Hi - new to windows 7 - purchased a new computer last week from a reputable local dealer and it came with an evaluation build 7100 copy of windows 7 - it asked me to activate it. I rang the dealer who said it should not do that and should be ok until march next year when i must then upgrade to a full version. I asked him for the product id and he gave me one but when i attempted to activate with such - windows activation said it was a .. i forget the term - like a generic product id that wasn't ok for activation - can anyone fill me in on what is my next step.

HI welcome to Microsoft TechNet forums as you mentioned you can use up to march 2010, now Microsoft has stopped the 7100 keys from OCT 21. you can find your product key in magic jelly bean key finder, you can download here . install it, it will explore your installed product key. cheers NIKHIL

Hi - new to windows 7 - purchased a new computer last week from a reputable local dealer and it came with an evaluation build 7100 copy of windows 7 - it asked me to activate it. I rang the dealer who said it should not do that and should be ok until march next year when i must then upgrade to a full version. I asked him for the product id and he gave me one but when i attempted to activate with such - windows activation said it was a .. i forget the term - like a generic product id that wasn't ok for activation - can anyone fill me in on what is my next step. Microsoft has discontinued making RC (release candidate, build 7100) keys available for download, as of 21 October.The keys have been published to the Web. I believe that there were only 16 of them. I think that I'm not permitted to list them here, or give links to sites that have them. Google (or Bing, etc.) would be your friend for that.Did the dealer provide an installation DVD for the RC as well? Downloads of that were ended in August. (It's legal to obtain a copy of the DVD from a friend, though.)

- can anyone fill me in on what is my next step. I would suggest that a sensible "next step" might be to reconsider your opinion regarding whether or not that dealer really was a "reputable" one!Was the machine advertised as being provided with a Windows license? Windows 7 Release Candidate really only comes as an 'evaluation' license. You've effectively been sold a machine which has "no operating system", and you need to purchase a Full license for Windows (or alternative OS) to use on it. If you've been misled then the dealer may be liable, depending upon your local consumer protection laws.An 'Upgrade Pack' would not be a suitable purchase for you unless you have another valid Windows license to use as 'qualifying product'. Windows 7 Release Candidate does NOT constitute a 'valid qualifying product' for licensing purposes.Neither Windows 7 Release Candidate nor new product keys for it are available any more. You definitely need to obtain a legitimate OS license to use on your system, if the 'evaluation' copy you have been using has been rendered unusable and you do not have a valid product key to use when reinstalling it.