hi,

I have two HD tv tuners in my machine, which I ordered when purchased
the machine, so the cable guy came to my house to put a card they have
to put in the back of this tuner (equiv. of digital cable box, I'm
paying $10/mo. for it..) but now I can't activate the digital cable-tv
feature in Windows Media Center b/c Vista is not accepting the product
key supplied (it's in a sticker on the machine..)
folks where I bought my machine said it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted
and I need to re-install it.. (this is based on their experience with
other users having reported this problem, it was solved by re-installing
Vista..)

now pls note I'm NOT talking about the Windows activation prod key, but
another one, a 2nd product key on sticker in my machine, specif. for
digital cable TV.. Vista is not accepting this product key; I have to
do a clean re-install, which means wiping out all my data and starting
over.. this is a HUGE pain..

pls also note that the card the cable co. installed is correct one (WMC
checks to see if you have correct hardware before it proceeds, I
wouldn't get as far as where it asks for digital cable tv product key if
I didn't have correct hardware in there..)

before I embark on re-installing Vista I would like to know if there's
another solution to this problem..

thank you...

which brand and model computer did you buy?

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:34:09 -0500, maya <maya778899.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>hi,
>
>I have two HD tv tuners in my machine, which I ordered when purchased
>the machine, so the cable guy came to my house to put a card they have
>to put in the back of this tuner (equiv. of digital cable box, I'm
>paying $10/mo. for it..) but now I can't activate the digital cable-tv
>feature in Windows Media Center b/c Vista is not accepting the product
>key supplied (it's in a sticker on the machine..)
>folks where I bought my machine said it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted
>and I need to re-install it.. (this is based on their experience with
>other users having reported this problem, it was solved by re-installing
>Vista..)
>
>now pls note I'm NOT talking about the Windows activation prod key, but
>another one, a 2nd product key on sticker in my machine, specif. for
>digital cable TV.. Vista is not accepting this product key; I have to
>do a clean re-install, which means wiping out all my data and starting
>over.. this is a HUGE pain..
>
>pls also note that the card the cable co. installed is correct one (WMC
>checks to see if you have correct hardware before it proceeds, I
>wouldn't get as far as where it asks for digital cable tv product key if
>I didn't have correct hardware in there..)
>
>before I embark on re-installing Vista I would like to know if there's
>another solution to this problem..
>
>thank you...
>
--

Barb Bowman
MS-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

would rather not name names, but oh well... I've been saying lots of
positive things about them in vista.general group.. they are really a
great little co., their machines are manufactured and assembled entirely
in the U.S., their tech support is entirely US-based (and do have great
tech support..) they don't outsource anything.. the name is Velocity
Micro..

thank you..



Barb Bowman wrote:
> which brand and model computer did you buy?
>
> On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:34:09 -0500, maya <maya778899 DeleteThis @yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>> hi,
>>
>> I have two HD tv tuners in my machine, which I ordered when purchased
>> the machine, so the cable guy came to my house to put a card they have
>> to put in the back of this tuner (equiv. of digital cable box, I'm
>> paying $10/mo. for it..) but now I can't activate the digital cable-tv
>> feature in Windows Media Center b/c Vista is not accepting the product
>> key supplied (it's in a sticker on the machine..)
>> folks where I bought my machine said it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted
>> and I need to re-install it.. (this is based on their experience with
>> other users having reported this problem, it was solved by re-installing
>> Vista..)
>>
>> now pls note I'm NOT talking about the Windows activation prod key, but
>> another one, a 2nd product key on sticker in my machine, specif. for
>> digital cable TV.. Vista is not accepting this product key; I have to
>> do a clean re-install, which means wiping out all my data and starting
>> over.. this is a HUGE pain..
>>
>> pls also note that the card the cable co. installed is correct one (WMC
>> checks to see if you have correct hardware before it proceeds, I
>> wouldn't get as far as where it asks for digital cable tv product key if
>> I didn't have correct hardware in there..)
>>
>> before I embark on re-installing Vista I would like to know if there's
>> another solution to this problem..
>>
>> thank you...
>>
> --
>
> Barb Bowman
> MS-MVP
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
> http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

I know VM well. I have one here. How long have you had this machine?
Have you tried a system restore?

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:24:44 -0500, maya <maya778899.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>great little co., their machines are manufactured and assembled entirely
>in the U.S., their tech support is entirely US-based (and do have great
>tech support..) they don'
--

Barb Bowman
MS-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

you have a VM? wow, what a coincidence... =)

I purchased the machine last July.. not sure what "system restore" is..
somebody in another group suggested repair re-install, not sure how to
do that either.. oh my gosh, I found another VM person.. great..
can u pls tell me how to do system restore?? (and does it involve
loosing all my data also, like a clean re-install of Vista?)

thing is, am having a hard time copying the AppData folder to an
external drive, when it's done copying it, AppData folder is much
smaller (much less GB) in external HD than it is in my HD.. (also: I
have two HD's, of 500 GB each =) so I thought maybe I could back up
everything to 2nd drive (which is practically empty) since only need to
reformat C-drive, where Vista is installed, but can leave D-drive
intact, right?)

and still trying to figure out, if I just copy entire users/<myname>/
folder, then just copy it back after re-install, will this preserve all
app data/settings (esp worried about email, news; I always have a hard
time w/that.. (use Thunderbird, I don't like Windows Mail at all..)

thank you very much..




Barb Bowman wrote:
> I know VM well. I have one here. How long have you had this machine?
> Have you tried a system restore?
>
> On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:24:44 -0500, maya <maya778899.DeleteThis@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>> great little co., their machines are manufactured and assembled entirely
>> in the U.S., their tech support is entirely US-based (and do have great
>> tech support..) they don'
> --
>
> Barb Bowman
> MS-MVP
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
> http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/