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Resolved Cannot activate reinstall of Win7 Pro

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by fieldtech, 2015/09/04.

  1. 2015/09/04
    fieldtech

    fieldtech Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    My Dell laptop had the Win 10 update icon in the system tray. I was ready to install W10 but my hard drive crashed. Install new HD, install Win 7 Pro from disk, and I'm waiting for updates to complete so I can install Win 10. I've already gotten SP1, but Belarc Advisor tells me that there are close to 100 updates missing. I can't activate Win 7: an error message tells me Windows is not up to date. I click on Windows Update and it keeps checking but giving no results. Is there a resolution to this? Or must I wait until all updates are installed?
    I should mention the PC came with XP and I upgraded to Win 7 Pro. My research tells me that this may be an issue.
     
    Last edited: 2015/09/04
  2. 2015/09/04
    lj50 Lifetime Subscription

    lj50 SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Can I have the Service Tag. Need to know what model Dell it is.
     
    lj50,
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  4. 2015/09/04
    fieldtech

    fieldtech Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    8547CF1. Latitude D630. There is a product key for XP Pro.
     
    Last edited: 2015/09/04
  5. 2015/09/04
    lj50 Lifetime Subscription

    lj50 SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    When you try to activate are getting any sort of error message. Was it installing any updates?
     
    Last edited: 2015/09/04
    lj50,
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  6. 2015/09/04
    fieldtech

    fieldtech Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Yes: "A problem occurred when Windows tried to activate. Error Code 0x8007251D." Not installing any updates, but searching for same.
     
  7. 2015/09/04
    retiredlearner

    retiredlearner SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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  8. 2015/09/05
    fieldtech

    fieldtech Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Neil, thanks for your response. I've already read the Microsoft page you referenced. I purchased the laptop from overstock.com, and it did not come with an install disk. I realize, now that it's too late, that there are things I should have done before. My copy of Win7 Pro came from a friend who works in IT. I did find out that it is a volume license, and a program found on the internet gave me the product key. I'm not in a position to install the original version of XP (although I do have another XP Pro system disk). Installing XP, waiting for updates, installing Win7 and waiting for updates would take a long time, something I'm hoping to avoid.
     
  9. 2015/09/05
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    You could probably purchase a new unused Win 7 dvd and key and just use the key.
     
  10. 2015/09/05
    fieldtech

    fieldtech Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks, Steve. I make no claim to being a Windows guru, but my research showed me that burned onto every system disk is a file containing a number of product keys, each corresponding to the type of install. On an install disk, look at \Sources\Product.ini. I have to believe those numbers are copied to the registry during install. It seems to me that a key other than those listed won't work. I know what my key is, but I'm waiting for Windows Update to finish. It just installed perhaps 70 updates and is now going through 20 some odd more. My hope is that when Windows is up to date, I will be able to activate Win7. Then I should be eligible for the Win10 upgrade. What a chore!
     
  11. 2015/09/05
    fieldtech

    fieldtech Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Windows now says my laptop is up to date. I get an error code when attempting to activate: 0X8007251D. Translation: No records found for given DNS query. Unless someone has a solution, it looks like I'll have to call Microsoft. Activation appears to be the only thing standing in my way of upgrading to Win10. Any thoughts?
     
  12. 2015/09/08
    fieldtech

    fieldtech Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    All my searching and questioning from a variety of sources is for naught. I'm marking this thread as Solved, but I'm going to purchase a copy of Win7 with product key and call it a day. That will certainly solve the issue. I'm tired of beating this dead horse.
     

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