[SOLVED!] Can't activate Windows 7 Ultimate!

[ppgrainbow]

I need help here! I recently did a in-place upgrade from Windows Vista Ultimate SP2 x64 to Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64 (I didn't realise that the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Ultimate had SP1 integrated to begin with).

I had a lot of trouble getting some of the hardware such as network card and USB 3.0 ports working under Windows 7 and I managed to get things sorted out most of the way.

However, when I attempt to activate Windows 7 over the internet, I received a error code 0xC004C003 meaning that one of the product keys that I used has been blocked by Microsoft.

Microsoft Geniune Advantage Diagnostics Tool has determined that the product ID is 070 and the validation code is 0.

I know that product IDs that are 064, 065, 066, 067, 068 and 069 have all had their product keys blocked by Microsoft and I'm really lucky to find that my copy is not on the block list.

Should I post a copy of the validation info that the MGA Diagnostic Tool provided me?

I only have until 24 January 2017 to active Windows 7 or I end up in reduced functionality mode!

After going through the upgrade process from Windows Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate using the Full Purchase Product, should I contact Microsoft over the phone to see if this can be resolved?

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

[dencorso]

Reactivate by phone-call to MS. It's fast and fully automated.

[ppgrainbow]

20 minutes ago, dencorso said:

Reactivate by phone-call to MS. It's fast and fully automated.

Thank you for the help.

Is Microsoft tech support open on the day after Christmas?

[dencorso]

Sure thing... it's an automated system.

[ppgrainbow]

Well, bad news!

I've been told by Microsoft that the product key that was used to activate Windows 7 over the phone was blocked and now I'm gonna to find a way to get the product returned to eBay for a full refund since the seller won't return it.

Sorry about that.

[dencorso]

Used Windows from eBay is only reliable if it's FPP and the seller provides you the original package containing the licence key card, leafets and holographic CDs/DVDs. And even then, there's some risk it may be counterfeit. Good  Windows 7 is particularly difficult to get, nowadays...

[jaclaz]

As a matter of fact there is an "official" way out, the GGK:
 

Whether one of those can still be found is another thing.

jaclaz
 

[Tripredacus]

Can you post the MGADiag report?

[Nomen]

>Well, bad news! 
>
> I've been told by Microsoft that the product key that was used to activate Windows 7 over the phone was blocked

Put part of your key into a google search and see if the entire key come up in the results.  That should tell you if the key has been widely circulated.

 

[ppgrainbow]

On 12/27/2016 at 3:38 AM, dencorso said:

Used Windows from eBay is only reliable if it's FPP and the seller provides you the original package containing the licence key card, leafets and holographic CDs/DVDs. And even then, there's some risk it may be counterfeit. Good  Windows 7 is particularly difficult to get, nowadays...

That's what I been thinking. If I want to find Windows 7 Ultimate on eBay. I know for a fact that the SKU with GLC-00181 is mostly not legit, because it was only sold in stores, not online. SKUs with GLC-00182 seems to be legit.

Why are both retail and OEM versions Windows 7 getting harder to purchase online?

[ppgrainbow]

On 12/27/2016 at 7:03 AM, Tripredacus said:

Can you post the MGADiag report?

Unfortunately, because I reinstalled Windows Vista, I can't post the MGADiag report for Windows 7 Ultimate. All I know is that the first lines of the product ID read 00426-070 and that's it.

[ppgrainbow]

22 minutes ago, Nomen said:

>Well, bad news! 
>
> I've been told by Microsoft that the product key that was used to activate Windows 7 over the phone was blocked

Put part of your key into a google search and see if the entire key come up in the results.  That should tell you if the key has been widely circulated.

 

I'll do just that and search for the results. Be right back while I get the Windows 7 box.

Edit: I tried to search for the each part of the product keys and found nothing.

Edited December 29, 2016 by ppgrainbow

[Nomen]

I guess in these situations when an ebay vendor is selling the same key over and over gain and MS sees these validation attempts from different IP's and black-lists the key, that the key sequence never finds it's way to the internet by way of discussion, etc.

If the computer is OEM or brand-name then there's a good chance that you'd be able to create an installation ISO that is tied to some OEM codes in the BIOS that define what windows license the computer had when it left the factory.
 

[ppgrainbow]

4 hours ago, Nomen said:

I guess in these situations when an ebay vendor is selling the same key over and over gain and MS sees these validation attempts from different IP's and black-lists the key, that the key sequence never finds it's way to the internet by way of discussion, etc.

If the computer is OEM or brand-name then there's a good chance that you'd be able to create an installation ISO that is tied to some OEM codes in the BIOS that define what windows license the computer had when it left the factory.
 

The computer that I'm using used to have Windows 8 Pro when I first got it in February 2014. However, I erased the OEM code in the UEFI BIOS and used Compatibility Support Module (CSM) when I downgraded to Windows Vista Ultimate.

It's really unfortunate when some eBay vendor by the name of stetson13 sold the same product key over and over again. Plus, on the top of the fake Windows 7 Ultimate package, it said "Made in USA" and I believe that it said, "Win Ult 7 English ROW DVD". ROW means Rest of the World and not for distribution in the USA.

Here's a detail look of the difference between a counterfeit and a real Windows 7 retail package:

[Tripredacus]

12 hours ago, ppgrainbow said:

Why are both retail and OEM versions Windows 7 getting harder to purchase online?

That's quite simple. Many companies do not want to use or cannot use Windows 10, and Windows 7 is end of sale. So this leaves only distribution (which I'm not sure what the stock levels are at, I can check next week) or the secondary market to obtain Windows 7 licenses. Companies are the big factor here because they have more purchasing power in the desktop/notebook market than average consumers. The only way for a company to purchase a new computer with Windows 7 now is to use Embedded.

What ends up happening is that the secondary market dries up quickly. The same happened to XP when it went end of sale and people didn't want to buy Vista.