vista license key expiring

my vista license key is expiring in 6 days and its prompting me to back up my files and install a brand new version of vista on it. Thing is, i have a legit key for vista home premium OEM, but when i originally bought it from HP, i reformatted for yadda yadda yadda and i reinstalled it with the only physical copy of vista i had, an evaluation copy of it. So i installed it with my vista home premium key and now its prompting me with this. i REALLY do not want to reinstall my computer just out of time loss and i have data i don't want to transfer

anyone know what i can do?

You didn't have restore media or a restore partition on your HDD? If not, bad move to install an evaluation copy, LOL.

I don't think you'll ever be able to make an evaluation copy work. If it were a real copy that just never activated, there are tools to change the product key. But the eval versions typically have different system files. I don't know if you've tried Google, but somebody may have figured out the differences between eval and full copies, and you may be able to find the full version files, copy them over, and then run a
tool to change the product key (assuming you have one).

Otherwise I think you're going to have re-install. Isn't there a product key sticker on the bottom of your laptop somewhere? If so, you can use that key and borrow some media, or you can buy the media from Microsoft for like $8. The product key on the sticker will have be activated, unlike the OEM install (which uses a different OEM key), but at least you'll be legal and activated.

If you've lost all of your product keys and your restore media/partition, then you are likely SOL. You'll have to buy it or try to acquire it like all you P2P kids do nowadays, but be advised that MS has been shutting down the common cracks. Besides, you have a legal license, so it really be lame to be caught using a pirated copy.

I see, so if i have the product key sticker on my computer (it isn't a laptop btw ) ), and i borrow a friend's legit vista home premium installation CD, that is basically emulating a "legit install" right?

the thing is it prompts me at the bottom right corner of my desktop in a bubble, then when i click on it, it goes away. I can't trace it either, or look up on it, because even looking through "my computer", it says that the vista product key is valid bla bla bla certified.

I think...I'm not sure...but I think that you have to install Vista with the same OEM version that came with your computer.

[quote0955b6f91b="akalic"]I see, so if i have the product key sticker on my computer (it isn't a laptop btw ) ), and i borrow a friend's legit vista home premium installation CD, that is basically emulating a "legit install" right?

the thing is it prompts me at the bottom right corner of my desktop in a bubble, then when i click on it, it goes away. I can't trace it either, or look up on it, because even looking through "my computer", it says that the vista product key is valid bla bla bla certified.[/quote0955b6f91b]
Sorry, I thought I read laptop somewhere. Doesn't matter, there is no difference as far as Vista is concerned. The computer should still have come with a means to restore the factory image, whether a hidden partition or discs. For future reference, you should always keep those. ;)

Yes, you can install with the product key on the sticker. With a few OEM exceptions, Vista installation DVD's have all versions of Vista on them. When you install, you choose which version (Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, etc.) to install. You can only activate the version that matches the key you have, though. So if yours was Home Premium and your friend's version is Home Premium as well, and your friend's disc is just a Vista install disc and not a factory image disc (which probably won't work for you), you can borrow his and enter the key from your sticker, which will then let you activate.

My Toshiba laptop came with the Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD, which is actually a retail Vista DVD with all versions on it, and this is the same DVD you can order from Microsoft for $8. My Sony VAIO didn't come with physical media, but came with a restore partition on the HDD and allows you to burn factory restore DVD's (which are not regular Vista installation DVD's, so they can't be used anywhere else).

Actually, now that I think about it, I read somewhere that you can actually download the Vista installation ISO from Microsoft. Let me check to see if I can find that info again...

[b0955b6f91b]EDIT[/b0955b6f91b] Here you go. This is a step-by-step how-to written from a laptop perspective but applies to any PC

Clean Vista Install With No Activation[=http//forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=120228]Clean Vista Install With No Activation

Or you can just go straight to this article with the download links[=http//www.mydigitallife.info/2007/05/08/windows-vista-free-direct-download-link/]this article with the download links to get the files to build a bootable Vista DVD (this is a legit download, as described in the above article. It's useless without the product key you already have).

[quote0955b6f91b="TFOAF"]I think...I'm not sure...but I think that you have to install Vista with the same OEM version that came with your computer.[/quote0955b6f91b]
No you don't, you can install any Vista version that you have a legal key for. The key on the sticker should work with a retail version of Vista -- as far as I know, Microsoft no longer produces separate OEM and Retail installation media. What you lican'tli typically do is take that OEM key and install it on another computer, because it's locked to that OEM and BIOS.

Oh. I see. )

Thanks for correcting me.

wow thanks dmo +kma

i'll try that method of making my own vista installation dvd when i have time, but for the time being, i'm trying to delay the expiration, which i think i might have done. I punched a random sentence from an internet blog (fishy but oh well) into command prompt, and it SHOULD extend it by 30 days. I can do it a total of 3 times, i dunno though. I'm still trying to avoid reinstallation keep it it as my last resort