Win 7 activation code bad?

[Dusnoetos]

I was able to buy a valid COA key locally , so problem solved

 

[Tech Tweaker]

I smell a rat. I never heard of a time-limited product key. Was Windows in trial mode all this time???



You shall never be told that your key expired!!

In trial mode, without a product key, Windows will work normally for up to 30 days.
Even Windows Update.

I never heard of a time-bomb key and that's unlikely unless you're using a beta!

An expiration almost always means you have a beta!

This can happen actually.

Microsoft did something like this years ago with XP. They invalidated all the early keys from 2002-2003 IIRC. Which then broke the installations for multiple PC's owned by consumers and organizations, and meant those keys were no longer usable if the OS on those PC's needed to be reinstalled. Yes, this did actually happen. I had to work on PC's for a couple of people that had hard drives fail, but when I went to reinstall the OS it kept telling me that the OEM product key from the COA sticker on the side of the case was invalid. Ultimately ended up having to purchase new keys (OEM pack with disc) for these systems in order to reinstall the OS.

Also had a PC Tech friend that told me the same thing happened to some of the PC's he'd worked on.

I was able to buy a valid COA key locally , so problem solved

Well, that's good to hear.

 

[Dusnoetos]

Thanks for the insight Tech Tweaker. While what you say is possible, the more i think about who sold me the laptop im more inclined to think the COA was used multiple times.