Win 7 activation or reinstall questions

[Torque]

Well, I messed up big time with installing Windows 7. I bought the Family 3 pack of Home Premium upgrade. When I was installing 7 on my PVR, the C: partition was too small to install it (8GB) and delete partition wasn't an option. So I booted off my XP disc and deleted all the partitions. Started Win7 setup and it got to the point of typing in the CD Key and wou;dn't accept it, said it was invalid without any explanation except for an error code (I should have looked that SOB up). I remembered that I could just bypass entering the key for now and activate it later online within 30 days.

Well, just tried to activate it and still get invalid key, but it actually tells me what the problem is now (surprise!)

"You're using a product key for an upgrade version of Windows 7 and a previous version of Windows wasn't on your computer when Windows 7 was installed."

Thanks alot Microsoft...

Looked up this issue online and see:

"If you formatted the drive before starting the installation process, you won't be able to use the upgrade product key to activate Windows 7. To activate Windows 7, you'll need to install your previous version of Windows, and then reinstall Windows 7."

Great.... I just got everything f-ing working and now i gotta start over?! I REALLY don't want to go thru the torture of setting up my QAM channels and getting the guide to look perfect again... with multiple lineups and different capture sources, it was a serious pain in the ass.

So... does anyone know a way around this Win 7 activation issue? If i do have to reinstall 7, can i backup the entire Devnz directory, reinstall GB-PVR, then stop the recording service and copy in my backup and be back up and running exactly as it is now?

[zonko]

Format and Install Win 7 upgrade as a clean install, and DO NOT enter the key during this install. Uncheck "activate online". After it is installed and you are on your desktop, put your DVD in and start a new installation from WITHIN windows. Choose "upgrade install" when prompted. DO NOT enter the key at this time. Go through the install procedure and when it is finished and you are again at your desktop, now enter your key and PRESTO you are done.

[whurlston]

Format and Install Win 7 upgrade as a clean install, and DO NOT enter the key during this install. Uncheck "activate online". After it is installed and you are on your desktop, put your DVD in and start a new installation from WITHIN windows. Choose "upgrade install" when prompted. DO NOT enter the key at this time. Go through the install procedure and when it is finished and you are again at your desktop, now enter your key and PRESTO you are done.

Since you have already done the clean install, you can skip the part in bold. Just do an in place upgrade of your existing installation as zonko said. All your programs, settings, etc will still exist afterwards.

[johnsonx42]

actually there is a way around without re-installing... I'll find it and edit this post. check back in a bit.

ok, this isn't what I was remembering, but it's supposed to work:
set this registry key to 0: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/MediaBootInstall
then from an elevated command prompt run 'slmgr /rearm'
reboot and then activate.

I recall reading somewhere that it's actually as simple as creating a Windows.OLD directory in the root of the C: drive.

[Torque]

Thanks alot for the suggestions!

I tried johnsonx42's suggestion, made a windows.old directory and then changed the regkey and ran the slmgr /rearm and after the reboot, it activated successfully!

Thanks again.

[collin]

Wow I should have asked how to get around this pain in the butt problem ages ago, I went through this same version of hell a few reinstalls ago.