De-activating Windows on dead Laptop.

[pjclarke]

From the 'this should be easy but apparently isn't' department.

I have a 3-license pack for Win 7 and one of the laptops it was on died after becoming overfamiliar with a glass of wine. Installed Win7 on a new laptop and it refuses to activate as the 3 licences are in use. So I assumed there would be somewhere on microsoft.com where I could enter the product key and computer name and tell them to deactivate the licence on the dead PC and release a licence for the new one. If there is such a page, I cannot find it.

Anyone able to help?

[DirtyDog]

Normally, there's a phone number for activation if there is a problem, and they are fairly good if past performance serves.

Edit:
To activate by phone, if you aren't prompted then run the command "slui.exe 4"

Apparently, if automated activation fails, hang on and you should get transferred to a person.

Edit 2:

Oh, I'm too nice - 0800 018 8354 is the UK number (from here)

[Bellona]

From the 'this should be easy but apparently isn't' department.

I have a 3-license pack for Win 7 and one of the laptops it was on died after becoming overfamiliar with a glass of wine. Installed Win7 on a new laptop and it refuses to activate as the 3 licences are in use. So I assumed there would be somewhere on microsoft.com where I could enter the product key and computer name and tell them to deactivate the licence on the dead PC and release a licence for the new one. If there is such a page, I cannot find it.

Anyone able to help?

AFAIK you should be able to reactivate up to three time without a problem. If you can't then I think you need to use the phone activation service :

Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, right-clicking Computer, clicking Properties, and then clicking Activate Windows now.*

Click Show me other ways to activate.

Type your Windows 7 product key, and then click Next.

1. Click Use the automated phone system. Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
   
2. Click the location nearest you from the drop-down list, and then click Next.
   
3. Call one of the available phone numbers listed. An automated system will guide you through the activation process.
   
4. When prompted, enter the installation ID that's listed on your screen into your phone's keypad.
   
5. Write down the confirmation ID that the phone system gives you.
   
6. Type the confirmation ID into the space provided under Step 3 in the activation dialog, click Next, and then follow the instructions.
   
7. If activation still isn't successful, you'll have to stay on the line to be transferred to a customer service rep to who can assist you.

HTH

Dirty Dog has the number ready for you - he's so kind

[pjclarke]

Thanks for the replies, I'm away right now, will give phone activation a try once I'm back in the UK.

[administrator]

Phone activation worked for me a day or three ago. Had two SSDs in a RAID 0 array, one of them went pop... All I had to do on the phone was confirm the key was only being used on 1 machine and it reacticated fine for me. This was on a two or three year old Win 7 x64 pro licence I bought from Software 4 Students when my eldest daughter started going to primary school