Main Area and Open Discussion > Living Room

Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

<< < (4/4)

Carol Haynes:
Yes but that would mean backing up all the data, reinstallling Windows, reinstalling all applications and restoring all the data. Not something I really want to contemplate.

A repair install is done using Windows 7 installation media and using the Upgrade option. The problem is that unless you have Windows installation media from HP which doesn't require a license key you have to use a commercial copy that does require a license and activation. I have had bad experiences using the license key on the label stuck to the box - they only seem to work about 50% of the time and if it fails HP will say do an install from their backup media and MS will say talk to HP! Either way it would be a real PITA

Even if the license key is accepted and the repair install works you then have to reinstall all windows updates which is a pretty long job and some applications may need to be reactivated which means contacting software vendors if the activation is not successful automatically - that can take days. This is an essential office machine that is used all day everyday - it can't be out of action waiting for companies to respond to emails.

Stoic Joker:
I have had bad experiences using the license key on the label stuck to the box - they only seem to work about 50% of the time and if it fails HP will say do an install from their backup media and MS will say talk to HP! Either way it would be a real PITA-Carol Haynes (October 13, 2011, 07:18 PM)
--- End quote ---


Carol... You're giving them far too much information when you call. Skip HP's tech support, they're idiots. Just call the MS activation number and play dumb. It's never failed for me, especially if I use a southern accent (they want Billy-Bob off the phone like now!).

Pre XP SP3 disks can be touchy/hit-or-miss. Dell (OEM) XP SP3 disks seem to work the best for me (never rejects a valid COA for any brand PC). Dell (OEM) Vista & 7 I've never had a problem with either.


But if the machines is that critical, I'd just go with the folder perms tweaking and then stuff the SP in too. Especially if it's got some special (/sketchy) verticle market stuff on it. That always turns ugly because the client never seems to have their reg info ... Or the install media for that matter.

Shades:
Fred Langa recently did a piece about reinstalling Windows 7 without losing your setup, the same as he did for XP.

As I personally can attest to salvaging XP machines with his article about XP, I think it would be worth a try to do the same using his Windows 7 article.

Carol Haynes:
The trouble is his solution is the 'upgrade' install mentioned above.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page