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Possible Duplicate:
Windows 7 activation period

I installed Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit on my laptop a few days ago. Today I got a message in notification bar saying that I have 25 days remaining to register windows with the product key.

Now, I do not have a product key at all. I want to ask what happens after 25 days if I do not enter the product key at all.

  • Will Windows stop booting?
  • Will I not be able to use Windows at all?
  • Will I have to install some other OS or re-install Windows?
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  • I have to ask. If you don't own a product key why did you install an operating system that requires a product key?
    – Ramhound
    May 3, 2012 at 17:26
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    @Ramhound 1. I have never used any OS other than windows. 2. I had an acctivated Windows OS. 3. I was facing lot of difficulty due to unknown reasons and had to re-install. 4. But I do not have the Product key with me and do not want to spend money buying it. Got the answer you were looking for?
    – user127735
    May 3, 2012 at 17:29
  • Great detail in the comment response. One further question. What happened to the product key that came with your laptop when you got it initially? You know... the Windows product key sticker that was on the bottom of the laptop? You could have reinstalled that version of Windows with that product key.
    – Bon Gart
    May 3, 2012 at 18:49
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    @BonGart My laptop is around 1 year old and I am not able to read anything written on the sticker, it's just unreadable now.
    – user127735
    May 3, 2012 at 18:52
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    If this is an OEM laptop, try contacting your OEM's Tech Support and see if you can get the product key from them. If you bothered to register your laptop with the OEM through the use of their bloatware (preinstalled software), you may get some luck. I'm going out on a limb here but if you provide them your information and serial number of the laptop (which is unique to every machine manufactured from the OEM) they may be able to provide you the CD key that came with the machine. May 3, 2012 at 19:08

2 Answers 2

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Windows will shut down forceably after 1 hour. Your background will go black, and you will be constantly reminded that you are on an illegal copy of Windows.

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    "Windows will shut down forceably after 1 hour." Do you have a source for this? This other answer in a similar, older question does not mention that. Aug 31, 2012 at 3:08
  • Microsoft has said it repeatedly when they talk about trial modes for W7. Sorry but I'm not finding a link easily just yet, but I've seen them talk about it repeatedly in articles.
    – BloodyIron
    Aug 31, 2012 at 14:16
  • It's doing it to me right now while I try to debug IE. The modern.ie/en-us images are trial images, so after 90 days it starts shutting down every hour. No questions asked. Fun times.
    – Wolfy87
    Oct 30, 2014 at 13:35
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After a month when you get the "Activate Windows Today" message you can open a command prompt (as administrator) and type "slmgr -rearm" (without the quotes). This will extend the trial license for 1 month. You can do this three times.

Don't you have a restore disk/partition?

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  • Doing what you says gives the error: "is not recognized as internal or external command....."
    – user127735
    May 27, 2012 at 6:12
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    @myselfpoddar That can sometimes happen if you have installed any dodgy software. From an admin command promt try slmgr /dlv - after a couple of seconds this will pop a window displaying license info including the status of your current license. For ease of use open the command prompt this way - Start Menu - All Programs - Accessories - right click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator. This is a useful facility for evaluation/testing - eventually you should buy a license.
    – BJ292
    May 27, 2012 at 11:26