Author Topic: takes all night to apply fixes (Read 56524 times)

Boggin · « **Reply #50 on:** August 02, 2016, 03:28:20 am »

When you enter the key in blocks of 5 it usually puts the dashes in for you.

Did you enter the key correctly, as I don't get a reject message like that when I put my sticker or vendor generic key in.

This is my COA sticker key which is of no use to anyone else -

C7928-Q72MQ-9R727-4VT82-BCBHP

Enter those blocks of 5 without the dashes and see what that returns.

It tells me that it is for OEM preinstalled software and to contact the vendor for recovery software.

When you checked with Belarc, did your product key display as my COA sticker key does ?

qaz · « **Reply #51 on:** August 02, 2016, 03:45:53 am »

did your product key display as my COA sticker key does ? yes it did

im 3 digits short to start with so Entering blocks of 5 without the dashes and see what that returns is not yet an issue i think

Boggin · « **Reply #52 on:** August 02, 2016, 04:25:59 am »

I'm not sure what you mean by that.

qaz · « **Reply #53 on:** August 02, 2016, 04:30:28 am »

my number is 3 digits short according to the error msg when i try to verify it. it must be 25 digits

you said: did your product key display as my COA sticker key does ? . My reply: yes it did

also belarc will now not show seriel number so i cant answer ur question, or am i missing it, am sure it was here

Windows 7 Ultimate (x64) Service Pack 1 (build 7601)
Install Language: English (United States)
System Locale: English (United Kingdom)
Installed: 03/09/2015 22:17:14
Boot Mode: Legacy BIOS in UEFI (Secure Boot not supported)
System Model Acer Aspire X1430
System Serial Number: PVSHUE2001143020183000
Enclosure Type: Desktop

Boggin · « **Reply #54 on:** August 02, 2016, 04:41:15 am »

No, that isn't your product key which you posted before - scroll further down the page.

The free version of Speccy will also give your product key - click on Operating System after it has finished analyzing.

https://www.piriform.com/speccy

qaz · « **Reply #55 on:** August 02, 2016, 05:03:11 am »

well spotted sir guess im getting a bit knackerd . Will try it now

I've removed it from your post should it be a retail key that anyone could try, depending upon how many licenses it is valid for.

qaz · « **Reply #56 on:** August 02, 2016, 05:28:01 am »

thanks for removing that

i tried the serial and got:

We encountered a problem with the product key you provided. Please try again or visit the Microsoft Support Contact Us page for assistance.

Boggin · « **Reply #57 on:** August 02, 2016, 05:30:55 am »

That doesn't sound very promising.

Go Start - type activate windows and press enter to see if it returns as a genuine activation.

EDIT - try it again in case you made a typo.

qaz · « **Reply #58 on:** August 02, 2016, 08:02:05 am »

re typo: it was copy/past . Dashes were correct

am a bit loath to check validation as ive heard stories of things going horribly wrong afterwards. [by supposedly professional technician]

considering i bought the machine off a guy in the pub , and taking into account the reputation of the pub i would am not convinced anything here is as it should be....but u never know. When i get the permissions fixed i will update the OS and presumably tell that way if its genuine

Boggin · « **Reply #59 on:** August 02, 2016, 09:27:55 am »

Unless you can determine if you have a genuine install then the key won't work for either a repair or clean install.

It may just have been a glitch because if you have all of your Windows Updates, one of those runs a check on the validity of your install.

Try it this way - go Start - right click on Computer and select Properties.

Down at the bottom of the screen you will see Windows Activation.

Initially it may say Not Known but shortly after it will say if it is or not.

If it displays an OEM key then you have an OEM install, but as the machine has some history then Ultimate will have been an upgrade.

EDIT - Try inputting the key again but do it manually.

qaz · « **Reply #60 on:** August 02, 2016, 09:52:06 am »

it say win is activated , it's a QEM number

i have no updates installed as i cant get permission

entering number manually gets same result

would that disc u were going to send help? would be much appreciated
thanks

Boggin · « **Reply #61 on:** August 02, 2016, 10:13:30 am »

I wonder if the Ultimate upgrade was a bought OEM install as after either February this year or last year, MS stopped selling Win 7 anything and OEM installs could be bought off the Internet as an alternative.

While they will work, once an OEM version has been installed then it cannot be transferred to any other machine, unlike a retail version.

If you downloaded Speccy, under Operating System just above where it gives the product key, it will give the date of its install.

You should be okay to use that key for a repair install but it won't work for a clean install as you would need a retail key for the disks I've sent you, although you may be able to do a clean install with your disk - but that would have to be a try it and see.

qaz · « **Reply #62 on:** August 02, 2016, 11:18:55 am »

i seem to recall speccy said it was installed last year.

i would try the serial but if u recall i couldn't get to the right page/place ....

Boggin · « **Reply #63 on:** August 02, 2016, 11:41:47 am »

Well you can try the repair install with the disks I've sent you but I don't think it will change G: to C:

I think the only way you can do that would be to perform a clean install with the disk that you have.

However, when you get the disks I've sent you, you could boot up with one - select Repair your Computer and navigate to the Recovery Environment - select Command Prompt and enter -

bcdedit |find "osdevice" then using which partition letter that returns, enter (assuming c )

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offbootdir=C:\Windows

I don't know if that will resolve the Permissions issue but it should sort out any system file corruption.

qaz · « **Reply #64 on:** August 02, 2016, 01:06:58 pm »

thanks very much i will do that and post her results

Boggin · « **Reply #65 on:** August 03, 2016, 05:07:16 am »

I was thinking that you could still try a repair install with the disks I've sent you then see if it will accept your key or you could leave the registration as I believe that article says and after it has completed, go Start - type Slui 3 - press enter then enter your key when prompted and wait to see if it accepts it and activates the install.

However, while that may resolve most problems, I still don't think it will change G: to C:

qaz · « **Reply #66 on:** August 03, 2016, 07:21:28 am »

got discs.thanks pls let me know how i can reimburse you for postage etc...paypay/ or similar/or cheuqe

apparently system recovery is not compatible with mine[windows repair] should i still try from command prompt . If so how do i get to the recovery environment

thanks

Boggin · « **Reply #67 on:** August 03, 2016, 08:28:37 am »

Postage is negligible - no charge.

What happens when you change the boot order and boot up with the install disk ?

After pressing any key to boot from CD/DVD you could be presented with an inverse screen with Windows Setup (EMS Enabled) highlighted.

Just press enter and you should get the splash screen to either install or Repair your Computer (lower left).

Change/confirm keyboard/currency etc. using the dropdown and then make a note of where it locates the OS to repair.

This is the partition letter you would use with the offboot sfc /scannow command.

From there you should get the Recovery Environment to select Command Prompt.

You can still enter bcdedit |find "osdevice" to confirm the partition letter before entering the sfc /scannow command

Let me know if it's any different.

qaz · « **Reply #68 on:** August 03, 2016, 10:31:54 am »

when i boot from the disc i get same thing ie repair or setup options

should there be an step between these 2 so i can get to the place where i can use the offboot sfc /scannow command:

Change/confirm keyboard/currency etc. using the dropdown and then make a note of where it locates the OS to repair.

This is the partition letter you would use with the offboot sfc /scannow command.

edit: sorry i realize i should refer back to the other post for missing step

thanks

Boggin · « **Reply #69 on:** August 03, 2016, 01:21:26 pm »

Although I already have my laptop to check the DVD and USB drives before the HDD, for a one off boot order change I would tap F12 as I switched on.

This is a pretty standard key for this, but when you next boot up, look to the bottom of the screen where it will flash press F2 for Setup and F12 for boot change - but this may be different on your PC.

Whatever key it is for you, a window will pop up where you use your cursor keys to select the ODD - Optical Disk Drive.

Insert the disk and press enter.

Press any key to boot from CD/DVD when prompted and you may get the blue splash screen with Install now in the centre or an inverse window with Windows Setup [EMS Enabled] highlighted.

If you get the latter, press enter and when Windows has finished loading the files, use the dropdown to change the Time and Currency and that will auto change the keyboard.

You should now get the blue splash screen - click on Repair your Computer and then it will search for the OS to repair.

This is where you make a note of the partition letter - Next - and that should give you the Recovery Environment where you can select from Startup Repair down to Command Prompt.

qaz · « **Reply #70 on:** August 06, 2016, 11:18:19 am »

hi

so sorry that u had to write all that instruction. i always get to : "press enter and when Windows has finished loading the files, use the dropdown to change the Time and Currency and that will auto change the keyboard," without trouble.

thanks for the detail, im sure thats what i do each time...but will try again tomorrow , and to the letter

qaz · « **Reply #71 on:** August 08, 2016, 02:10:49 am »

hi

i must be going wrong at this point : "This is where you make a note of the partition letter - Next - and that should give you the Recovery Environment where you can select from Startup Repair down to Command Prompt." could u explain this instruction pls as i dont understand what to do at this point

Repair your Computer will not work as its not compatible with my version

have also tried my original win 7 disc again and still cant get back to the repair screen , i definitely used that a week ago to "repair win startup", i thought maybe it would also offer the "repair windows" option that we are looking for on your disc

Boggin · « **Reply #72 on:** August 08, 2016, 05:33:17 am »

I've had a similar problem when I sent someone else some disks where it didn't give the choice of version to install.

That was for someone using the Pro version, but with the ei.cfg file removed, it should allow you to use it on a an Ultimate version.

Can you go Start - right click on Computer and select Properties - this will confirm which version of Windows you are using, 32 or 64 bit and if SP1 is installed.

I'll burn you some more disks and get those off to you this afternoon.

I have this ISO stored on two laptops so will burn them from the other laptop to see if they work any better.

Boggin · « **Reply #73 on:** August 08, 2016, 07:42:55 am »

I've found out why those disks haven't worked for you.

I'd been playing with the ei.cfg removal utility - run it once and it removes the file - run it again and it restores it.

Must have left it restored, but have checked both disks and they boot up as well as giving the setup.exe when loading them in Windows.

I've marked the envelopes 2 so you will know which is which, but you can bin those others as they are just for Pro.

qaz · « **Reply #74 on:** August 08, 2016, 11:35:51 am »

sounds like ur putting in more work on this than i am

....its 64 bit, sp1, ultimate, activated, qem

i think its fair now to make some financial compensation to you, ur costs are mounting up

will let u know result

thanks again