Recovery disc solve blocked activation ?

robinpe

New Member
Power User
My attempts at activating my Product Key have been blocked. My laptop manufacturer says that a Windows recovery disc they are sending me should solve the problem. Will it? What else does a recovery disc do to my laptop?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 and 10, 64-bit 9600 Multiprocessor Free
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Yoga Pro 1370 (Ultrabook)
    CPU
    Intel (R) 5Y70 @ 1.10GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo VIUU4
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel (R) HD Graphics 5300
    Sound Card
    High Definition Audio Device
    Screen Resolution
    3200 x 1800
    Hard Drives
    256GB SSD
    Samsung MZNTE256HMHP-000L2
    Cooling
    Fan
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Ccleaner, Malwarebytes.
    Other Info
    Touchscreen,
It will reset it to factory settings.
Just like it came from the store.

If they say it will work it probably will.
The proof of the pudding is in the tasting.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
That's what I was afraid of David. Once before I had to reset back to factory settings for another problem. The Acer technician did it over the phone. Now that didn't apparently solve the activation problem, so why should it if I do it again? Are recovery discs all the same or do they have one that specifically solves activation problems?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 and 10, 64-bit 9600 Multiprocessor Free
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Yoga Pro 1370 (Ultrabook)
    CPU
    Intel (R) 5Y70 @ 1.10GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo VIUU4
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel (R) HD Graphics 5300
    Sound Card
    High Definition Audio Device
    Screen Resolution
    3200 x 1800
    Hard Drives
    256GB SSD
    Samsung MZNTE256HMHP-000L2
    Cooling
    Fan
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Ccleaner, Malwarebytes.
    Other Info
    Touchscreen,
I don't know.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
David, this is what I found on the Acer forum. Although I don't think it's referring to Windows 8, as I never had a product key on the bottom of my Acer laptop. Does this post make sense to you?


Using Windows product key
by Acer-Blayn on ?04-22-2013 09:46 PM - edited 3 weeks ago by Acer-Tommy
Question
Can I use the product key on the bottom of my computer to activate Windows?
Answer
Acer’s OEM version of Windows does not require a product key to activate. This means if you are using recovery disks you created on your system, or disks you ordered from Acer, Windows will automatically activate without the need for a product key. The product key on the bottom of the notebook is an OEM product key. This product key does not work for activating retail versions of the operating system.
If you did not make or are no longer able to obtain recovery media, you would need to purchase an operating system of your choice for installation.
For instructions installing a non-OEM operating system, please review this article:
Installing a different Operating System
Add Tag...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 and 10, 64-bit 9600 Multiprocessor Free
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Yoga Pro 1370 (Ultrabook)
    CPU
    Intel (R) 5Y70 @ 1.10GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo VIUU4
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel (R) HD Graphics 5300
    Sound Card
    High Definition Audio Device
    Screen Resolution
    3200 x 1800
    Hard Drives
    256GB SSD
    Samsung MZNTE256HMHP-000L2
    Cooling
    Fan
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Ccleaner, Malwarebytes.
    Other Info
    Touchscreen,
I don't have an Acer so I can't really comment on it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
I think all you can do is make sure you have a good backup (because it will wipe the disk, but presumably you did this already when it was done before) and give it a try... and if it doesn't work then go back to Acer.

If Acer are the ones who are responsible for providing your support then I suggest you follow it through with them, even if it turns out that they need to go back to Microsoft to do something about the product key.

(If I remember rightly from the other thread, you had Windows 8 preinstalled? So the product key would be built-into the computer motherboard.)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1, 10
David, this is what I found on the Acer forum. Although I don't think it's referring to Windows 8, as I never had a product key on the bottom of my Acer laptop. Does this post make sense to you?


Using Windows product key
by Acer-Blayn on ?04-22-2013 09:46 PM - edited 3 weeks ago by Acer-Tommy
Question
Can I use the product key on the bottom of my computer to activate Windows?
Answer
Acer’s OEM version of Windows does not require a product key to activate. This means if you are using recovery disks you created on your system, or disks you ordered from Acer, Windows will automatically activate without the need for a product key. The product key on the bottom of the notebook is an OEM product key. This product key does not work for activating retail versions of the operating system.
If you did not make or are no longer able to obtain recovery media, you would need to purchase an operating system of your choice for installation.
For instructions installing a non-OEM operating system, please review this article:
Installing a different Operating System
Add Tag...

Windows 7 and Windows 8 OEM systems activate differently. Windows 7 OEM systems use a SLIC table in the BIOS. The matching OEM install media matches a certificate file to the SLIC table, if they match Windows is activated. Windows 7 OEM systems don't activate online, they activate against the BIOS SLIC table. If you install Windows 7 from an off the shelf DVD it won't have the custom OEM activation files on it. In that case you have to use the product code on the COA sticker. The product code on the COA sticker does not match the code stored in the SLIC table. It's also set up so you have to activate by phone if you use the code on the COA sticker. Windows 7 uses OA2.1, Oem Activation version 2.1. Windows 8 uses OA3.0. With 3.0 each OEM PC has its own unique embedded code. Official unmodified Windows 8 install media will read it and use it. Activation is done online. Since your install media is supposed to read it there is no code on a COA sticker. Recovery media usually just restores an image of the factory setup? I'm not sure how that handles the embedded code. What you get might actually be install media. You'll have to wait and see. In any case I would backup any files you don't want to loss to external media before you use them. It's hard to say if this will fix your problem or not? I don't think you have much choice. If your current image that is stored in your recovery partition is corrupted, using the disk set will fix that issue and may fix your activation problem.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Probably best to get key your now, just in case you have to enter it at some stage.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
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