate+key (slmgr /ilc <cert>; slmgr/ipk <key>), then run slmgr /ato to trigger the actual activation checks, and on success the computer is permanently activated.

Running slmgr /ato makes sense for an OEM_SLP activation. But unless your computer happens to have the mentioned BIOS data corresponding to an installed license certificate (you may not have a certificate installed either), you can't do an OEM_SLP activation. You instead do OEM_COA activation, which means you just enter the key. You can do this by doing slmgr /ipk <key>, followed by slmgr /ato. Or enter the key in graphical dialogs somewhere in Windows, which will do the same stuff behind the scenes.

If you are doing an OEM_COA activation, you are supposed to enter your COA (sticker) key. If someone sells you a COA license and tells you not to enter the key, the seller doesn't know what he's talking about (messing up SLP/COA), or something is fishy. If you will tell us what Windows is configured to do, the answer might be more obvious.

If you own a computer that has a Windows COA sticker on it, and also has SLIC/SLP data in BIOS, you are fully in your right to use SLP activation instead of use the COA key. Which I personally find more practical, since I don't have to read off the tiny code on the bottom of the computer I am trying to type it into.

 

[nemesismk2]

i always ring up when it comes to activating anything to do with microsoft

 

[Ronin13]

Many hanks for your thorough reply, matricks!

The disk I got is a home burned DVD. While that itself obviously isn't legit, the COA sticker I got with it still might be.

In communication with the seller, he explains that the "slmgr.vbs -ato" is used to trigger the activation, which should then ask for my 25 digit product key. And that trying Windows Activate on it's own without this step might block it as the license isn't yet bound to the hardware I'm installing to.

So if I understand you correctly, depending on the actual installation files on the disk I got, I might get a real activation out of this, and not just for 180 days?

(I can't do the slmgr /dlv check yet, as I'm in the process of putting the new rig together that this OS is going on.)

 

[matricks]

It may be that the media the seller made for you is configured for retail installations, and the installer may complain about an OEM key if it expects a retail key. Once Windows is up and running the license type can be changed (to OEM in your case), but during installation it might only accept keys of types the media is configured for (this was the case with XP, don't know how strict W7 setup is on this thing).

Sounds less fishy in this context, the seller gave you a particular approach that doesn't cause error messages. It's not actually about locking Windows to the hardware, just triggering the activation at a point when Windows will accept it (not during setup, because of the media license issue).

 

[Ronin13]

Again, thanks for your input. I'll be building this PC over the weekend; will update here how the OS installation goes.

As for the seller, he definitely seems to be working with IT support in some capacity (which may also explain his access to Volume Licenses). He's even offered to take care of any activation issues via some remote software, but as I much prefer to do this on my own I won't be taking him up on that.

 

[Mushkins]

I'm gonna spell it out clear.

What this guy is telling you is a lie, stop listening to him. He sent you a bootleg ISO, a random COA sticker that potentially looks fake, and is telling you to activate by resetting the 180 day trial counter.

You do not need to run that command line to "tie the OEM license to your hardware". That's not a thing, at all. The System Builder OEM version licensing being tied to your hardware is strictly an honor system licensing thing. What Dell/HP/Lenovo etc do to embed the key into the BIOS is a *completely* different thing that no amount of command line nonsense can replicate at home.

This guy is 100% running a scam. He's getting you to reset the trial activation because when it runs out in 180 days and you now have a problem, he will be long gone with your money. This is not a new scam, it's been rampant for years.

Oh, and that other guy saying "it's a dell reinstall disk, but they changed the rules!" is lying to you too. That OEM key is tied to a Dell motherboard that came with it. Yes, it may still activate (assuming the original system is not also activated and live), but it is 100% illegal.

Get a refund from this guy and buy your Windows from a reputable outlet, not Ebay. And I'm sure I don't need to say this, but giving some sketchy ebay seller remote access to your home system so "he can troubleshoot your activation issues" is a recipe for having all of your personal information stolen. This guy is a crook, plain and simple.

 

[Ronin13]

As for the remote access part, it did raise a red flag which is why I'd never go that way. Even though I'm not sure there'll be much to come after, on a completely fresh install, as I'd hope those going with that offer makes sure to uninstall whatever software used after the 'support'. But maybe some don't, and this guy keeps an open door to their stuff.

As for the "tie the OEM license to your hardware" bit, I may have translated poorly. Doesn't an OEM license marry itself to your hardware (specifically the motherboard?), at some part during installation or activation?

I was under the impression that an OEM license won't install again, if you either update your mobo or try installing on another system?

 

[Ketchup]

I agree with Mushkins. The more information you provide, the worse this situation sounds. Consider it s lesson learned, and hopefully you can get your money back.

Edit: to answer your question, a normal OEM will marry to your harware. A number in a range supplied to Dell, for example, would only marry to a Dell machine.

 

[Ronin13]

Thanks.

I don't doubt that this is at least slightly fishy (it definitely wasn't the OEM version I was expecting when I ordered). But as the license key I bought may still be legit (even if the selling of it in this way isn't), I'm starting to get curious enough to try it out and see what happens. The seller has even mentioned that I have some buyer protection from the Paypal transaction (and he's been very good with communication and replying to all my questions).

But first I have to put this rig together...

 

[WilliamM2]

Thanks.

I don't doubt that this is at least slightly fishy (it definitely wasn't the OEM version I was expecting when I ordered). But as the license key I bought may still be legit (even if the selling of it in this way isn't), I'm starting to get curious enough to try it out and see what happens. The seller has even mentioned that I have some buyer protection from the Paypal transaction (and he's been very good with communication and replying to all my questions).

But first I have to put this rig together...

It's not slightly fishy, it's a scam. If your OEM key was legit there would be no reason for special instructions.

If this was through Ebay, get this clown shut down, so others aren't scammed the way you were. Report it to Microsoft no matter where you got it.

 

[escrow4]

As for the remote access part, it did raise a red flag which is why I'd never go that way. Even though I'm not sure there'll be much to come after, on a completely fresh install, as I'd hope those going with that offer makes sure to uninstall whatever software used after the 'support'. But maybe some don't, and this guy keeps an open door to their stuff.

As for the "tie the OEM license to your hardware" bit, I may have translated poorly. Doesn't an OEM license marry itself to your hardware (specifically the motherboard?), at some part during installation or activation?

I was under the impression that an OEM license won't install again, if you either update your mobo or try installing on another system?

8.1 OEM can be reinstalled at will. I rebuilt the guts of my PC, slapped an 8.1 licence on it and it activated straight away. No calls, no nothing. NEVER EVER buy a Windows licence online from anyone but Microsoft and face to face make sure it comes with everything, packaging and all.