Windows 7 verification

[CapStar362]

The same product key should work on either 32 bit or 64 bit versions, but it would not work.



73 Eric

not true, 32-bit keys do not work on 64-bit versions or the opposite, 64 bit keys on 32 bit software. they are different because they ( the keys ) identify the product to microsoft during activation and compare the product version to the key being used.

this is done to prevent people from getting 64 bit software with 32 bit keys for free or 32 bit with 64 bit keys. .

just 1 or 2 characters in the key will signify the difference between 32 and 64 bit versions.


Side note:

several OEM's ( ill refrain from naming them ) were caught by Tech review companies using 32 bit software on 64 bit capable hardware to dumb down performance and save on volume licenses ( like they could not afford them anyways LOL! ) and the reverse also. they also were installing 64 bit software on systems not meeting optimal 64 bit requirements ( the 4GB memory amount ) which would cause significant memory usage with less than 4GB of Memory installed. pair that to all that bloatware, the systems would lockup on first use and sometimes force a corrupted "First Use" boot up.

 

[br0adband]

I hate to do this but: with respect to Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 the Product Keys for any given edition (Starter, Home Premium, Business, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate) work irrespective of the architecture involved meaning 32-bit or 64-bit. Bluntly that means a Product Key included in the retail packaging (just as an example) for installing and activating Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit will also be able to be used with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

This is demonstrated by the fact that in retail packaging you can find both 32-bit and 64-bit installation DVDs nowadays (this started with Windows 8, but the concept is still the same for Windows Vista and 7 as well) - one Product Key per license, the architecture not being relevant.

The Product Key doesn't have anything to do with any given architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) - the Product Key is tied to the edition only.

The second post aka "the answer" in this thread is basically the short sweet explanation:

Is a Windows 7 license key valid for both 32-bit and 64-bit? - Microsoft Community

As noted in the post, 1 key = 1 license, so if you have and use a Product Key for a 32-bit version of a given Windows edition to install and activate it, that's it: that same key cannot then be used to install and activate the 64-bit version of the same Windows edition on a different machine. You only get to use a given Product Key one time to activate with regardless of it being a 32-bit install or 64-bit, it's the edition that matters which is tied with the key.

There's no difference in pricing for Windows 32-bit vs 64-bit so that's a wash there. Not sure where some of that info is coming from, CapStar362, but the vast majority of it is entirely inaccurate.

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

Another neat trick with some older Lenovo laptops is they max out at twice the "official" maximum memory. This is usually due to the larger memory being supported by the hardware, but the larger memory not being available when the machine was qualified. The T420 officially supports up to 8GB, but will support 16GB. Some of the earlier T series max out at 4GB, but will support 8GB, which means Windows 7 64 bit is a possiblity.

One thing I noticed is most used machines are never upgraded. Adding memory can be a cheap way to improve performance.

Years ago I got refurbished T400 from a computer chain store with only 2GB of memory, so it had Windows 7 for Refurbished PC 32 bit. Back then you could download Windows 7 media from Digital River, so I downloaded the 64 bit version of the same edition, and installed using the same product key. Unfortunately the media is no longer available from Digital River.

The downside with the Windows 7 for Refurbished PCs is the lack of Lenovo utilities and drivers and no built-in recovery partition. Most of the Lenovo utilities and drivers are downloadable, but I miss being able to push the blue button to recover from problems. So I would rather get a used laptop that still has the original Lenovo branded OS on it.

73 Eric

 

[CapStar362]

There's no difference in pricing for Windows 32-bit vs 64-bit so that's a wash there. Not sure where some of that info is coming from, CapStar362, but the vast majority of it is entirely inaccurate.

i've had several instances where a key would activate a 64 bit version of 7 HP but not a 32 bit 7 HP.

and the error was "Please check your version of Windows against the COA Sticker for the same product."

either way, if its different now, i stand corrected.

 

[br0adband]

Well, based on the statement you just made you covered it yourself: if you were attempting to and then successfully did use a Product Key to install and activate Windows on a given computer, you can't use that same key again on any other machine because it's tied to the activation of just one machine - one key, one license, that's how it works. The basic gist of it (and I repeat this a lot):

The Product Key printed on the COA sticker is of no particular use in most any situation - it's a placeholder, nothing more because the license is the sticker itself, not what's printed on it.

With OEM hardware like an HP machine, or a Dell, or a Gateway or whatever manufacturer, the Product Key that's printed on the COA sticker is irrelevant in the big picture - it doesn't matter, at all, to any degree whatsoever. It's there for show and nothing else really because that's not what makes things legitimate - the sticker itself is the license.

Having said that, again the issue is that OEM installations of Windows on OEM hardware don't require a Product Key during the installation of the OS at all anyway - if you have one of those HP machines, and you have a branded HP Windows installation disc and you have the COA sticker on the hardware that matches the edition of Windows i.e. you have a Windows 7 Home Premium COA stick on a laptop and you have an HP Windows 7 Home Premium installation DVD then during the installation from that DVD you won't be asked for a Product Key.

Why? Because there are three variables at work when dealing with an OEM machine:

1) the BIOS or the UEFI of the OEM machine will have information embedded in it that corresponds to the edition of Windows that it's licensed for (the COA sticker is there just for show, to be honest) aka a digital certificate that says "Ok, from the factory this machine had <whatever edition of Windows> installed on it and here's the software licensing information aka the SLIC table so the installer can verify this..."

Next comes the OEM installation media aka "an HP Windows installation DVD" that will have the remaining two variables that are related:

2) it will have an OEM Royalty Product Key which is used for the activation that's done during the installation process from OEM branded media - the Royalty Product Key is not and never will be the same as the one that's printed on the COA sticker because as already stated the one on the sticker really is pretty much meaningless overall

3) it will have a digital licensing certificate known as an xrm-ms file (that's the actual extension, .xrm-ms) which is a digitally encrypted certificate hashed to the specific OEM only, so an HP xrm-ms cert is not going to work for a Dell machine, etc

When you install Windows using a branded OEM disc (HP disc for an HP, Dell for Dell, etc) those three variables get checked against one another during the installation and when it all matches, you get an installation of Windows on the OEM hardware that is activated as soon as the installation is completed - you don't even have to be connected to the Internet or Microsoft for that to happen. The activation happens because the formula is "complete" with the three variables needed.

I know it can seem really complex but it's not - for me I've had to learn all this over the years, decades actually, so to me it's truly "old hat" and stuff I can describe and over-explain too easily like I seem to have done so far in this thread.

Suffice to say I think you folks understand this better than you did, or at least I hope you do.

There's only one instance where the Product Key on a COA sticker is of any actual use and that's if you have the System Builder OEM installation DVD for Windows (whichever version). With that, the Product Key on the COA sticker can be used to install Windows because the key when entered defines the edition of Windows being installed.

But that's enough from me, I'm babbling on now and I think I've covered this quite enough, probably way too much but I'm ok with that: I'd rather provide too much than have people come back at me with "You didn't tell me that..."

 

[CapStar362]

well the systems i'm referring to were not OEM's, they were custom build retails.

one in particular was originally built with 32 bit install, i was given the job to upgrade the install to a 64 bit, full wipe and more RAM to suffice the 64 bit optimal RAM amount.

when i used my builder key, it threw me the error of a mismatched product. can't explain it any further than that. after SP1, it stopped doing that.


OH BTW: HP = home Premium ...... NOT Hewlett Packard

 

[moonbounce]

I did a search on Windows Vista Business OEM ISO would this be good enough to download and install being as the Dell laptop was originally equipped with WVB OEM?

 

[br0adband]

It depends on whether it's a System Builder ISO (not "branded" to any particular OEM) or if it's branded as some OEM disc (Dell, HP, Gateway, etc). If it's not branded, then yes you'd be able to use it and that's one of those rare times the Product Key on the COA sticker would actually be useful: that key would allow for the installation (a key really isn't necessary to install Windows Vista/7/8/8.1/10, just required for activation) and as just noted the subsequent activation.

If it's a branded ISO but not a Dell branded ISO then you'd need to do some editing of the content of the ISO: basically there is a folder on the ISO inside the \sources directory named $oem$ - inside that folder are the necessary files as I explained above (several configuration files with info in them, a few scripts, and the xrm-ms digital certificate required to "brand" the disc to the specific OEM). You'd need to remove that folder from the ISO's contents and replace it with the Dell $oem$ folder (which can be found online in a few places like the MyDigitalLife forums amongst others).

Not a tough process but, your best bet is to look for and hopefully locate an actual Dell Windows Vista Business ISO (32-bit or 64-bit won't matter since your Dell Latitude D630 has a Core 2 Duo processor that's 64-bit capable, 32-bit just means slightly less memory usage overall but you won't have access to all 4GB I think it has in it at this time, it'll be like 3.25GB so, might as well look for and acquire the 64-bit ISO). If you can track one of those down - it's out there, I'll say that much - then it'll already be tied to Dell hardware so no editing would be necessary.

It's basically a bit for bit copy of the actual Dell Windows Vista Business installation DVD but you already understand this anyway.

Since you're already legally licensed for that OS, finding that ISO then either burning it to a blank DVD or using the Windows 7 DVD Download Tool (it's just called that name because it came out after Windows 7 was released - it works just fine with a Vista ISO too) to create a bootable USB installation stick from that ISO and you'll be good to go. As a final suggestion, if you go hunting for the ISO, make sure to get one that clearly identifies itself as a "Dell Windows Vista Business SP2" installation DVD - if you get that one it'll save you like 3 hours of time installing Service Pack 2 manually since it'll already be integrated into the ISO contents. The original non-Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 ISO would be smaller in total size but you end up having to download the service pack installation files and obviously you'd be looking at a few hours of installation time and multiple reboots to get the laptop fully updated - the SP2 installation ISO saves a ton of time in that respect.

 

[n5ims]

Since you have a Dell, the best place to get the correct and legal replacement OS disks would be from Dell. They actually make it pretty easy to get them. First, look for your computer's Service Tag (or Express Service Tag) number (Laptops | Dell US), generally on the bottom of a laptop.

Next, go to the Dell Support web site and request a set of "Backup and Recovery Disks" (Need Backup Media? | Dell US). You'll need that service tag # so they can provide the correct ones for your specific computer as it was configured by Dell. There are instructions on how you use them to recover or recreate your OS from them on that page as well.

It's possible that you can create those disks yourself (they're on a hidden part of the hard disk) if those files haven't been removed by the prior owner. Here's a link to the Dell video on how --> | Dell US

You could grab some from the internet, but who knows what "extras" (read viruses) may be delivered with them. You could also use some generic disks that may bring you additional headaches (drivers that almost work, etc.) or will fail the validity checks later (isn't that what you're trying to fix at this point?).

 

[moonbounce]

This is a link to the site i was talking about, what do you think?

Dell Genuine Windows Vista Business OEM ISO Download

 

[br0adband]

I personally wouldn't trust it, there's just too much of an opportunity for someone (either from that website or from the actual source of the ISO they appear to be sharing) to have made modifications to it in some manner or respect. I did take a peek at that website earlier (before you made that post) and didn't particularly find anything of use or trustworthy but that's my own opinion on the matter, it's up to you to make the final decision yourself.

 

[moonbounce]

I downloaded the Windows Vista Business OEM edition, scanned it with Bitdefender and Malwarebytes they found nothing, BB I know what you are saying, and I am hoping that after WVB is installed and I do a clean install that the clean install will give me a clean copy. I am ready to face the worst of the worst situation and if all this goes sour i will install a Linux distro. Anyways I am going to think it over and make my decision on Monday.

 

[br0adband]

When you do get it installed, before you do any updates (hopefully you haven't yet), open an Administrative Command Prompt (fastest way to do this: tap the Windows key on the keyboard and type cmd (that's three letters) and then hold down Shift+Control and then tap Enter while holding those keys down - it will then put up a UAC prompt so click OK, then when the Administrative Command Prompt appears type this command:

sfc /scannow (and press Enter)

Let it do a full scan of the system and hopefully it won't spit out any errors. What the System File Checker aka sfc does is scan every single system file that's part of Windows itself (hence me saying do this before hitting Windows Update and getting newer files of any kind) and verifies the digital signatures of the system files to ensure they're legit and not tampered with or corrupt/altered in any manner.

Should take no more than about 10 minutes on that machine depending on the hard drive, maybe a little bit more but as long as you see hard drive activity happening then it's still scanning.

If it comes up clean with no system integrity errors you're probably good to go from there.

I sent you a PM recently but I have no idea if you received it or not so check on that at some point.

 

[Ed6698]

not true, 32-bit keys do not work on 64-bit versions or the opposite, 64 bit keys on 32 bit software. they are different because they ( the keys ) identify the product to microsoft during activation and compare the product version to the key being used.

this is done to prevent people from getting 64 bit software with 32 bit keys for free or 32 bit with 64 bit keys. .

just 1 or 2 characters in the key will signify the difference between 32 and 64 bit versions.


Side note:

several OEM's ( ill refrain from naming them ) were caught by Tech review companies using 32 bit software on 64 bit capable hardware to dumb down performance and save on volume licenses ( like they could not afford them anyways LOL! ) and the reverse also. they also were installing 64 bit software on systems not meeting optimal 64 bit requirements ( the 4GB memory amount ) which would cause significant memory usage with less than 4GB of Memory installed. pair that to all that bloatware, the systems would lockup on first use and sometimes force a corrupted "First Use" boot up.

I have a retail Full version of Windows 7 Home Premium, it came with a 32 bit disk and a 64 bit disk, there is only one product key.

 

[CapStar362]

I have a retail Full version of Windows 7 Home Premium, it came with a 32 bit disk and a 64 bit disk, there is only one product key.

was it 7 HP w/ SP1 or prior to SP1?

 

[Ed6698]

was it 7 HP w/ SP1 or prior to SP1?

It is HP and before SP1, I got it a right after 7 came out.

 

[CapStar362]

hmmmmm.... that was when i got those errors..... ohwell.. no more... so