De-Activating Windows 7?

spirit

spirit

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Is there a way to de-activate Windows 7? With most software when you install it from add/remove programs it de-activates itself or when you go to uninstall the program it asks you if you want to de-activate it, but is there a way to do with this Windows 7 or not? Thanks.
 
Yeah I got Windows 7 installed on my machine and it's been activated but I need to reinstall it and I wanted to know if I could de-activate the key before I reinstalled, so once I have reinstalled I can re-activate the software again without having to phone up.
 
It was bought and downloaded from Microsoft TechNet, you pay X amount of money for a year's subscription and then you can download several of Microsoft's products.
 
It activates over the internet. I think TechNet supply OEM copies of Windows, so whilst my software was downloaded from TechNet, it is OEM.
 
You should be ok to just do a clean install over it, usually after the first time you have activated it in a machine, it should simply do the internet activation without any problems.
 
OEM copy or retail? If it's OEM, after you reinstall, go through the online activation, but you will end up having to ring MS and have it activated manually. Just tell them you needed to reinstall for whatever reason and they should activate it for you. If it's a retail copy, the online activation should just work.
 
Right ok will do but I can always ring up should internet activation fail. I have installed this copy of Windows 7 four times in the past since I got it like 2 years ago and not had a problem activating then so, should be fine do you reckon?
 
Yes should be ok, you only get problems if you are changing it to a totally different machine, you might have to do the phone activation the first time due to a new motherboard, but you might get lucky with online activate.
 
vistakid10 said:
... With most software when you install it from add/remove programs it de-activates itself or when you go to uninstall the program it asks you if you want to de-activate it, but is there a way to do with this Windows 7 or not? Thanks.
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Are you sure about that? I've installed/uninstalled a lot of software over the last 30 years and can't remember any that have de-activated themselves. Can you provide an example of one that de-activates when you uninstall?

"Most software" doesn't get activated at all.
 
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strollin said:
Can you provide an example of one that de-activates when you uninstall?
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Microsoft Office 2010 definitely does, Sony Vegas 10 does, when you uninstall Adobe CS5.5 or any paid-for Adobe products you have the option to de-activate. Most pieces of software which require activation do de-activate when you uninstall them.
 
I think it`s only the most high end expensive products most paid for software requires activation everytime you install it, but i can`t say i have noticed many that offer you to de-activate when you remove it.
 
Most don't ask you because they will automatically de-activate when you uninstall them. Going back on topic, it looks like I'm OK to just format the drive, reinstall Windows and then see if online activation works, if not, I'll have to use the phone.
 
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