Vista seems to be having issues with me resetting the grace period. I don't have the key (friend gave to me and won't have it now) Rather then buy a new key I want to just reset the grace period, and pray that Win 7 RTM will be out before the is no more grace periods. Using the two methods MS say to use I get errors, how can I fix this?

so... you never bought vista, and you're trying to use it for free and having issues?

so... you never bought vista, and you're trying to use it for free and having issues?

 

My friend gave me one of the keys he had but never used, the other day when I checked my WEI I noticed it said Vista wasn't activated. I am left with 4 days to activate and I no longer have the key lying around, and neither will my friend. I have tried to 'rearm' the grace period using 2 methods Microsoft says to use (both involve using Run.) I do not want to go out and buy a new key as Windows 7 will be coming out relatively soon and I want to upgrade to Windows 7 anyway.

Get Windows 7 RC, the real deal will probably be out by the time the RC expires.

Get Windows 7 RC, the real deal will probably be out by the time the RC expires.

 

If we are to believe the following link http://www.tcmagazine.com/comments.php? ... 72&catid=6, then the full version could already come out in autumn. MS haven't said anything about more RC versions of 7, so it could be true (hopefully).

There are currently 2 things stopping me, the first is if I put on the RC I will have to do a clean install for the RTM version, I have already done 3 installs on this computer in a few months (when I first got it, when I upgraded it to Vista, when I had to format it and do a reinstal due to it not working properly) The second is I have 5GB a month and am shaped uptil Mother's Day, meaning I won't get to start the install till Monday, before I could get it finished the grace period would have expired.

Just an idea like that, just changing the BIOS date? Would it work?