On an OEM machine, where you have a valid activation key, this should help: http://rcs.im/windows-7/change-product-key-link-missing-in-windows-7

There comes a point where, if you think you may have, or have had, a malware infection, you're better off restoring to the factory-delivered OEM condition. Most OEM Win7 machines have this option. Or, buy a retail license of Win7, wipe your system and install from that. You can continue to mess around with your system(s) as they are now, but what's your time worth?

As for your work machine, there are legitimate ways to roll out corporate Win7 machines e.g. via the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit. If that has been duly licensed and used properly your work machine should be fine.

I agree with Craig, if Win7 is installed on good hardware, and properly licensed, it's better than XP.

You can run a basic CHKDSK to see if you have any obvious disk hardware problems.

>Possibly a virus. Or some piece of third party software that Windows does not like. As a developer, I experiment with many software. Any of them could have caused the problem.
>
>MY work machine has the same problem. It was a new machine with a image of Win7 placed on it. No product Key, No Activation Key, nothing. I have asked the IT department to install a real copy of the OS, and yet the problem comes back. No one else in the office seems to have the issue, only me. :-(
>
>
>>This is starting to sound like a malware infection. or bad hardware. It is not normal behavior for Windows 7. Your experience should be much better than with XP.
>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>
>>>But there is no "Change Product Key" option. I did (once) get a dialog, on start up, that gave me the option to enter an activation key. But when I click on the option, I got a error saying that it could not locate the application to enter the key. This problem is not only on my home machine. I have seen it on several machines. It seems to occur between 3 to 6 months AFTER the activation key has been entered. Then Most of the system application stop functioning, including the activation method. Our IT person has called MS, and performed the activation procedure. Everything would work fine for about 2 or 3 days, then the machine would become Not Genuine again.
>>>
>>>I am thinking of going back to XP. This windows vista/7 crap is really begining to P!SS me off.
>>>
>>>Try building a web site, but the computer will not run IIS, or SQL, or any system level operation. I get better perforance from the Home edition then I do from the Professional.
>>>
>>>SET RANT OFF