Validated windows vista, but still says not valid.

I validated windows vista here:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine

Then valididated microsoft windows office (which didn't work because i
dont have microsoft windows office).

Then i opened help and support and searched:
"Activate Windows"
and activated windows following instructions and got a sucsessfull
message.

Then i restarted my computer and STILL I cannot open windows update or
the control pannel. I still cannot use windows aero and I still have the
message on my desktop saying my windows version is not valid.

On the side of my tower I have a sticker with two barcodes, Product
key, three different sequences of numbers and two metal strips.


--
SirRedTooth

It appears your attempt to activate MS Office which you do not have using
the MS windows OS product Key on the sticker on your PC may have caused the
lack of full activation of your OS.
Or you only achieved partial activation of the OS using the product key
because the system product key had previously been used to activate your
system or another system.
You need to contact the Phone Activation service for your location and
explain your problem and they should resolve it for you.

"SirRedTooth" <guest@unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:32e4308f459c9d37b498b5c6c5a08274@nntp-gateway.com...
>
> I validated windows vista here:
> http://www.microsoft.com/genuine
>
> Then valididated microsoft windows office (which didn't work because i
> dont have microsoft windows office).
>
> Then i opened help and support and searched:
> "Activate Windows"
> and activated windows following instructions and got a sucsessfull
> message.
>
> Then i restarted my computer and STILL I cannot open windows update or
> the control pannel. I still cannot use windows aero and I still have the
> message on my desktop saying my windows version is not valid.
>
> On the side of my tower I have a sticker with two barcodes, Product
> key, three different sequences of numbers and two metal strips.
>
>
> --
> SirRedTooth

The problem was that after formatting I had not validated my windows.
So after 30 days control pannel, windows update and the aero colour
scheme was disabled.
This also means that I cannot go onto start -> computer (right click)
-> properties to get a new product ID and therefore I cannot validate.

The solution was to reformat the computer and activate within the 30
days.


--
SirRedTooth