1. Windows Activation interface – 4 options – tells me my key is invalid. I press the ‘Contact Microsoft to help resolve this problem’ option
2. Windows Help and Support interface – 4 option categories (ask my friends, ask the windows community, search the knowledge base, or contact Microsoft) – chose contact Microsoft.
3. Vista Solution Center website – 12 option categories, each with 10+ options. No forwarding of my particular issue (key in use by another system), just a generic screen with ‘top issues’.
4. Vista Solution Center product activation section – 8 options – I am not receiving an error messages thus none pertaining to my problem.
5. Vista Solution Center contacts section – 5 options – ‘Contact a support professional’ selected.
6. Help and Support website – 10 options – presents the 10 Vista SKUs. No knowledge of my system requirements. Vista Business All-languages non-64 bit edition is selected
7. Help and Support for Windows Vista Business website – 3 option categories (email, chat, phone). On quick glance, I see dollar figures associated with such services. Trade-off presented: once you contact support, you begin your allocated 90 days of support. Invalid option presented: my software must be activated to get support. I choose to call.
8. Phone product support system – Many options, 3 choices, 2 times having to describe problem to separate techs who did not forward info, 10 minutes of waiting, 48 numbers recited to a customer support representative, and 48 numbers read back to me. Problem solved.

In total I had to consider at least 41 options and spend 25 minutes resolving this problem. What is additionally frustrating was that this was an anti-piracy measure, though given the levels of piracy out there I understand their position and need to put some protective measures in place. But this was just unreasonable, and punishing a customer for purchasing their product.