All About The Activation Of The Windows 7 OS

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Activation Of The Windows 7 OS

Windows 7 was a clear improvement on the previous Windows Vista operating system that had been introduced in the market by Microsoft. Not only was it much more advanced with regards to handwriting recognition, touch and speech, it also offered better support for virtual hard disks.

There was also an overall experience of improved boot performance, several kernel improvements were also added and its performance with regards to multi-core processors was way better than the previous versions. 

In continuation of Microsoft’s policy to improve security with regards to its operating systems.

Windows 7 was a clear winner with 5 major security features added like:

  • It had multiple firewall profiles which could apply separate firewall profiles individually to each of the network connections that were added later. 
  • It incorporated something known as the BitLocker To Go, a removable media encryption which was built into the operating system thereby enabling organisations to ensure confidentiality of portable data.
  • Direct Access was a feature added to the Windows 7 OS so as to:
    • Do away with the hassle of maintaining a VPN infrastructure and
    • Connect securely and directly to a corporate network from anywhere and everywhere.
  •  The introduction of AppLocker was an additional bonus since it helps to set up a filter which controls the users that are to operate certain applications.
  • The UAC or User Account Control was re-introduced in Windows 7 but without any of the flaws that it displayed and for which it was much maligned when introduced in Windows Vista OS. 

But while the security features of Windows 7 look strong enough to handle many cyber threats that an OS is likely to face, these features can only be availed for a 1month after purchase.

However, if the user gets the Windows 7 OS activated using the Window 7 product key that comes individually along with the OS when genuinely purchased, he is able to use the whole gamut of improved features of the same.

How to get and activate the Window 7 product key

There are mainly 3ways of genuinely procuring the Window 7 product key. These ways include:

  • Obtaining the same from the label of the DVD or CD box on the physical purchase of the Windows 7 OS,
  • Keeping a note of it from the sticker present on a laptop or desktop which comes pre-loaded with the Windows 7 OS and
  • In case of an online purchase, the Windows 7 product key is sent to the buyer using the email service.

Once the product key has been procured, it needs to be activated either during the process of installation of the OS or by using the below given activation methods:

  • On the internet wherein the system properties window needs to be opened by right clicking the computer icon and selecting properties. With a link at the bottom of the screen Windows 7 OS can be activated, provided an active internet connection is detected. User is then prompted for the Windows 7 product key and the OS gets activated and the user becomes free to use all its features.
  • On the telephone by calling up the numbers provided in the option for using automated phone system activation. The phone number nearest to the location of the user needs to be selected and then the automated system guides the user through the rest of the process. A successful procedure ends with the system providing the user with an activation number which when input into the computer activates the Windows 7 OS.
  • With the help of the modem wherein the system properties window first needs to be opened and the option for activation using other ways needs to be selected. The Window 7 product key then needs to be input when prompted and the modem consequently automatically starts the activation process. Once the activation has been done, a confirmation message gets displayed.

Need for activation of the software

Each and every Microsoft software sold by a genuine dealer needs to establish a link between the computer for which it has been purchased and the original licensed copy of the Windows OS. Creation of this link prevents the same Windows software from being used in any other computer since Microsoft creates a hardware signature or a unique identity for the computer from which the activation has been done.

Failure to activate the Windows 7 OS using the Windows 7 product key results in an annoyingly frustrating somewhat usable system. In fact once the Windows 7 OS is loaded, a message to activate the OS begins to appear in the tray. From the 4th day to the 27th day, an “Activate Now” message gets displayed and after that till the 30th day, this message gets displayed after every 4hours. 

After the 30th day or the trial period gets finished, the same message gets displayed every hour every time the user clicks on the control panel icon. In addition to this no system updations are done by Microsoft and finally as an extreme measure Microsoft automatically turns the background screen black every hour.

The user then has to reset his preferences for the screen to appear but this extreme measure continues till such time as the Microsoft Window 7 product key is not used to activate the OS. For more information on windows 7 and its product key, you can look here.

This whole process gets increasingly frustrating and downright annoying and it hampers work to a great extent. Hence it is better to get the activation done along with the installation of the Windows 7 OS so as to avoid all the hassles mentioned above. In case the same is not possible, then the activation should be positively done within the 30day grace period that Microsoft allows. 

The Windows 7 product key is generally embedded in the registry. In fact the Windows 7 OS is the last software from the Microsoft stable to have the product key embedded in the registry. From Windows 8 onwards the same is embedded in the BIOS making it even more difficult to steal or plagiarise. Also, read Windows 10 updates