Windows 7 Do I Need a New Windows Activation Key After Reinstalling?

[Eyek]

So, for performance reasons I need to wipe and reinstall windows on my laptop. Do I need to buy a new registration code [$$ ] or will windows recognize that the computer is the same and let me use the same key??

 

[Joe S]

It depends on what you are reinstalling it with. The factory restore option or a genuine Windows disk of some type. Was this an upgrade? A little more info please.
Joe

 

[Saltgrass]

We had a thread on this the other day but I can't find it. Basically you can reinstall an upgrade version on a clean drive if it has been installed and activated earlier. You will have to call them and your computer will print out a list of numbers which you read to them and they will read you some numbers back.

If it is not an upgrade version but a full retail, you can install it again with not problems, as long as you only have it installed on one computer.