The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Asus V1S Vista activation problem

    Discussion in 'Asus' started by dj045, Oct 15, 2007.

  1. dj045

    dj045 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Hi, I upgraded my bios from the one that came with the machine to version 208. Since then Vista ultimate won't allow me to activate. I contacted ASUS and they told me to go through the recovery process using the recovery DVD but the problem is still there once I've installed all the drivers. It still says exactly the same message " The Windows Vista Ultimate Product key you typed is invalid for activation". This problem only started after I updated the bios to version 208. I have now upgraded to version 209 and the problem is still there with 9 days until I end up with limited usability.

    any ideas?
     
    dj045, Oct 15, 2007
    #1
  2. E.B.E.

    E.B.E. NBR Procrastinator

    Reputations:
    1,572
    Messages:
    8,632
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Downgrade to stock version, activate, upgrade again.

    Maybe the new BIOS changed some hardware ID / characteristic that the Vista activation uses.
     
    E.B.E., Oct 15, 2007
    #2
  3. dj045

    dj045 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    16
    How do I downgrade vista? as far as I know it just installs ultimate straight away?
     
    dj045, Oct 15, 2007
    #3
  4. dj045

    dj045 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    16
    sorry, mis read what you wrote. Where can I get the stock version of the bios?
     
    dj045, Oct 15, 2007
    #4
  5. E.B.E.

    E.B.E. NBR Procrastinator

    Reputations:
    1,572
    Messages:
    8,632
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    206
    On the support.asus.com , most likely. Unless they took it off in which case you google or (safer) ask for another user with V1S and who didn't upgrade to copy if from the BIOS flash into a file, and send it via email.
     
    E.B.E., Oct 15, 2007
    #5
  6. dj045

    dj045 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    16
    the lowest version on asus's site is 206, i think the stock version on mine from memory was 201 but i could be wrong.
     
    dj045, Oct 15, 2007
    #6
  7. E.B.E.

    E.B.E. NBR Procrastinator

    Reputations:
    1,572
    Messages:
    8,632
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    206
    I wouldn't know... Maybe try all of them? But that's a bit overkill...

    Are you sure it's because of the BIOS?
     
    E.B.E., Oct 15, 2007
    #7
  8. E.B.E.

    E.B.E. NBR Procrastinator

    Reputations:
    1,572
    Messages:
    8,632
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    206
    You can always call Microsoft and explain that you've just upgraded the BIOS, they should give you a new activation code or smth similar.
     
    E.B.E., Oct 16, 2007
    #8
  9. dj045

    dj045 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Have been in contact with Asus tech support apparently you have to downgrade the bios to version 206 then perform a complete DVD recovery which should make vista genuine again, then you should skip straight to bios 209 and not bother 208. Going to try this tonight then post the result on here.

    Thanks

    Dave
     
    dj045, Oct 17, 2007
    #9
  10. E.B.E.

    E.B.E. NBR Procrastinator

    Reputations:
    1,572
    Messages:
    8,632
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Weird to say the least :) But let's hope it works.
     
    E.B.E., Oct 17, 2007
    #10
  11. matt_h1

    matt_h1 Notebook Deity NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    319
    Messages:
    1,667
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    How come yours is ultimate? Is it the Euro version?. Its weird though because when I reinstalled my V1S disc it never asked me to input my key, Im pretty sure OEM copies for specific machines dont need to be activated. I know the hacked versions of Vista floating around on the net work because their laptop copies that have been hacked.
     
    matt_h1, Oct 17, 2007
    #11
  12. E.B.E.

    E.B.E. NBR Procrastinator

    Reputations:
    1,572
    Messages:
    8,632
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    206
    I'm not so sure. I bought recently an ASUS laptop in EU with Vista Business, and there was a "not genuine" notice in the corner of the screen until I did the Windows updates.

    I believe the copy is marked as "not genuine" and there is an automatic activation process as soon as you contact the Microsoft server for updates.

    If the hardware fails to register as being the right configuration for that ensemble, then the activation might fail.

    It is weird that a BIOS update could change the hardware IDs and/or characteristics so that they lead to a failure of activation. My guess is some bug in the BIOS, or at least an unintended effect. We've seen a lot of those from ASUS, haven't we...
     
    E.B.E., Oct 17, 2007
    #12
  13. dj045

    dj045 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Mine never asks me for the key either on install, because it is OEM it is built into the disc that's why it is important not loose your recovery DVD.

    Anyway I downgraded to bios 206 and used the recovery DVD and i still get the same problem. So phoned ASUS and they are calling my laptop in. So now just waiting for an RMA number.
     
    dj045, Oct 18, 2007
    #13
  14. E.B.E.

    E.B.E. NBR Procrastinator

    Reputations:
    1,572
    Messages:
    8,632
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    206
    That sucks... sorry about it.

    It doesn't ask in my case either, it just activates automatically when it connects to Microsoft.
     
    E.B.E., Oct 18, 2007
    #14