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Full Version: Vista "family Discount" Keys Don't Work!
Scenyx Entertainment Community > Off Topic Forums > Other Platforms > Personal Computer (PC, MAC, etc) General Talk
greenday54261
Well, being the early adopter I am, I purchased a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate the other day. With 3 computers in my house, it was a welcome surprise to see that you get 2 keys for Vista Home Premium for $50 each with the purchase of Ultimate. So I jumped on it. I received an email with two product keys in it, purported to be for Home Premium. I'm supposed to use the Ultimate DVD but enter the HomePremium keys during installation.

Here's where the problems start: They don't work.

I've tried entering the keys two ways: Coldboot from the Ultimate DVD, and start the installation from XP. Both ways, it errors out with "Your product key could not be validated. Please make sure you have entered it correctly."

There's one thing I have not yet tried: I could install Vista Ultimate with the Ultimate product key. Then when it yells at me about activation, I could attempt to change the key to one of the Home Premium keys. Vista includes the ability to change your key. But I run the risk of wasting x hours of a night only to have it STILL not work.

Has anyone had any experience with this "Family Discount" M$ offers? Did the keys they sent you work? How did you have to install? I'm getting ready to call M$ incessantly until they give me two working keys; if I can get it working without doing so it'd be great.
Alex548
Get a refund. . . Read this article
If you wait it out, it might take you a while to get working keys.
greenday54261
dry.gif According to the email I received, these keys are non-refundable. Guess there's no choice but to waste a couple hours of my life this weekend on hold with M$. grr.gif
Could just wait a couple days and see if I get emailed new keys. The comments on that article you linked seemed to suggest that would happen.

Fuck Microsoft. Long live Apple. muhaha.gif
Alex548
QUOTE
Microsoft says, “This is a known issue and has been escalated to the program manager.” When asked what could be done I was told, “I can take your name and number and call you back when there is a solution. If that is not acceptable, I can cancel your order and issue you a refund.” I was also told, “There is no expected time period for a fix at this time.”
greenday54261
Huh. I thought I saw somewhere in the comments that there was an ETA of 4-5 days on new keys. W/e.
I'll call M$ tomorrow. It's 12AM here.
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