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MT 6451 issues...

post #1 of 9
1/20/08 at 8:52pm
Thread Starter 
Hey guys, I have been experiencing multiple issues with my notebook. I purchased it last May or so, and as soon as I did, I reformatted and reinstalled Vista. When December came around I started getting overheating problems, so I emailed Gateway support about it, and they sent out a box. Before the box arrives I start getting a "Your Vista product key is invalid" message, so I email about that and I'm told that it will be taken care of when they do the service (They need to reformat and everything anyway).

I send out the computer and a week and a half later, I get it back. Everything is working like it did when I first bought it about 8 months ago. After a couple weeks I start getting the invalid product key message again. I contact support again, and I'm told that my issue needs to be sent to an escalation team. This was over a week and a half ago and after emailing looking for some new information as to what's going on, I'm told that there isn't any way I can contact this escalation team, and I'll need to be patient and wait for them to send me an email with some sort of update.

Is there anything else I can do at this point? I have lost functionality as of last weekend so now I'm restricted to 30-mins of internet browsing before it automatically logs out on me.


For a little off-topic bit, what's a good cheap desktop I can get from Best Buy that I'd be able to upgrade everything (In other words, no proprietary motherboard, etc)? I got a 32" Samsung TV a couple weeks ago and I want to play some PC games on it.

Thanks!
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post #2 of 9
1/20/08 at 10:51pm
Have you tried to do a "Repair" with your Vista OEM DVD? (you will have to boot off the DVD to (repair your Vista install) that may correct this problem, also, another thing you can try is activate it over the internet (yourself) it may ask you to put in your product key, but, what the hell do you have to loose, it's worth a try?....as for your 2nd question, I haven't owned a Desktop in 3 yrs. and don't plan on EVER buying one, notebooks are just fine, and they don't take up a lotta space, you might try Bestbuy, CC, Staples or maybe even WALMART for a cheap Desktop..........Good luck!
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post #3 of 9
1/20/08 at 11:05pm
this is a known problem in vista.

the following was copied from another web site. try & see if it helps.


1st) Log on
2nd)choose "run computer with REDUCED functionality- this will open an internet browser
3rd)click on FILE on the icons above
4th)click on "Open file"
5ht)open COMPUTER>WINDOWS>SYSTEM32
6th)Once you get to system 32, Scroll down to the filename "cmd"
7th)right-click on it then Run it As Administrator
8th)minimize your browser then you shoul see a "black window" where you need to type something
9th)Now this is the most important: type: slmgr.vbs -rearm
10th)if successful, a message would appear saying the operation is successful
11th)restart your Computer
12th)Log on: then voila- PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

please post back if it helps or does not.
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post #4 of 9
1/20/08 at 11:10pm
there is also a MS KB page that may be of help.

againplease post back if this helps or not

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933928

& a 2nd page with info for the problem

http://kbalertz.com/931573/prompted-...-required.aspx
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post #5 of 9
1/20/08 at 11:51pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by syrtus View Post
this is a known problem in vista.

the following was copied from another web site. try & see if it helps.


1st) Log on
2nd)choose "run computer with REDUCED functionality- this will open an internet browser
3rd)click on FILE on the icons above
4th)click on "Open file"
5ht)open COMPUTER>WINDOWS>SYSTEM32
6th)Once you get to system 32, Scroll down to the filename "cmd"
7th)right-click on it then Run it As Administrator
8th)minimize your browser then you shoul see a "black window" where you need to type something
9th)Now this is the most important: type: slmgr.vbs -rearm
10th)if successful, a message would appear saying the operation is successful
11th)restart your Computer
12th)Log on: then voila- PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

please post back if it helps or does not.
This didn't work. I got the message saying the operation was successful, but when I rebooted I got the same screen. I even tried reentering the key and it is still not valid.

Checking the pages in your other post now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by syrtus View Post
there is also a MS KB page that may be of help.

againplease post back if this helps or not

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933928

& a 2nd page with info for the problem

http://kbalertz.com/931573/prompted-...-required.aspx
I guess I'll have to reinstall from the DVD I got in the box, and then download that patch. I assume its too late as I already have reduced functionality. Thanks for the help.

I just tried to download that update and it said "This update does not apply to your system".
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post #6 of 9
1/21/08 at 12:16am
Thread Starter 
Well I tried your first solution again and I ended up getting to my desktop, but with the same "invalid key" window so I decided to just call Microsoft and try that way.

Going through the automated part I was told it was unable to be activated, so I was transferred to someone in India (assuming, from the accent). I was asked for the first 6 digits of the Installation ID, whether it was the first install or not, if it was installed on multiple computers, and why I needed to activate over the phone. After that, I was given the long string of numbers I needed to activate.

So therefore, Gateway's support is crap, and that's all there is to it =P.

Thanks again
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post #7 of 9
1/21/08 at 12:33am
glad it is resolved for you.

sorry the web pages did not help.

I have seen quite a few posts in other places with the same problem.

It is a known VISTA problem & seems to crop up without warning. have also yet to see a good explanation from MS as to why.

It has yet to happen on any of the comps I deal with so have not had to run down the exact cause, if there is one.

all the best.
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post #8 of 9
1/21/08 at 12:42am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by syrtus View Post
glad it is resolved for you.

sorry the web pages did not help.

I have seen quite a few posts in other places with the same problem.

It is a known VISTA problem & seems to crop up without warning. have also yet to see a good explanation from MS as to why.

It has yet to happen on any of the comps I deal with so have not had to run down the exact cause, if there is one.

all the best.
My guess is its just a flaw in the Multi-license version of the OS. At least based on the second link you provided.
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post #9 of 9
1/21/08 at 1:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmelzer2004 View Post
Well I tried your first solution again and I ended up getting to my desktop, but with the same "invalid key" window so I decided to just call Microsoft and try that way.

Going through the automated part I was told it was unable to be activated, so I was transferred to someone in India (assuming, from the accent). I was asked for the first 6 digits of the Installation ID, whether it was the first install or not, if it was installed on multiple computers, and why I needed to activate over the phone. After that, I was given the long string of numbers I needed to activate.

So therefore, Gateway's support is crap, and that's all there is to it =P.

Thanks again
Now I remember...........this happened to me about a yr. ago, & the only way I could fix this was to Call MS to activate Vista, after I did that, I haven't had any more problems, even when I had to do a Clean Install of Vista.....I heard that once you call MS to activate, this problem NEVER creeps up again, at least not for me, also, the patch that fixes this problem is in a automatic windows update, so, that could be why, this only happened to me once....this will be FIXED in SP1 among other problem as well
glad you got every thing up & running
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