Windows 7 Student promotion Clean install now key invalid.
I follow your instruction about making the digital river ISO and followed "Michael - Support Engineer's" clean install instructions. I boot the dvd select custom install I delete the partitions on the drive and continue install. It get to entering the cd key and it says invalid cd key. What do I do Now?
I remembered that you could skip the key entry and finish the install and go back later. seeing error I went back
I finished the install and went to the entry next to activation to change key. I had put text of email in a textfile and placed on memory stick.
I pasted the key from the text file so I know it is perfect no stupid user mistake.
Guess what I got
The following failure occurred while trying to use the product key:
But wait didn't "Michael - Support Engineer" say it would be ok to do clean install
Code:
0xC004F061
Description:
The Software Licensing Service determined that this specified product
key can only be used for upgrading, not clean installations.
It should be noted that that there are two types of operating system installations: an Upgrade Installation and a Custom or Clean Installation. An Upgrade Installation is a type of installation where the new operating system installs itself over your current operating system, keeping your existing files and programs intact. There are certain scenarios where an Upgrade Installation option is possible. For example:
Yes he did say that.Upgrading from Windows Vista 64 bit to Windows 7 64 Bit
Upgrading from Windows Vista 32 bit to Windows 7 32 Bit
However, if you want to move from Windows Vista 32 bit to Windows 7 64 bit, or if you are running Windows XP, you have to do a Custom or Clean Installation that must be started by booting off the Windows 7 64 bit DVD. This means that you wipe the current operating system completely from your system, and install the new operating system from scratch. To perform a Custom or Clean installation, please contact Digital River, unless you have already ordered a Backup DVD with your initial order.
To contact Digital River about this issue, please request via the following link.
http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354000 In the Web form select the Download Option in the drop down menu and include "64-bit Installation Block" in the first line of your problem description.
Note: You will want to backup your files beforehand and add them back after the clean installation is complete. For more about this type of installation see the article http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows
So I had a Win XP system I backed up the needed programs and files. I erased the drive like "Michael - Support Engineer" said. I do the install and now I find "Michael - Support Engineer" had no clue what he was talking about with the clean install. What do I do now? Do I install vista with someones elses cd key so I can use the upgrade path.
Hour 14 of trying to upgrade my brothers laptop to windows 7.
1 person got this answerI do too
Answers
- Digital River responded with instructions on how to correct problem.
Open regedit.exe with Start Menu Search and navigate to:
Wow Digital River stepped up to fix my problem.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
Change MediaBootInstall from "1" to "0".
Close RegEdit.
Start Menu on the Command Line utility. Right-click this shortcut and choose "Run as administrator."
Click Yes to the UAC prompt.
In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm press enter
wait for the "Command completed successfully" dialog.
Then, close the command line window and reboot.
After Windows 7 reboots, Right Click Computer select Properties select change product Key.
If the Key does not work now please contact Microsoft technical support at:
Web: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx
Phone: 1-800-MICROSOFT (1-800-642-7676)- Marked As Answer bySouthPaw_42 Tuesday, October 27, 2009 3:14 AM
All Replies
- Called MS support they had no clue put me on hold when they came back then said they couldn't hear me and hung up.
That is some quality support MS. You state:
So I had a Win XP system I backed up the needed programs and files. I erased the drive.
How specifically did you erase the drive? If you booted from the Windows 7 DVD and performed these funtions then conitnue with the install the key should have been accepted.
If you used another tool to format the hard drive, or rebooted between formatting and installing the OS the circumstances you state will happen.
Below is a quote from the thread linked below:
If the install is finalized without entering a product key you will be prompted to enter the product key when attempting to activate. If you type in your upgrade key at this point this message will occur:
Code: 0xC004F061
Description: The Software Licensing Service determined that this specified product key can only be used for upgrading, not for clean installations.
If you receive this error message please visit the link below to contact product support:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=14019&st=1
Michael
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.- I booted to the DVD
I went through install process selected custom install.
It did a few things and then came up with the location to install
It listed partition 1 C:\ 20GB Fat32 partition 2 D 40GB Fat32
Like instructed I "wipe the current operating system completely from your system " by erasing both partitions using installer and letting installer use entire drive.
I let install continue the CD key came up invalid. I left cd key blank and continued. When Install had completed I when to the update Key Feature and it gave me the "The Software Licensing Service determined that this specified product key can only be used for upgrading, not for clean installations. " error.
I did not reboot.
I did not format using another program.
I booted with XP on drive and after selecting type of install used the erase partition option in the installer. The installer had no problem checking status of upgrade up to where it asked me how drive should be setup.
I booted to the DVD
It sounds like there may have been a misunderstanding, when using the upgrade version you shouldn't wipe the drive first. I think the instructions were referring to the fact that when you use the "custom install" option the current operating system is wiped from the drive, they want you to keep that in mind so you back up any programs and files before running the installation.
I went through install process selected custom install.
It did a few things and then came up with the location to install
It listed partition 1 C:\ 20GB Fat32 partition 2 D 40GB Fat32
Like instructed I "wipe the current operating system completely from your system " by erasing both partitions using installer and letting installer use entire drive.
I let install continue the CD key came up invalid. I left cd key blank and continued. When Install had completed I when to the update Key Feature and it gave me the "The Software Licensing Service determined that this specified product key can only be used for upgrading, not for clean installations. " error.
I did not reboot.
I did not format using another program.
I booted with XP on drive and after selecting type of install used the erase partition option in the installer. The installer had no problem checking status of upgrade up to where it asked me how drive should be setup.
- I didn't wipe drive first!!! I waited until the installer offered to do an upgrade or clean install. The OS offed to do an upgrade so it knew their was valid upgrade OS on the system.
Now my third call to MS support they said that the Image used with Digital river download was incorrect and incorrect and to contact them.
Digital River has already told me their answer to problem.
Thank you for contacting the Windows 7 Offer online store.
Tip: Microsoft create a site where you enter you cd key for the original OS and enter the cd key for the upgrade it converts the upgrade key to a full key it also invalidates the old OS key and the upgrade key so you can't activate them anymore. Microsoft has insurance of the customer doing an upgrade and the customer has no problem with installs. You already do this with the anytime upgrades extend to the os upgrades. The entire upgrade debacle would be gone.
We apologize for the inconvenience; unfortunately, we are unable to
assist you with technical support issues such as installations at the
Windows 7 Offer online store. Please contact Microsoft for assistance
with the product you have purchased.
Technical support may be contacted at:
Web: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx
Phone: 1-800-MICROSOFT (1-800-642-7676)
Sincerely,
Alizza P.
Windows 7 Offer online store
Customer Service
Email removed for privacy
Email ID: 12256837 - Same exact thing happened to me....total BS. What a waste of money. Not to mention the download from Digital River took 3 attempts.
- Southpaw,
this worked for me...basically just install again and choose upgrade, then enter your key.
1. After a clean install, run setup.exe on the Windows 7 DVD.
2. Now when prompted for the type of installation choose "Upgrade" (you're upgrading your clean install which is as clean as you can get with an upgrade)
3. Enter the Product Key from DigitalRiver email. - Digital River responded with instructions on how to correct problem.
Open regedit.exe with Start Menu Search and navigate to:
Wow Digital River stepped up to fix my problem.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
Change MediaBootInstall from "1" to "0".
Close RegEdit.
Start Menu on the Command Line utility. Right-click this shortcut and choose "Run as administrator."
Click Yes to the UAC prompt.
In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm press enter
wait for the "Command completed successfully" dialog.
Then, close the command line window and reboot.
After Windows 7 reboots, Right Click Computer select Properties select change product Key.
If the Key does not work now please contact Microsoft technical support at:
Web: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx
Phone: 1-800-MICROSOFT (1-800-642-7676)- Marked As Answer bySouthPaw_42 Tuesday, October 27, 2009 3:14 AM
- SouthPaw_42's suggestion worked for me!
Cheers :) I was having the exact same problem, and following these steps fixed it perfectly for me and got my key working! Nice find!
- This worked perfectly! I have no idea what it did, but it worked.
- Thanks southpaw_42, this worked great and save me a ton of time. I was about to got find my old VISTA installation disk so I could reinstall and upgrade from that point. Thanks again buddy.
