Re: Miocrosoft Won't Activate Windows 7 Home Premium SP1

[Big Al]

On 10/25/18 9:05 PM, Boris wrote:
> Basically, they tell me that I have exceeded the activation limit, and I
> should call Dell to give me a new product key.
>
> History:
> I have a Dell Studio XPS 8100 that I purchased in 2010. Windows 7 Home
> Premium (non-SP1) came preinstalled, and a reinstallation Windows 7 (non-
> SP1) was included, plus discs with drivers, other applications already
> installed, etc. none of which I had cracked open until a few days ago.
> This was a time when software on disc was still provided.
>
> Some time in 2011, SP1 was installed via automatic updates.
>
> The original hard drive is still working fine, but because of it's age, I
> wanted to reinstall Windows 7 on to a new hard drive. Using the original
> Windows 7 DVD, the reinstall went so far and then told me it couldn't
> install on my hardware. The reason was that Windows 7 non-SP1 was not
> compatible with the storage controller on this Dell machine. The fix was
> to find a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium *with* SP1 included, and install
> to the new hard drive.
>
> Thanks to Paul over on this thread,
>
> <XnsA984C802F6721n...@85.214.115.223>
>
> I was able to find the URL for Windows 7 Home Premium with SP1 included,
> on the HEIDOC site. I burned this to DVD, and the install went fine.
>
> Something to note:
>
> The Product Key on the pc case, that's given on the OEM COA label, is
> different than the product key shown by both Belarc or Speccy. For
> instance, Dell COA may show 1ABC5-6DEF1-2GHI6-7JKL0-2MNP6, and Speccy and
> Belarc may both show QWERT-YUIOP-ASDFG-HJKLZ-XCVBN. When activating, only
> the Belarc/Speccy code would 'work'. The Dell COA Product Key was
> rejected.
>
> ================================
> Found on www.sevenforums.com:
> For a OEM Product Key on COA Sticker
> NOTE: These will be store bought computers that came with Windows 7
> preinstalled on them. The product key sticker will usually be on the back
> of a desktop, and on the bottom or under the battery of a laptop and
> notebook. The sticker key number may be different than the key number
> reported in one of the programs (such as Belarc) below. If so, the key
> number on the sticker is the one that's unique to your computer, and
> that's the one you'll need to input should you ever clean install Windows.
> The different extracted key is just a master key used at the OEM factory.
> =======================================
> OK, so that's the difference.
>
> When I installed the Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 version on to the new
> hard drive, I enabled 'activate when online'. The next day, I went into
> control Panel>System and Security>System, and I clicked on "2 days until
> automatic activation. Activate Windows now."
>
> I'm told "The Windows 7 Home Premium product key you typed, the
> Speccy/Belarc code, is invalid for activation", so I click on "Type a
> different product key, and try the Dell COA Product Key. I get:
>
> Error Code 0x004E003, translated means "The Software Licensing Service
> that reported that license evaluation failed".
>
> On the same screen is a link, "You can also contact Microsoft by phone to
> help resolve this problem." Clicking on this link refers one to useless
> other links, like how to use Windows Remote Assistance allowing a more
> knowledgeable friend to help, etc.
>
> So neither code works, and the contact by Microsoft by phone doesn't give
> me a phone number. At www.urtech.ca, I find Windows Activation number 1-
> 888-571-2048. I get a robot there, and it tells me to enter my
> Installation ID. Huh? I enter a six random digits, hoping to get a
> human, but no, the robot asks me if I want to be transferred to someone
> who can help. Yes.
> After only 10 seconds, the robot says good bye and hangs up.
>
>
> I search more online and find this command:
> slui.exe 4, which just gets me back to the useless Activation Window.
>
> More searching finds this command:
> slmgr.vbs/dlv
>
> This pops up:
> Software licensing service version: 6.1.7601.17514
> Name: Windows (R) 7, HomePremium edition
> Description: Windows Operating System (R) 7, OEM_SLP channel
> Activation ID: blah-blah-blah
> Application ID: bleh-bleh-bleh
> Extended PID: etc...
> Installation ID: there are 54 numerals here (so now I've found the
> Installation ID)
> Processor Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID ***38
> Machine Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID ***39
> Use License URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID ***41
> Product Key Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID ***40
> Partial Product Key: this shows the last five digits of the Belarc/Speccy
> code (not the Dell COA code)
> License Status: Initial grace period
> Remaining Windows rearm count: 3
> Trusted time: 10/25/2018 5:10:46 PM
>
> I find:
>
> https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18715-activate-windows-7-phone.html
>
> where step five gives a different activation by phone number, and shows
> what the Activation Screen should look like, with 9 fields with 6 places,
> equal to 54 numbers that are in the Installation ID that I found.
>
> I call Microsoft, get a human, give him the Installation ID, and no go. I
> give him the Product Key, and it reports back that the activation limit
> has been reached. He tells me I should call Dell and ask for another
> product key.
>
> Arghh...time for a few beers...
>
>
Boy they're getting frisky. I used to reload about every 6-9 months,
maybe once a year. No issues.

[Paul]

What's your geolocation info like ?

Is the machine in the same geographical location as
at purchase time. Did you install a USA SKU retail Microsoft
Win7, while sitting in Shanghai, using a machine bought in
Germany ? The activation logic may not like it, if the
"bits and pieces" are from all over the place. The installed
SKU should correspond to the country you're in.

The Microsoft "helper" you got, should have been able to
point out any deficiencies in this regard.

*******

Has the motherboard been repaired, via exchanging the motherboard
for a working unit, during the warranty period ? I don't think
the COA has to match the motherboard, but you never know. It's not
clear to me, whether one of those COAs is "free and clear", a check
is done for SLIC ("I'm a Dell"), or whether any other triangulation
is applied.

A Win7 Key should work with Win7 SP1, so that's not it.

*******

There is the MGAdiag utility, which people on the Answers
forum might use the output of. With any tool of this nature,
always check the output carefully for personal information
that should not be shared, before posting.

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=203456

When I check some threads where a person has an activation
issue such as your 0xC004E003, it turns out they're
using an Enterprise version or something. Even though they
purchased a product at a shop, the shop ripped them off
by using a KMS activated OS. Yours doesn't look like that
though, your info so far.

*******

Have you installed IE11 ?

If I reinstall WinXP, I have to use IE8 to activate
but that's because of the HTML used during the activation
process.

I don't know if the other OSes are quite as sensitive to
the Internet Explorer version and/or the HTML engine or not.

Paul

[Mike]

On 10/25/2018 6:05 PM, Boris wrote:
> Basically, they tell me that I have exceeded the activation limit, and I
> should call Dell to give me a new product key.
>
> History:
> I have a Dell Studio XPS 8100 that I purchased in 2010. Windows 7 Home
> Premium (non-SP1) came preinstalled, and a reinstallation Windows 7 (non-
> SP1) was included, plus discs with drivers, other applications already
> installed, etc. none of which I had cracked open until a few days ago.
> This was a time when software on disc was still provided.
>
> Some time in 2011, SP1 was installed via automatic updates.
>
> The original hard drive is still working fine, but because of it's age, I
> wanted to reinstall Windows 7 on to a new hard drive. Using the original
> Windows 7 DVD, the reinstall went so far and then told me it couldn't
> install on my hardware. The reason was that Windows 7 non-SP1 was not
> compatible with the storage controller on this Dell machine. The fix was
> to find a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium *with* SP1 included, and install
> to the new hard drive.

Something is odd here. How can the install disk that came with the
machine NOT
be compatible with that machine? Something you're not telling us??
Did you change from an IDE disk to a SATA disk? Did you change or not
change something in the BIOS?

Paul would be the guru in this area.

[Paul]

Mike wrote:

> Something is odd here. How can the install disk that came with the
> machine NOT
> be compatible with that machine? Something you're not telling us??
> Did you change from an IDE disk to a SATA disk? Did you change or not
> change something in the BIOS?
>
> Paul would be the guru in this area.

He started with a Win7 SP0 disc, which happens to
not support 512e disk drives in RAID mode. The motherboard
has the goofy choices of IDE or RAID, and has no AHCI. The
chipset is Ibex Peak PCH, with six sata ports, and perhaps one
reserved for ESATA on the back or side.

He switched to downloading a Win7 SP1 Home Premium disc
from Microsoft (using Heidoc), and successfully finished
the install (this would have a later version of IASTORV
from Intel, as the in-box driver). The status shows three-days-grace.
Why it did that, I don't know. Such an install should show
30 days grace (while waiting for the customer to enter
the COA key and activate). He has re-arms available, if necessary.
As administrator, these are re-arms. And should give another
30 days.

slmgr.vbs -rearm #suitable for Windows 7

rundll32.exe syssetup,SetupOobeBnk #suitable for WinXP

He claims to have used the COA off the front of the machine,
to attempt to activate this Retail install. Normally, a phone
activation would occur, with a toll free number on the
computer screen indicating where to call the robot.

And the response indicated "license already in use" or some
such rubbish.

So the install is done, but activation isn't working.

My response would be, to return to the Win7 SP0 disc and
slipstream in an Intel iRST RAID driver and try the install
that way. Or alternately, use a 512n disk, even a (40GB) crummy one,
finish the install, activate, make sure SP1 is present,
then clone over from a 512n disk to a 512e disk and... move on.
By using the Dell OS, there's a better chance the SLIC will
work, whereas now, for some (unknown) reason, the COA key is
borked. Did a "friend" copy the key off the machine and
install it on half the PCs in the city ?

Paul

[pjp]

In article <XnsA986B80FDA644n...@85.214.115.223>,
nos...@nospam.invalid says...

>
> Basically, they tell me that I have exceeded the activation limit, and I
> should call Dell to give me a new product key.
>
> History:
> I have a Dell Studio XPS 8100 that I purchased in 2010. Windows 7 Home
> Premium (non-SP1) came preinstalled, and a reinstallation Windows 7 (non-
> SP1) was included, plus discs with drivers, other applications already
> installed, etc. none of which I had cracked open until a few days ago.
> This was a time when software on disc was still provided.
>
> Some time in 2011, SP1 was installed via automatic updates.
>
> The original hard drive is still working fine, but because of it's age, I
> wanted to reinstall Windows 7 on to a new hard drive. Using the original
> Windows 7 DVD, the reinstall went so far and then told me it couldn't
> install on my hardware. The reason was that Windows 7 non-SP1 was not
> compatible with the storage controller on this Dell machine. The fix was
> to find a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium *with* SP1 included, and install
> to the new hard drive.
>

> Thanks to Paul over on this thread,
>
> <XnsA984C802F6721n...@85.214.115.223>
>
> I was able to find the URL for Windows 7 Home Premium with SP1 included,
> on the HEIDOC site. I burned this to DVD, and the install went fine.
>
> Something to note:
>
> The Product Key on the pc case, that's given on the OEM COA label, is
> different than the product key shown by both Belarc or Speccy. For
> instance, Dell COA may show 1ABC5-6DEF1-2GHI6-7JKL0-2MNP6, and Speccy and
> Belarc may both show QWERT-YUIOP-ASDFG-HJKLZ-XCVBN. When activating, only
> the Belarc/Speccy code would 'work'. The Dell COA Product Key was
> rejected.
>
> ================================
> Found on www.sevenforums.com:
> For a OEM Product Key on COA Sticker
> NOTE: These will be store bought computers that came with Windows 7
> preinstalled on them. The product key sticker will usually be on the back
> of a desktop, and on the bottom or under the battery of a laptop and
> notebook. The sticker key number may be different than the key number
> reported in one of the programs (such as Belarc) below. If so, the key
> number on the sticker is the one that's unique to your computer, and
> that's the one you'll need to input should you ever clean install Windows.
> The different extracted key is just a master key used at the OEM factory.
> =======================================
> OK, so that's the difference.

I simply don't put up with that bs anymore. I have numerous valid Win7
install disks, some OEM specific and some not. I have a pile of keys
I've saved from God knows how many pcs I've discarded for recycling.
Personally I've not found any OEM disk wouldn't install on someone
else's pc but that's an aside.

I got tired long ago of trying to figure out which disk went with which
pc so I sinply downloaded a torrent for an ISO has every version of
Windows on it from basic to ultimate both 32 and 64 bit along with a
"pre-activated" version of each so it's your choice try and use your key
or just don't even bother.

I know, I know, caution with torrents but in this case I've used that
disk more than 1/2 dozen times now and I've yet to find anything odd
about the installation when it's finished. Updates work, it stays
activated etc. etc. Never any sign of root-kit, virus, adware, virus or
any additonal extras one might not want.

MS should just make public some key works for every version. Else sooner
or later that product you bought giving you a lifetime use rights won't
because they'll eventually simply stop doing activations in any form.

[Mike]

Can't argue with your suggestion.
If it were me, I'd
put the old disk back,
back it up with macrium
If the old disk is activated and has the updates
required for the new disk , just restore
the backup to the new disk.
If not, or you just want to start fresh,
reinstall to the old disk using the original
DVD. Install sp1. + other updates as required to make
the new drive work. It should activate.
Back it up again with macrium
restore the backup to the new disk.

It still sounds like there might be more to the story
than we're told.

Truth be told, if it were me, I'd choose a different
activation method that's guaranteed to work...wink-wink...
If you have a COA sticker, don't sweat it.

[Paul]

Mike wrote:

>
> Truth be told, if it were me, I'd choose a different
> activation method that's guaranteed to work...wink-wink...
> If you have a COA sticker, don't sweat it.

I don't promote that, unless I'm in a bad mood.

It depends on how much aggravation the user has suffered.

Part of answering any question here, is learning from it,
so we have an answer for next time.

And one of the variables is the license server. The server
can be down for days at a time. But in this case, the
status is too specific for that to be the reason.

Paul

[Ben Myers]

Here is what I have learned about Windows 7 product keys since the product was first released.

When you activate Windows 7, the Microsoft mother borg ship captures and retains information about the motherboard together with the product key. I am not 100% sure how much info is captured, but certainly the motherboard and the motherboard serial number. Let's say you decide to swap motherboards to upgrade your system. It is very very likely that Windows 7 will not activate with the replacement motherboard. But, yes, you can change hard drives and still run a properly activated Windows.

A brand name computer (Dell, HP, Lenovo or other) may have a product key sticker on the side, but that is not the key used to deliver a fully activated Windows 7 in the computer. Instead, they use a generic product key assigned to them and already activated. You can use a keyfinder program like SterJo's Keyfinder or Belarc Advisor to see the original product key. If you reinstall Windows 7, you can either use the heretofore secret product key or the one on the sticker to activate Windows 7.

There are different types of Windows 7 product keys, over and beyond the obvious Home, Pro and Ultimate variants. You must match the Windows being installed with the type shown on a product key.

In addition to Windows with a product key sticker attached to the computer chassis or part of a separate purchased package, there are volume license keys used by corporations and non-profits to install Windows on all their systems. Way too many people steal volume license keys and use them on systems outside of the organization for which they are intended.

If you want, you can install Windows 10 and activate it with a Windows 7 product key. Microsoft has stated that this is no longer possible, but that is simply hogwash to con people into buying a copy of Windows 10. Think hard. Microsoft wants you and me and everybody else to be running Windows 10, their Trojan Horse to sell Microsoft products, services and merch and to track you better so they can sell info to advertisers who will spam you with ads just right for you.

I could think of other things, but those are the highlights and they may be applicable to the situation described originally.

Other details. I do not use commercially available software to clone hard drives. The open source Clonezilla is just fine, and it can be convinced to skip bad sectors on the source drive. Partition Wizard Free is OK, too.

Finally, run hard drive diagnostics to assess the health of a drive using SMART data recorded by the drive itself. Defraggler and Belarc Advisor both provide SMART data for drives. See the Wikipedia article about SMART to interpret, but the bottom line is NO BAD SECTORS! Not even one, or the drive is compromised.

.. Ben Myers.

[Stan Brown]

On Fri, 26 Oct 2018 00:38:38 -0300, pjp wrote:
> MS should just make public some key works for every version. Else sooner
> or later that product you bought giving you a lifetime use rights won't
> because they'll eventually simply stop doing activations in any form.

That's not just a theoretical fear. They've done exactly that with
Office 2010.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://BrownMath.com/
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
Shikata ga nai...

[😉 Good Guy 😉]

On 26/10/2018 02:05, Boris wrote:

I call Microsoft, get a human, give him the Installation ID, and no go.  I 
give him the Product Key, and it reports back that the activation limit 
has been reached.  

Did you ask them what is the limit and where is it stated in EULA?  If not then why not?  are you that stupid to accept any crap you are told on the phone?  Question them and ask to speak to the supervisor or else you'll take out a county-court judgement against Microsoft for not allowing you to use your product.  In the UK people can go to the county-court and you don't need a lawyer to do it.  All you need is some common sense and able to argue your case.  Have a copy of EULA printed and send it to the court with your claim.  If you win, Microsoft pays for the cost of your time and the cost of your software which you can't use plus compensation for mental anguish caused.

--

With over 950 million devices now running Windows 10, customer satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.

[😉 Good Guy 😉]

On 27/10/2018 12:18, Stan Brown wrote:

That's not just a theoretical fear. They've done exactly that with Office 2010.

But you are, and have always been, called stupid Stan Brown and there is a very good reason for it.

[pjp]

In article <MPG.363e13a77...@news.individual.net>,
the_sta...@fastmail.fm says...

>
> On Fri, 26 Oct 2018 00:38:38 -0300, pjp wrote:
> > MS should just make public some key works for every version. Else sooner
> > or later that product you bought giving you a lifetime use rights won't
> > because they'll eventually simply stop doing activations in any form.
>
>
> That's not just a theoretical fear. They've done exactly that with
> Office 2010.

Link for that required info would be nice :)

[Paul]

Boris wrote:

>
> The Dell guy said, "Oh, yes. I can definitely help you with that." He
> would not work with the Product Key from Belarc, even though I told him it
> was different than the COA key. He said that was impossible, and insisted
> on the COA key. He found that his database had no record of the COA key,
> so I said let's try the Belarc key, but he wouldn't hear of it. But, he
> said he could definitely help, anyway.
>
> Since the machine was out of warranty (I insisted we were talking about
> software, or a driver that would work), he had two solutions.
>
> First, I could purchase a 1-year contract that would cover all software on
> all machines, for $239.
>
> Second, I could purchase a one time 'fix' for $129. This fix was good for
> three days. If once fixed, something went wrong in three days, they'd fix
> it. A three day workmanship guarantee? And what if you can't 'fix' it?
> Oh, don't worry, sir, we can. But if we can't, it's no fix...no pay.
>
> I'm still laughing.
>
> I found an old Seagate SATA 7200, 320 GB, vintage 2007. I think I had
> taken it out of an old E510/520 running XP.
>
> Seagate Barracuda 7200.10
> ST3320620AS
> S/N 6QF28HQA
> P/N 98J14G-580
> Date code 08121, which translates to 9/21/07
> Firmware 3.AAE
>
>
> It had one empty partition. I connected it and was able to install Win 7
> SP0 from the Dell DVD. It didn't tell me anything about bad hardware, and
> it didn't ask for a Product Key. Once installed, the system showed
> Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows is activated.
>
> This new partition shows as:
> New Volume (C:), 298.09 GB NTFS, Healthy (System, Boot, Page File, Active,
> Crash Dump, Primary Partition)
>
> The original OEM installed hard drive has three partitions, Healthy OEM 39
> MB, Recovery, 13 GB NTFS, and OS, 918.44 GB NTFS.
>
> When comparing the slmgr report of the original OEM install to that of
> this reinstall, to that of the HEIDIC W7 SP1 install, the only differences
> were:
>
>
> Original Extended PID of shipped OEM:the last segment is 2852010
> This reinstall Extended PID of OEM DVD W7:the last segment is 2982018
> Extended PID of HEIDOC W7 SP1:the last segment is 2992018
>
> All Installation IDs are different, no discernible pattern
>
> Partial Product Key was the same on all slmgr reports, and was the Belarc
> reported key
>
> Original License Status:Licensed
> This reinstall License Status:Licensed
> HEIDOC W7 SP1 License Status:Initial Grace Period
> (Time remaining: 41880 minute(s) (29 day(s))
>
> Original Remaining Windows rearm count:4
> This reinstall Remaining Windows rearm count:4
> HEIDOC W7 SP1 Remaining Windows rearm count:3
>
> I installed the Dell CD provided drivers; chipset, video, audio, network,
> etc. All went well.
>
> I turned on Windows update. SP1 update was one of the first to show up.
> Installed fine, and also appeared in the System window as Windows 7 Home
> Premium SP1. Now I hoped to update IE8 to IE11. But, the next round of
> updates included SP1 again, so I let it install again. It failed, and no
> longer appeared in the System window. It showed up in the update window
> again and again, and kept failing. A System Restore to right after the
> successful SP1 install didn't help.
>
> I used another (Win10) machine to download SP1, and IE11, to USB, and
> installed in that order. All went fine.
>
> I'm now reinstalling programs and utilities.
>
> Once I get this new install set up similar to the original, I will clone
> to the 1TB Western Digital and see what happens.

Ya did good.

The Dell disc would have SLIC activated, and the key
should be a "generic" one. Using Belarc and trying to
reuse that generic key, it's not good for anything. That's
because the install you've got now, is a Dell Royalty OEM install.

The COA key you tried to use, it would be a "unique" one, with
no other Dell having the same key. Retrieving that key
at some future date (if it had activated), might have
been of value, if the COA sticker fell off the computer
or was damaged. COA stickers scratch up too easily.

Now that you're patched up to SP1, then cloning from
a 512n disk to a 512e disk should no longer be a concern.
The Intel IRST 9.6 IASTORV would have been replaced
by something on SP1 when is more modern (and fixed).

When you clone, I don't know whether any RAID metadata will
get copied or not. You might still have challenges ahead
of you, but just go ahead and clone and see what happens.
You'd be past the point of damaging anything, and you can
try more than one cloning method at your leisure.

Paul

[Mike]

I've never had any success cloning. Might be operator error, but
I never got an activated system that booted.
If I BACKUP with Macrium, then RESTORE with macrium to the new drive,
that almost always works...I gave up on cloning long ago.

[Paul]

Cloning works. Whether "dd" flavor or Macrium flavor,
I've eventually got it working. Using "dd" would be a mistake,
but sometimes you have no choice in the matter (damaged
file system preventing copying).

The lazy way to fix the mess later, is the Macrium Reflect
"Boot Repair" on the emergency boot CD. That should be
sufficient to put a smile on your face. Plug in the clone
by itself, boot the Macrium CD, use the boot repair option
(even if it didn't need a boot repair), and see what happens.

Later, when both drives are plugged in, open Disk Management,
and because the boot repair made all the identifiers unique,
both drives should remain in the online state.

Another tool I use occasionally, is EasyBCD. That's good for
managing multiple Windows OSes on the same hard drive.

Paul

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <MPG.363e94383...@news.eternal-september.org>, pjp

<pjpoirier_...@hotmail.com> writes:
>In article <MPG.363e13a77...@news.individual.net>,
>the_sta...@fastmail.fm says...
>>
>> On Fri, 26 Oct 2018 00:38:38 -0300, pjp wrote:
>> > MS should just make public some key works for every version. Else sooner
>> > or later that product you bought giving you a lifetime use rights won't
>> > because they'll eventually simply stop doing activations in any form.
>>

I take it you mean they should do it when they declare end-of-life (or
-of-support or whatever).

But that would imply that there is a plug/socket in the software _for_
that universal key. And they're not going to do that (or, certainly, not
admit to it), because hackers would find it _before_ end-of-life, and
sales would plummet.

>>
>> That's not just a theoretical fear. They've done exactly that with
>> Office 2010.

Was that sold with "lifetime use rights" as pjp called them?

>
>Link for that required info would be nice :)

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Science fiction is escape into reality - Arthur C Clarke

[Char Jackson]

On Sun, 28 Oct 2018 10:37:53 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
<G6JP...@255soft.uk> wrote:

>In message <MPG.363e94383...@news.eternal-september.org>, pjp
><pjpoirier_...@hotmail.com> writes:
>>In article <MPG.363e13a77...@news.individual.net>,
>>the_sta...@fastmail.fm says...
>>>
>>> On Fri, 26 Oct 2018 00:38:38 -0300, pjp wrote:
>>> > MS should just make public some key works for every version. Else sooner
>>> > or later that product you bought giving you a lifetime use rights won't
>>> > because they'll eventually simply stop doing activations in any form.
>>>
>I take it you mean they should do it when they declare end-of-life (or
>-of-support or whatever).
>
>But that would imply that there is a plug/socket in the software _for_
>that universal key. And they're not going to do that (or, certainly, not
>admit to it), because hackers would find it _before_ end-of-life, and
>sales would plummet.

I don't know how real that concern is. Since the beginning of computer
time, key generators and other similar tools have been widely available
for virtually every known program out there, especially programs and
Operating Systems from MS. A universal key would be just another brick
in the wall.

--

Char Jackson