reinstalling an OS quick question

[Revengica]

hey guys long time reader posting on my brothers account but i have a quick question. i want to reinstall the os on my laptop as i just build a gaming rig a few months ago. my reason for this is i think there is a virus infecting the os which causes my processor to run at 100% load when no programs are running. ive tried fixing it but since i don't have any critical data on the laptop i said screw it ill reinstall. but my question is can i reuse my old operating systems product key? (windows 7 professional) or do i have to deactivate it on my laptop before i go and reinstall it?

quick response will be greatly appreciated, about to start the process

thanks mmo

[dreadmonster]

Did you buy the disk with the code?

[Revengica]

the laptop is 2.5 years old and came with vista. at my college i got windows 7 professional for free from MSDNAA (microsoft developers alliance or something) i installed win 7 about a year and a half ago. now i want to reinstall with a downloaded copy and reuse the product key from the first win 7 upgrade 1.5 years ago. so i didnt buy anything but its a legit copy and worked for 1.5 years no problem till my anti virus expired and i ignored it. i feel the easiest solution is to do a clean install and wipe the hard drive and i want to know if that product key will still work or if i have to deactivate it before i try to use it again

[dreadmonster]

I don't think it will work again because you did download it from MSDNAA. Those are usually a one time thing at least that's how I remember things like that working.

[Revengica]

ok thanks dread im going to give it a try since i can just get more versions of win 7 from msdnaa. i hope it works

[Deleted]

MSDNAA licenses are standard retail licenses. There is no problem with re-activating them, and unlike OEM licenses they can be moved from one machine to another.

[dlouhys]

^^ Little while ago MSDNAA dropped the student requirement to the software. It is now same as if you bought it.

[Revengica]

thanks dark and dlouhys im in the process of reinstalling im going to try the origional product key first and if it doesnt work ill get another. the real annoying part is i called microsoft (whoes hours are 9-9pm PST) to ask them this and they make me give them all of my information then i ask the question and give them my product key and then she says "sorry i cannot answer your question ill have to transfer you the MSNDAA dept whose hours are 8-530pm PST" wtf are u kidding me its 8pm PST now.... transfers anyway ..... sorry our office is closed. just proving to me that the person i was talking to has no idea what time it is in California when there supposedly there..... /rant


but thanks for the help as always mmo

[dlouhys]

Tier 1 tech support often has little or nothing to do with the company they represent. You gotta make sure you're dialing the right number in the first place and if you deal with them enough you find little quirks in the system that will let you leap frog to the tier you want. But if you call the wrong number, you are adding steps to the process instead of taking them out.

I just went back to school and I'm slowly finding out MSDNAA has changed alot over the years. You might want to talk to one of your IT profs to see what has changed.