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I've set up a Windows 7 guest machine under Windows 7 using oracle virtualbox 4.2. This Windows Guest has its own product key which corresponds to the boxed set I purchased for the sole purpose of running it in virtualbox. A few months ago I backed up my Windows 7 virtual box virtual disk image on an external hard drive. Now that the Windows 7 started to malfunction, I deleted it, and copied it back from my external hard drive.

However now it's telling me that the version of windows is not genuine. How can it be. There is nothing else using the same product key, unless someone hacked into my backup folders and stole the protuct key from there and used it on a machine of their own.

Thanks.

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To start the Product Activation Wizard, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start Buttonenter image description here
  2. Right-click Computer.
  3. Select Properties.
  4. At the bottom of the window, click Activate Windows now.

In the Product Activation Wizard, follow these steps:

  1. Click Use the automated phone system to activate

enter image description here
2. Click the drop-down menu, select the location that is nearest to you, and then click Next.
enter image description here
3. The Product Activation Center telephone number is displayed under Step 1.
enter image description here

For more information about how to activate Windows 7, go to the following Windows Online website:
Activate Windows 7 on this computer

Source

Please Read:

Just an added note, sometimes the phone system will tell you that you have installed this key the maximum number of times. It will then ask you how many PCs are running that copy, and you can say "zero", which will allow you to proceed with activation.

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  • Just an added note, sometimes the phone system will tell you that you have installed this key the maximum number of times. It will then ask you how many PCs are running that copy, and you can say "zero", which will allow you to proceed with activation.
    – user201262
    Commented May 31, 2013 at 14:11
  • Thanks. Still not sure why I was getting the error but I called and entered the numbers in groups A through H and my windows 7 copy got reactivated.
    – Jason Posit
    Commented Jun 7, 2013 at 16:22
  • this is such an annoying pos. good people have to pay the price while I'm sure whoever this is intended for has another hack.
    – Timmerz
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 18:17
  • @Timmerz - What? I have never had a problem even after activating the same license three different computers by accident. That is what the phone system is for.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 19:00

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