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Backup and Restore Vista OEM Activation License

Posted By Raymond In Category: Computer

Aug
13
2009

I am sure some of us here have bought a new laptop or desktop computer recently that came with Windows Vista pre-loaded. That’s good in a way because we have a genuine license and don’t need to use any cracks which would then get deactivated after installing some hotfix. I bought an Acer laptop late last year and it came with Vista Business plus a lot of other Acer software (LaunchManager, eSetting, eRecovery, ePower, eFramework, eDataSecurity) that made the laptop slow. Honestly I don’t need any of those and uninstalling it from Control Panel would still leave traces. I know I can use ccleaner or similar software to clean it up but I’d prefer to install a clean copy of Vista and then only install other third party software that I need. This way I can keep my laptop clean from useless software.
backup and activate vista OEM key
I can easily find and download an OEM Vista installation DVD from Rapidshare or Torrent, then use the product key from the license sticker to activate but there is a limit to activate the key. Once you’ve gone over the limit, you’ll have to call Microsoft to get a replacement. Recently I just got to know that computer came with Vista pre-installed will have a different product key from the license sticker. That is the generic OEM key and can only be used when we do a full restore but cannot be used to activate a clean Vista installation.

Thanks to thewisecrab, I now know of a way to activate a clean Vista installation using the OEM generic product key. Of course this method is meant for ONLY about reinstalling Vista on a system that you purchased, WITH A VISTA LICENSE and not on a computer without a Vista license.


ABR is a tool that can backup and restore Windows Vista activation for systems that are pre-installed from the factory by an OEM, allowing you to reinstall the system without having to call Microsoft. It saves the activation to a file and allows you to restore it once you’ve done a clean install. ABR works with Vista SP1, and on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Vista.

backup vista activation

To backup and restore your Vista OEM license using ABR:

  • 1. Download and unzip
  • 2. Run “activation_backup.exe”
  • 3. Save the backup files somewhere safe
  • 4. Reinstall Vista
  • 5. Restore activation by running “activation_restore.exe”

    • ABR can only be used to install the same version of Vista you have the original OEM license for. For example, if your computer came pre-installed with Vista Home Premium, you can only reinstall with Home Premium. You can, however, switch between 32-bit and 64-bit. This tool only supports Vista and doesn’t work on XP or Windows 7.

    [ Visit Vista Activation Backup and Restore ]


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    • Devrim

      after backup;

      get an image of vista dvd then open the image via poweriso or similar application. in souce folder create new folder path and rename it $OEM$/$$/SYSTEM32/OEM/. now copy your digital certificate and paste into OEM. now create new txt document and rename it PID. then write down;
      [PID]
      Value=xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxx (your oem license)

      save this txt to SOURCES folder in vista dvd image.

      now save the image and burn. when you boot your pc from this dvd your vista does not ask you for license and it will alreadey activated when format is finished.

      a little trick, if you have oem bios and mainboard and if you use any vista license it will activate it. business, ultimate what you want..

    • James

      cool
      but i always wondered wat the MD5 is and how to find stuff with it
      thanks again raymond

    • Chris

      Thank you! This is the one tool I’ve always needed. :]

    • katetration

      Hy!

      I also have az acer laptop with preinstalled VIsta HomePremium, an i made a clean install a least 5 times, but activation always worked. Before SP1 i had to call microsoft, but since SP1 released, it is made automatically online.

    • Nitin

      hi Ray, can you find something like this for XP also.

    • Hogge

      So i can activate a X64 version this way,if i download a OEM Vista Premium x64.My HP came with Home Premium X86.
      And thanks Ray.
      I would like to do this since 64bit version supports more memory correct?

    • phil

      I have a copy of windows Vista All from technet. FRTMCFRE_EN_DVD. Can i use this disc to install an oem version of windows if i save my activation. I’m not 100% sure if this is only Retail version of Vista.
      sku]
      skuid=PRODUCT_STARTER,PRODUCT_HOME_BASIC,PRODUCT_HOME_PREMIUM,PRODUCT_BUSINESS,PRODUCT_ENTERPRISE,PRODUCT_ULTIMATE,PRODUCT_HOME_BASIC_N,PRODUCT_BUSINESS_N,PRODUCT_HOME_PREMIUM_N,PRODUCT_ENTERPRISE_N,PRODUCT_ULTIMATE_N

      [cmi]
      namespace=urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend
      UseVistaRtmKeys=true

      ClientServerSplit=true
      AnswerFileFormat=1
      [BuildInfo]
      staged=BUSINESS,BUSINESSN,HOMEBASIC,HOMEBASICN,HOMEPREMIUM,STARTER,ULTIMATE

      This is the Product info. I can see UseVistaRtmKeys=true
      but i don’t know if USEWS08KEYS=true has anything to do with oem. Can you help?

    • pranay

      thanks ray….
      i really needed it……….

    • thewisecrab

      Hehe, thanks for mentioning me Ray :)

      Though you are right, OphCrack will not work here :|

    • http://www.ficforlife.com Hok

      It is a lot easier than my previous ways. Wao…. Thx Raymond :).

    • Abdullah

      Man that’s awesome .. now let me ask You a Question .. what if I used this way to activate my vista and I already got the key from a friend who is still using the key ? am I going to be caught ?

    • webcadre

      nice info ray, thanks! :)

    • Marshall

      Is this wanna work on Vista business 64bit from MSDN AA ?

    • travian

      you should modify your “thinks’ its RAC.ABO not thewisecrab

    • Eric

      If you search for “xp activation backup” on Google, it will give you all sorts of sites that explain how to do this for Windows XP.

    • Amey Jah

      Hey, I had bought a Dell Studio Laptop, Preloaded with vista, one year ago. But I never faced a problem to activate vista after formatting.
      Dell has provided me with Vista cd. And whenever I do, clear format, it get’s activated automatically, (without connecting net).
      So I have two questions
      a) Should I take the back copy of the activation using your technique
      b) can you tell me where those activation setting stored, because, it’s not on the hdd, i have tested it.

    • http://www.ntcompatible.com DosFreak

      Your Dell Vista DVD authenticated with your BIOS. The activation files are on the Vista DVD which authenticates with the SLIC integrated into your BIOS. There’s no need for you to backup the activation files on your HD. That’s only usefull if you are using a retail activated copy of Vista.

    • John Smith

      On Windows XP Royalty OEM installations (SLP System locked Preinstallation), copy OEMBIOS.* files from system32. Get the CD key using something like jellybean finder. (or search for SLP product key)

      The OEMBIOS files must match your system, but the key will work across brands with the correct OEMBIOS files. “Dell” XP home SLP key will work on “HP” XP home, as long as you replace the OEMBIOS files with the HP files. XP home and XP pro use the same OEMBIOS files, but not the same product keys.

      To install you must use OEM installation media (not volume, not retail, not upgrade). Preconfigure the CD key using nLite.

      Install, then replace the OEMBIOS files and reboot. Alternatively, some people replace the OEMBIOS files on the installation media (involves some CAB magic I think). Windows will prompt for activation if the OEMBIOS files don’t match. If you try to activate it will fail.

      Some info on SLP from Microsoft (including XP pro product key): http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457078.aspx

      If you need OEMBIOS files:
      http://www.oembios.net/

    • peter

      I have purchased Compaq Presario CQ40-308TU which no CD at all. The notebook pre-installed with OEM Vista Premium. How about if my hard disk totally ‘kong’. That mean both of main and recovery partition failed to function.

      I need to buy a new hard disk. How can i reinstall back my vista without the OEM CD.

      Thanks

    • John Smith

      @Peter: Obviously not much help if your hard drive has already failed, but most (all?) computers that ship without restore discs have a “recovery disc maker” program that will let you burn off restore discs. It should be one of the first actions with a new computer.

    • Timbo

      Just to clarify, I have a Dell Vista Home Premium OEM dvd that came with my Dell laptop. I have just bought a new Acer laptop which has Vista Home Premium OEM license on the sticker, but was preinstalled with no accompanying disk. Just the option to make a backup disk. But that includes all the Acer software which is useless to me. Can i use the Dell disk to reinstall vista (also removing the partitions that acer insist on implementing) and then enter my acer license number when it comes to activation?

      Thanks very much

    • http://beerpla.net Artem Russakovskii

      Wow, exactly what I was looking for. Worked like a charm on an upgrade from Vista Business 32bit to 64bit.

      All I needed was the 64bit disc, which I found online – the rest is taken care of by this little program.

      Thank you!

    • nivek_hcerg

      @Commenter of #21.

      Each OEM disc installs everything that you see on that laptop. Including drivers. If you want a clean install, there are original untouched leaked images from msdn/technet. Just grab 1 and install the version that came with the laptop.

      Don’t forget to backup the activation data with this handy tool!.

      As for the drivers, check the Acer CD/DVD for an option to install the drivers in windows.

      Hope that helps

    • Norman Peel

      My laptop came with Vista pre-installed, & the oem product key is different from the key on the sticker. Will I be able to do a clean install of Vista on my desktop, & use the unused product key from my laptop sticker?

    • Harold Nautica

      I have a Pavilion dv 6767tx.
      I had Vista Premium pre installed. I had some problems cropping up. I took a downloaded copy and just repaired my computer and now it is asking for activation. I obviously dint make the activation backup before.
      I have the recovery disks though. Is there any way I can get the key from any of these?

      Please help. I dont have much time left guys.

    • Genesis

      @Harold Nautica, I believe the recovery disk will work. Pop the disk in, shut the computer down, during startup get into your BIOS configuration (it should show a message when your computer starts up, something like System or Settings. Go into that, navigate to the boot tab and enable CD drive to boot first. Restart your computer if the CD doesn’t boot first. Follow the instructions and make sure to format the C drive before installing, don’t do a new partition. You CAN do a new partition, use the program, copy the key using this program but this way is faster… Then install the original OS from the backup disk, download and run this program.. SAVE TO AN EXTERNAL DRIVE obviously. Then do the same steps for the clean install. Run the program to activate. =] Hope that answers your question.

      An alternative if this doesn’t work is (may vary by computer maker) but during boot when the BIOS message comes up, hold alt and hit F10, this will set your computer back to factory default (if you don’t have a disk) If this doesn’t work call your computer company and ask how to restore to factory default. Even if the C is formatted, it will work. This handy lil tool is saved on a ROM partition on your HD. Good luck!

    • Tony

      Will this work on MOBO swaps?
      I have a OEM vista premium sp1 license that i would like to transfer to a different mobo, same everything else thought.
      will this allow me to avoid the whole phone reactivation thing?

    • http://www.setordelta.com Lucas

      Thank you!

      I have a HP Notebook with Windows Vsita Home Premium and im migrating to Windows 7, but i dont want to lost the original license… (Windows 7 Original)

      Thank you! I hope it works (im only gonna know when i need it haha)

    • Robin Seina

      Does it work with Win7 too?

    • benamrane

      je vous prie de m’accorder vos services dans le cas d’un besoin pressant

    • http://Help Jonathan

      I ran the ABR and it said that it was already activated … Then it told me too check under system ….. It’s still telling me that I need to activate windows ? What’s going on ? I’m stuck . I reinstaled with a dell os disk when i did the first ativation it worked fine about a month later it’s telling me that i need to activate windows .. whats the deal?

    • darren263

      Right on, write on about whatever you feel best

    • Vicky

      Great post i have really been looking for this tool for my laptop.But though i use vista,i still make backups online oftenly with safecopybackup.This because i know anything can happen to my laptop and i may lose my files and i also fear data recovery because they are expensive and so costly.But with safecopy,if i delet any file of mine by mistake,i can recover them back by just a few clicks.

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