W7 won't activate on new SSD

[JAS21]

Guys

I have an ageing but working Dell Laptop. It initially had XP Pro installed. I bought an upgrade W7 Ult from the UK and upgraded it a few years ago now.

 

I have just bought an SSD and made a bootable USB from the W7 Ult DVD.

 

Installed it, I used Custom Install.  It won’t activate and it tells me it’s an upgrade disk, which it is.

 

Had a long chat with Microsoft but he firmly said that I need to install XP first and then upgrade. I don’t have an XP CD as it came pre-installed, I do have the XP Pro Key as the sticker is still on the underside.

 

Suggestions of how to get it activated please … where will I get an XP Pro Iso/CD from.  I know that there is a way to extend activation but that will be a pain every month.

 

Yes I have other more modern computers but this one will be useful … well until it dies ….

 

Thanks

Edited July 11, 2017 by JAS21

[Crossy]

There are still sources of XP Pro .iso on the net, Google is your friend.

 

But you may need an OEM version for your key to work.

 

 

[JamJar]

What is the Service Tag or Express Code written on the underside of the laptop?

[JAS21]

8 hours ago, JamJar said:

What is the Service Tag or Express Code written on the underside of the laptop?

H68513J  and 373-868-072-47 ... thanks ..it's a DELL inspiration 6400

[JamJar]

H6B513J

 

How much RAM is installed?

 

Download, save and and then run this BIOS update as Administrator(right click on the newly downloaded file and choose Run As Administrator)

 

Once complete, download, save and run this software as Administrator and upload a screenshot of the Advanced tab.

 

Example here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JamJar]

You are taking a long time..... :)

[JAS21]

Thanks JJ ... memory is 2GB + 0.512GBs

 

I'm actually confused as how much memory it will take, Crucial say 2*1 but reading up some say 2*2 but only 3.4 is usable. And to do this you may have to go backwards on the BIOS. Not keen on fiddling with the BIOS as computer is working fine. I don't want to brick it!

 

Now I'm a member of seven forums and a solution to activation was there ...  https://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/408950-replaced-hdd-ssd-w7-ult-wont-activate.html  Option 3 Step 2 worked.

 

Happy .......

 

 

Edited July 13, 2017 by JAS21

[JamJar]

Activating the upgrade install was never the issue. 

 

The firmware update in my post is designed to update the licence on the Motherboard. This allows you clean install Windows 7 32 bit or 64 bit using a standard DELL re-installation disc(which I would have supplied), so to make installs and re-installs more straightforward.

 

The BIOS update isn't necessarily the impediment to 4GB of RAM being installed, as illustrated here;

 

http://en.community.dell.com/what-do-i-buy/for_enterprise/f/4516/t/19229507

 

Quote

dallascowboysworldchamps
__________________________

Inspiron E1505
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7200 (4MB/2.00GHz/667MHz)
15.4 Inch UltraSharp TrueLife Wide-screen WSXGA+
4GB, DDR2, 667MHz Crucial Memory
256MB ATI MOBILITY RADEON X1400
120GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
8X DVD+/-RW Philips Drive
Dell Wireless 1500 802.11N Mini Card
Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Module (2.0 + EDR)
Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 64 bit
Bios A17
pur. Sept. 7 2006
WRT350N Linksys Router v1 firmware v1.03.7
FreeAgent 320gb Seagate Ext. HD
Kaspersky Internet Security v 8.0.0.454

 

Also here with the same Chipset as yours; http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/definitive-answer-on-the-maximum-ram-speed-667-mhz-and-size-4gb-for-dell-inspiron-e1505.576358/

 

Your CPU is listed as not supporting a 64 bit instruction set: http://ark.intel.com/products/30769/Intel-Pentium-Processor-T2130-1M-Cache-1_86-GHz-533-MHz-FSB  Seems that it installed ok anyway.

 

 

[Gary A]

The mainboard in my desktop died. I went ahead and upgraded the mainboard and RAM. I tried to reinstall Windows 7 Pro and got a message that number was already used. I found a local number for Microsoft and called them. I gave the lady the information she asked for and was surprised that she immediately gave me a new code number. I was off and running. It was actually pretty simple.

[JAS21]

On 13/07/2017 at 8:56 PM, JamJar said:

Activating the upgrade install was never the issue. 

 

The firmware update in my post is designed to update the licence on the Motherboard. This allows you clean install Windows 7 32 bit or 64 bit using a standard DELL re-installation disc(which I would have supplied), so to make installs and re-installs more straightforward.

 

The BIOS update isn't necessarily the impediment to 4GB of RAM being installed, as illustrated here;

 

http://en.community.dell.com/what-do-i-buy/for_enterprise/f/4516/t/19229507

 

 

Also here with the same Chipset as yours; http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/definitive-answer-on-the-maximum-ram-speed-667-mhz-and-size-4gb-for-dell-inspiron-e1505.576358/

 

Your CPU is listed as not supporting a 64 bit instruction set: http://ark.intel.com/products/30769/Intel-Pentium-Processor-T2130-1M-Cache-1_86-GHz-533-MHz-FSB  Seems that it installed ok anyway.

 

 

Thanks very much again JJ

 

Yes it activated  okay a second time as well!! I unfortunately didn't create a restore point after initial activation. I have now. 

 

Like many I couldn't get the updates to download, it just went on for hours 'Checking for updates'....... I tried a few solutions including downloading the rollout.

 

After a little more reading I found the below ... decided to go back to 'as installed' and that is where the activation disappeared .

 

So I did the following ...I have no idea what I was doing .....but found the solution at A?KVG

 

Stop it checking for updates ...

Downloaded and installed ... KB3050265

Checked that computer will still not check for updates.

Repeated the above with and in the following  order

KB3065987

KB3102801

KB3135445

KB3138612

KB3161664

KB3020369

KB3172605

 

Then ran the windows update ...  it found about 197 of them. When installing many were left 'pending' but when it restarted they all went in ........ it is still downloading the the odd update now so guess all is now okay with updates.

 

Bluestacks wouldn't install, said basically not enough spec, so wonder if the possible memory upgrade would help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JamJar]

On 2017-7-17 at 11:21 AM, JAS21 said:

Thanks very much again JJ

 

Yes it activated  okay a second time as well!! I unfortunately didn't create a restore point after initial activation. I have now. 

 

Like many I couldn't get the updates to download, it just went on for hours 'Checking for updates'....... I tried a few solutions including downloading the rollout.

 

After a little more reading I found the below ... decided to go back to 'as installed' and that is where the activation disappeared .

 

So I did the following ...I have no idea what I was doing .....but found the solution at A?KVG

 

Stop it checking for updates ...

Downloaded and installed ... KB3050265

Checked that computer will still not check for updates.

Repeated the above with and in the following  order

KB3065987

KB3102801

KB3135445

KB3138612

KB3161664

KB3020369

KB3172605

 

Then ran the windows update ...  it found about 197 of them. When installing many were left 'pending' but when it restarted they all went in ........ it is still downloading the the odd update now so guess all is now okay with updates.

 

Bluestacks wouldn't install, said basically not enough spec, so wonder if the possible memory upgrade would help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You only needed the first and last KB. Usually you go to services.msc to stop Windows Updates there and then go back to install those two; KB3050265 and then KB3172605. It won't hurt to install IE11 firstly. That's all.

 

That is usually all you need to do if you are installing from the latest incarnation of Windows 7.

[JAS21]

22 minutes ago, JamJar said:

You only needed the first and last KB. Usually you go to services.msc to stop Windows Updates there and then go back to install those two; KB3050265 and then KB3172605. It won't hurt to install IE11 firstly. That's all.

 

That is usually all you need to do if you are installing from the latest incarnation of Windows 7.

Thanks ... I made the bootable USB from the original 2008 or whenever disk ... didn't even have SP1

[JamJar]

18 minutes ago, JAS21 said:

Thanks ... I made the bootable USB from the original 2008 or whenever disk ... didn't even have SP1

 

Latest in your inbox.

 

Not sure if this; https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows7 will work with your upgrade key.

[JAS21]

Okay thank you. That will save 200+ windows updates if I have to install again .....

[JamJar]

You'll still have hundreds of updates. That's the nature of the beast.

 

If you have a DELL machine with a preinstalled Windows 7 licence, these images may be of use: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B7uwifuW-47rd2o5N1BFVm5jYWc