Can't activate Windows 7 Home Premium. It's official but I cannot make out the key on my faded sticker

[WizardofDaz]

I have recently rebooted Windows 7 Home Preium on to my laptop. It originally came preinstalled 3 years ago, but I had never the time to do a clean install in that time. I had somehow in that time messed up the partition to reboot windows so I downloaded the 64 bit ISO from Microsoft. Everything works fine expcet I cannot activate my windows. I have a key but the sticker is faded. Would anyone know if it's written on the motherboard too? I looked in the original packing and I cannot find it either. There is one or two keys I cannot make out.

Darren

 

[Guest]

best I can suggest -

download the volume activation management tool (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=11936)

run it

select 'product keys' option (last one)

enter what you think the product key is, click verify

if it fails to verify then try another option that it might be and hit verify again, if there are only one or two letters you can't read it shouldn't take too long to find the right ones.

 

[JDFan]

Put in the digits you can read along with guesses for those you can not and try activating -- If it fails follow the instructions to talk to a rep. Explain to them that not all characters are legible and they will ask you to read off the ones you can along with a few other questions (ie. what make\model of computer, how many systems that key is installed on, etc.) - Normally as long you can tell them several of the codes they can give you the rest or a new working code to get it activated and will also e-mail you the new code if you ask them to for future use.