I bought an HP Envy 15 May of 2013. I did not want Win8 or a touchscreen, but that was all that I could find. I hardly used it the first two weeks and then the screen cracked, so I sent it in under the extended warranty. As I recall, I needed to reactivate Windows afterwards, and ended up calling Microsoft, after a great deal of wasted time.
Then some screw holes stripped (?!) on the bottom and the hinges worked loose. The screen cracked again, apparently from flexing. I could send it in one more time using the extended warranty, but an older laptop was working, so I put away the HP, although I am trying to send it in now.
I think that ever since I upgraded to 8.1 it has been telling me to reactivate Windows, but I have not used it much in two and a half years, so I cannot say for sure.
Squaretrade requires the Windows activation key to repair my laptop. I have used various methods to access the key and they give me three different ones. My understanding is that until you activate, you have a generic one, another is embedded in the motherboard, and I do not have any idea where a third would originate. However, Windows said all them were invalid before I upgraded to 8.1, nor would it use them afterwards.
I can pull up all three with a Google search. One only shows up twice, on lists of other activation keys, which looks suspicious, so I fear that someone managed to steal it.
I have tried various methods of fixing the problem and activating Windows. It did not give me an option for phone activation, so I tracked down the number, and the automated system sent me to Microsoft Product Activation, which asked for my location ID. How do you find that, SLUI 4? That would have been a helpful step to include at some point.
It told me that my installation ID was invalid.
Microsoft told me to call HP, who said the key was corrupted, but reinstalling Windows would fix it.
Hours and hours, several restarts, and hundreds of updates later, I still do not have any idea how to fix an invalid location ID or how the registration key for preinstalled Windows is invalid. Then I installed it again with the official recovery image and a flash drive.
Windows says it is 64-bit and I made sure to download that version. Can anyone provide me help? At least tell me where to look now?
Thank you very much!
Then some screw holes stripped (?!) on the bottom and the hinges worked loose. The screen cracked again, apparently from flexing. I could send it in one more time using the extended warranty, but an older laptop was working, so I put away the HP, although I am trying to send it in now.
I think that ever since I upgraded to 8.1 it has been telling me to reactivate Windows, but I have not used it much in two and a half years, so I cannot say for sure.
Squaretrade requires the Windows activation key to repair my laptop. I have used various methods to access the key and they give me three different ones. My understanding is that until you activate, you have a generic one, another is embedded in the motherboard, and I do not have any idea where a third would originate. However, Windows said all them were invalid before I upgraded to 8.1, nor would it use them afterwards.
I can pull up all three with a Google search. One only shows up twice, on lists of other activation keys, which looks suspicious, so I fear that someone managed to steal it.
I have tried various methods of fixing the problem and activating Windows. It did not give me an option for phone activation, so I tracked down the number, and the automated system sent me to Microsoft Product Activation, which asked for my location ID. How do you find that, SLUI 4? That would have been a helpful step to include at some point.
It told me that my installation ID was invalid.
Microsoft told me to call HP, who said the key was corrupted, but reinstalling Windows would fix it.
Hours and hours, several restarts, and hundreds of updates later, I still do not have any idea how to fix an invalid location ID or how the registration key for preinstalled Windows is invalid. Then I installed it again with the official recovery image and a flash drive.
Windows says it is 64-bit and I made sure to download that version. Can anyone provide me help? At least tell me where to look now?
Thank you very much!
