Anyone dealt with Microsoft Thailand for Windows Activation?

[DumbFalang]

I bought a Windows PC a few years back and it came with a genuine CD - Windows 7 Pro (OEM System Builder Pack).

From memory, the hard drive died on that computer and I installed and activated Windows on the replacement. I since bought a laptop and would like to put in on there as I am travelling for a few months, but now I can't activate Windows.

I can't find out anything online, so I'd like to hear from anyone that has been in touch with Microsoft Thailand and had Windows activated over the phone.

[Crossy]

When the online activation fails you should be able to choose 'activate by phone' which will give you a number to call amongst other information.

Last time I had to do this from Thailand I was directed to the call centre in Singapore, no issues whatever.

However, you may not be able to activate an OEM version on different hardware from that it was supplied with. Can't hurt to try.

One assumes that the desktop is no longer in use.

[Ginkas]

As stated above, the reason you can't activate it online is that it is an OEM version only intended for use on one computer.

When you changed the hard drive on your old computer Microsoft still accepted it as the same computer.

OEM is for one computer only, Full Retail is for one computer at a time - so you can replace an old computer with a new one.

As Crossy says, it won't do any harm trying a phone activation.

They can only say 'No', but might give you an activation number if you're lucky.

[raro]

I have had both, OEM and full version. The OEM I was able to reinstall over and over again (one installation at a time), whereas the full version always asked me to call some computer in Singapore and get a lots of digits activation code.

[Pib]

I've had MS Windows activation issues twice in my lifetime that required me to call MS. One time was for a XP OEM version and one time for a Win 7 full version. I called the 1800 MS number in the U.S. but ended up talking to call centers in India and the Philippines.

First time about 8 years while still living in the U.S. for an XP OEM version I ended up talking to MS Tech Support in India...I had installed an Ebay bought OEM version on a new laptop which died within a few weeks and I took it back to the store and got a replacement. When trying to reinstall the OEM verison I couldn't activate it. The tech rep in India asked me a few questions, I told him what happened, and he gave me a new activation number.

The second time was about 6 months ago here in Thailand when installing a full version of Win 7 it wouldn't activate...probably because I still had it on another laptop. Once again called a 1800 MS number in the U.S. and ended up talking to a MS Tech Rep at the old Clark AB in the Philippines which they now call Clark/Angeles FreePort Zone or something like that. Anyway, the rep first gave me a new activation number which wouldn't work...then the tech rep just took long distance control of my laptop (with my permission after installing a small program from their website), and then he fixed the activation issue. With the dust now settled I have the same Win 7 license running on my two laptops...I'm not complaining. I figured once it got activated on the laptop I wanted to run it on, it would deactivate it on my other laptop which I rarely use...just turn it on occasionally to do updates. But as mentioned, it's been about 6 months now and I have went through many Windows updates where they check for genuine software (which it is...bought at Walmart years back) and it's still activated. Yeap, I'm not complaining.

When calling the MS Tech Support/Activation support numbers, you just don't know what country the tech rep may be in...like I said earlier, when I called MS while still living in the States I ended up talking to their Call Center in India....and when calling from here in Thailand I ended up talking to their Call Center in the Philippines. Each time due to their accents and my curiosity I asked "where" they were located.

[aarn]

If you get the run-around trying to activate your expensive product, you can follow this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/765146-windows-10-technical-preview-online/

for a free windows 10 system. You will need an 8Gb usb stick. Apparently MS is supporting it until April next year.

Some triallers have expressed concerns re. Microsoft tracking their online habits.

Despite being a linux user, I am mighty impressed by win10. AA

[DumbFalang]

Lots of great advice there guys - Thanks a lot. I'll start by calling MS Thailand and take it from there. The Win 10 trial sounds interesting too as I have a spare box running Linux at the moment. No problems with Linux, just curious to see what Microsoft have in store for us.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Laptop brand and model number?

[Gumballl]

You could try to download an ISO image of Windows 7 Pro from this site: http://www.techverse.net/download-windows-7-iso-x86-x64-microsofts-official-servers/

For my personal laptop, which runs Linux (Kubuntu), I installed Win 7 Premium as a virtual machine using a similar approach.

The validation (i.e. product) key you require is generally on a sticker attached to your computer or CD media.

[akampa]

When the online activation fails you should be able to choose 'activate by phone' which will give you a number to call amongst other information.

Last time I had to do this from Thailand I was directed to the call centre in Singapore, no issues whatever.

However, you may not be able to activate an OEM version on different hardware from that it was supplied with. Can't hurt to try.

One assumes that the desktop is no longer in use.

I have just bought a new mainboard plus some parts but not a harddrive could not activate online ,used a free call centre number supplied by microsoft ,activated no problem ,I asked if I changed my hard drive and mainboard again no problem they just want to check that is a genuine copy.

[raro]

I've had MS Windows activation issues twice in my lifetime that required me to call MS. One time was for a XP OEM version and one time for a Win 7 full version. I called the 1800 MS number in the U.S. but ended up talking to call centers in India and the Philippines.

First time about 8 years while still living in the U.S. for an XP OEM version I ended up talking to MS Tech Support in India...I had installed an Ebay bought OEM version on a new laptop which died within a few weeks and I took it back to the store and got a replacement. When trying to reinstall the OEM verison I couldn't activate it. The tech rep in India asked me a few questions, I told him what happened, and he gave me a new activation number.

The second time was about 6 months ago here in Thailand when installing a full version of Win 7 it wouldn't activate...probably because I still had it on another laptop. Once again called a 1800 MS number in the U.S. and ended up talking to a MS Tech Rep at the old Clark AB in the Philippines which they now call Clark/Angeles FreePort Zone or something like that. Anyway, the rep first gave me a new activation number which wouldn't work...then the tech rep just took long distance control of my laptop (with my permission after installing a small program from their website), and then he fixed the activation issue. With the dust now settled I have the same Win 7 license running on my two laptops...I'm not complaining. I figured once it got activated on the laptop I wanted to run it on, it would deactivate it on my other laptop which I rarely use...just turn it on occasionally to do updates. But as mentioned, it's been about 6 months now and I have went through many Windows updates where they check for genuine software (which it is...bought at Walmart years back) and it's still activated. Yeap, I'm not complaining.

When calling the MS Tech Support/Activation support numbers, you just don't know what country the tech rep may be in...like I said earlier, when I called MS while still living in the States I ended up talking to their Call Center in India....and when calling from here in Thailand I ended up talking to their Call Center in the Philippines. Each time due to their accents and my curiosity I asked "where" they were located.

interesting hack they had for you. I tried exactly this, activate one license on one computer (worked) and then the same license on another one. I was able to activate it while the other computer was offline, once both were online, the one that came in second immediately said that the licence is not valid.

Since I have a full license, I uninstalled the copy, didn't want to temper with it, but was worth a try.

[Pib]

One thing I've noticed that if I turn both computers on and have them check for Windows updates at the same time, since one of the laptops has more horsepower (faster) than the other one the faster laptop will complete the update first and then many times the other slower computer will say no updates needed/already installed, but they are indeed needed and not installed. But wait a few minutes and have the slower computer check for updates again it will install the updates. It's almost like the MS servers get confused with that one license being activated on both computers. And times when I have just turned on and updated the slower computer I never receive the "no updates needed/already installed" response. Maybe the MS Call Center Rep in the Philippines did something special for me, since like I mentioned in the other post the rep actually had to take control of my computer to get the activation to work...and during that process the ref who was Filipino who lived just outside of Clark AB all her life found out I had spent 6 years at Clark AB during my younger days and she found that so interesting and we started talking the area and people in that area. Maybe she liked our conversation and did something special for me....I don't know.