Activating Windows 7

Sometimes when talking to friends either in person or online, they'll ask me questions about work-related topics like software piracy or activating Windows, or they'll tell me about notifications they've seen on their PC that relate to Windows Activation Technologies. A few days ago, a friend of mine happened to mention in a Facebook status update that he'd seen a notification from Windows 7 informing him that he might be a victim of software counterfeiting. You might be in the same situation, so I want to pass along why this might be happening and some things that you can try to resolve the issue.

First, let's talk about activation. Activation is required for all editions of Windows, and helps you verify that Windows running on your PC is genuine and hasn't been used on more computers than the software licensing terms allow. In general, the rule to remember for most copies of Windows is 1:1, meaning that one product key can activate Windows running on one PC. So in this way, activation helps prevent software counterfeiting.

The message that my friend saw is one of the built-in notifications in Windows 7 that's used to let you know when Windows hasn't been properly activated after it's installed. To resolve the notifications, all you need to do is activate Windows with a genuine product key. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Locate your product key. Microsoft product keys contain 25 characters divided into groups of five, and are located on the proof of license label attached to your DVD case or on a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to your PC. Visit Microsoft's How to Tell site to learn how to identify your Windows 7 proof of license label or COA.

2. Click the Start button and then right-click Computer.

3. Click Properties.

4. Click Change product key at the bottom of the dialog box.

5. Follow the instructions to change your product key and activate Windows 7.

If you do not have a genuine product key, you can visit the Microsoft Store or an authorized Microsoft reseller to get genuine Windows.