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Problems reinstalling Windows 7

Graham H 20 Reputation points
2026-02-01T14:36:07.31+00:00

Not a question but an update on https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/3823054/windows-7-old-updates. (now closed for comment)

As of February 2026, the link to IE11 in that post does not work but Windows Update will pull in IE11 after you've installed the other updates listed there.

One of the (50+) updates that gets installed removed my activation and I had to use the 'phone' method to re-activate Win 7. But IE11 doesn't support the website they send you to. Firefox works for this.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Install and upgrade
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AI answer

2026-02-01T14:36:17.9533333+00:00

It seems you are experiencing issues with reinstalling Windows 7, specifically related to updates and activation. After installing certain updates, you encountered a problem where your activation was removed, necessitating the use of the phone method for re-activation. Additionally, you noted that Internet Explorer 11 does not support the activation website provided, but Firefox does work for this purpose.

For users facing similar issues, it's important to ensure that all prerequisite updates are installed correctly and to be aware that some updates may affect system activation. If you continue to experience difficulties, consider using alternative browsers like Firefox for any web-based activation processes.

References:

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