To Windows 7 Experts

[mirel2001]

I have installed Windows 7 Ultimate on my PC.
I have activated it Successfuly.
MY question is .In the future when i have to reinstall my OS i have to activate again and again.
Instead of doing that there is a Microsoft Digital Signiture(a file about 7kb) which is written somewhere on my hdd.That file contains the Confirmation ID#.This can be used in case of reinstalling of OS,so i dont have to activate again.INstead you just enter the confirmation ID and then the activation is completed.

Is it true this or how does Windows 7 keeps the Activation.

i dont want to activate every time.

That is why i would like to know if such file exist and that is?

Thanks

 

[joedastudd]

Why don't you want to activate every time? It takes about 10 seconds.

 

[Hawkeye22]

Normally, you don't have to activate unless you have a bunch of hardware changes. you can try something like magic jelly bean or an activation backup manager like this.

 

[RetiredChief]

As hawkeye22 indicated, With the reinstall when you activate it will check the parameters, if little change will have no problem. if you change MB and do a reinstal and it is not an OEM version it will depend on lenght of time between initial instal and latest install.

For win 7, Use windows Back up to create a image of your "c" drive. When you deside you want to re-install, use this image file, rather than installing windows, drivers and programs. I normally do this "backup right after a initial install, driver installs, and loading programs and if check out good then do image. Here again, no significant change (ie MB) it will not even ask to re-activate.

 

[daship]

Sounds like you pirated your windowss, Bad idea. If you had a legit Windows it would not be an issue as it takes a few seconds and like 1 click.

Buy a legit Windows 7 and your problems will be over.

 

[Hawkeye22]

Sounds like you pirated your windowss, Bad idea. If you had a legit Windows it would not be an issue as it takes a few seconds and like 1 click.

Buy a legit Windows 7 and your problems will be over.

Not necessarily true. If you own several legitimate OEM machines running the same SKU of windows, why keep install media for each of them. I just keep one copy of the media and backup the activation for each OEM machine.

If you want to use backups/images as retiredchief suggests, just image the OS drive before you activate it. You can then restore the image to several machines and load seperate activations for each. This works well with machines of the same make/model. I have done this with several HP P7-1110. It works well since the hardware is identical in all of them.

 

[JDFan]

Besides the activation is not a one time thing nowadays anyway -- every 90 - 180 days Microsoft now revalidates the install in the background to verify that the activation files have not been compromised (due to the number of activation exploits out there) and specifically targets the various exploits that are known to exist and if they are found on the system will invalidate the activation and start prompting you to buy a legitimate version of the OS or call MS to get a proper activation code so even if you back up your validation files that is only going to delay the activation check for at most a few months anyway so might as well just activate it normally or as others say get a valid copy of the OS.

 

[RetiredChief]

I do the Image after activation which I do after program loads and verify system stability. Have never had to re-activate and I've do a fair numberr of reinstalling from an image file. The last one was to image my Agillity III SSD and put the Image onto a M4 SSD.

JD. Yes on the Ms verification periodically, Howver as long as MB has not been changed you will not normally get a "OPPS". While activation is tied to several varibles, it is normally a MB chage that triggers a a re-activation.

 

[JDFan]

JD. Yes on the Ms verification periodically, However as long as MB has not been changed you will not normally get a "OPPS". While activation is tied to several varibles, it is normally a MB chage that triggers a re-activation.

Yes I know - was just merely pointing out to the OP that even creating an image of an install (or the activation file) that is activated using an Exploit eventually the image will fail activation since MS now verifies the files every few months and it is no longer a one time activate and your done - so if using a copy that will not pass the activation process is the reason he is looking to backup the validation file it is only going to be a temporary solution and will eventually lose it's activated status.