Help with activations codes

Ok it is all a bit convoluted it seems to me and so as I am assuming the code I am getting from the registry with that How to Geek run is the bulk licence and as Z has said the install when I do it must use the sticker. What I don't really get is why is there a code for the manufacturers install and yet another one on a sticker??

Why Microsoft has it so to use again convoluted is a bit beyond my understanding and leaves me wondering why the sticker code is not the one I find in the registry using that script in that article. I am going reinstall on a spare drive and use the sticker to see if it will activate ok and use it before I wipe the original drive just as a precaution.

If absolutely necessary I shall install a fresh OEM for her and then there will be no doubts re the install. I have to say this has been quite a learning experience and thanks to everyone for helping out I do appreciate it

As by the by I might just run that diag for the hell of it David and se what anyone or maybe even me make of it. Because the install as far as I know was on the machine when she bought it in the store and is as is on the day. I know for a fact that her and her husband have no idea of what a reinstall is let alone do one and as far as I know I am the only one that has done any cleaning up on this machine since putting on the security for them.

The sticker is for the end user John, by law it has to be there, the other key is what they use at the factory to mass activate windows.

The end user can use the code on the sticker to activate windows on a re install over and over again.

AddRAM said:

The sticker is for the end user John, by law it has to be there, the other key is what they use at the factory to mass activate windows.

The end user can use the code on the sticker to activate windows on a re install over and over again.

So I get it now the sticker is the code I use or anyone else with one for reinstalls as pertains to that particular machine's install.

The other code I was generating is what the factory uses to activate the machines as they pass along the production line - so the How to Geek article is only telling me what the factory used to activate in en mass and not in fact what individual machine's code is.
In effect each machine activated in say one batch of machines would have that readable code in Speccy and that article process and the individual machines in that batch and then each get a unique code (and sticker) for the owner.

So in truth that How to Geek article is not strictly correct - it is only generating a batch / lot number of installs and not the machines actual code which is on the sticker.
This begs the question why do that? because the How to Geek process regarding the registry is only helpful to a factory in letting them know what batch / day month that particular machine was manufactured and installed with Windows.
I would have thought they could have just installed Windows and forget about putting that confusing second code on the machine because that info is of no earthly use to me as the end user.
Hmm and here am I thinking I have stumbled over a good way of finding the activation code if the sticker is unreadable.

David the diag report I just ran and it comes up with that registry code and not the sticker if you se the earlier pics I posted

Code:

 
Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):
-----------------------------------------
Windows Validation Data-->
Validation Code: 0
Cached Online Validation Code: 0x0
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-4F8HK-M4P73-W8DQG
Windows Product Key Hash: Xs1iQgVeo0C+sObJxS7eu+FuBPQ=
Windows Product ID: 00359-OEM-8992687-00057
Windows Product ID Type: 2
Windows License Type: OEM SLP
Windows OS version: 6.1.7601.2.00010300.1.0.003
ID: {3B5777C8-EBF4-480C-91CC-E215DD69A494}(1)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Product Name: Windows 7 Home Premium
Architecture: 0x00000000
Build lab: 7601.win7sp1_gdr.140303-2144
TTS Error: 
Validation Diagnostic: 
Resolution Status: N/A
Vista WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Windows XP Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 100 Genuine
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 - 100 Genuine
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: B4D0AA8B-604-645_B4D0AA8B-604-645_025D1FF3-364-80041010_025D1FF3-229-80041010_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-517-80040154_025D1FF3-237-80040154_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-244-80070002_025D1FF3-258-3_E2AD56EA-765-d003_E2AD56EA-766-0_E2AD56EA-134-80004005_E2AD56EA-765-b01a_E2AD56EA-766-0_E2AD56EA-148-80004005_16E0B333-89-80004005_B4D0AA8B-1029-80004005
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed
File Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{3B5777C8-EBF4-480C-91CC-E215DD69A494}</UGUID><Version>1.9.0027.0</Version><OS>6.1.7601.2.00010300.1.0.003</OS><Architecture>x32</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-W8DQG</PKey><PID>00359-OEM-8992687-00057</PID><PIDType>2</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-2840334949-1182137894-3292601769</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>TOSHIBA</Manufacturer><Model>Satellite L650</Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>INSYDE</Manufacturer><Version>1.90</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="6"/><Date>20101111000000.000000+000</Date></BIOS><HWID>62563907018400FC</HWID><UserLCID>0C09</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>AUS Eastern Standard Time(GMT+10:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>3</stat><msppid></msppid><name></name><model></model></SBID><OEM><OEMID>TOSINV</OEMID><OEMTableID>TOSINV00</OEMTableID></OEM><GANotification/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>100</Result><Products><Product GUID="{91120000-002F-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}"><LegitResult>100</LegitResult><Name>Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007</Name><Ver>12</Ver><Val>C77157B62FAF18</Val><Hash>ebBi3oyKc8Qq1mkEa72ve9GZXR0=</Hash><Pid>81602-908-7317926-68344</Pid><PidType>1</PidType></Product></Products><Applications><App Id="16" Version="12" Result="100"/><App Id="18" Version="12" Result="100"/><App Id="1B" Version="12" Result="100"/><App Id="A1" Version="12" Result="100"/></Applications></Office></Software></GenuineResults>  
Spsys.log Content: 0x80070002
Licensing Data-->
Software licensing service version: 6.1.7601.17514
Name: Windows(R) 7, HomePremium edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Windows(R) 7, OEM_SLP channel
Activation ID: d2c04e90-c3dd-4260-b0f3-f845f5d27d64
Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f
Extended PID: 00359-00178-926-800057-02-1033-7600.0000-1872010
Installation ID: 010301317673577720391782175626084411187656020464467265
Processor Certificate URL: SpcService Web Service
Machine Certificate URL: RacService Web Service
Use License URL: UseLicenseService Web Service
Product Key Certificate URL: PkcService Web Service
Partial Product Key: W8DQG
License Status: Licensed
Remaining Windows rearm count: 4
Trusted time: 1/01/2015 9:16:07 AM
Windows Activation Technologies-->
HrOffline: 0x00000000
HrOnline: 0x00000000
HealthStatus: 0x0000000000000000
Event Time Stamp: 1:1:2015 02:20
ActiveX: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
Admin Service: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
HealthStatus Bitmask Output:

HWID Data-->
HWID Hash Current: LAAAAAEAAQABAAEAAAABAAAAAgABAAEAJJRgTBKJCJ/47urOojBAFADRXF0=
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
N/A
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
BIOS valid for OA 2.0: yes
Windows marker version: 0x20001
OEMID and OEMTableID Consistent: yes
BIOS Information: 
  ACPI Table Name OEMID Value OEMTableID Value
  APIC   TOSINV  TOSINV00
  FACP   TOSINV  TOSINV00
  HPET   TOSINV  TOSINV00
  BOOT   TOSINV  TOSINV00
  MCFG   TOSINV  TOSINV00
  WDAT   INTEL   Calpella
  ASF!   TOSINV  TOSINV00
  SLIC   TOSINV  TOSINV00
  SSDT   INTEL   SataAhci
  ASPT   INTEL   Calpella
  SSDT   INTEL   SataAhci

gregrocker said:

It still has the factory activation. As has been explained at least five times now in this thread they use a mass activation key at the factory so they don't have to put in the individual COA key on every machine they ship. The sticker provides you with your own personal key to use for reinstall that changes the activation from factory install to your install.

It says to use the COA key and shows a picture of one near the very top of Clean Reinstall Factory OEM which you said you were following.

Where are you on this now in the tutorial, John?

Yep well sorry Greg it has been a very long battle with the security which I am very familiar with on this machine plus I don't or didn't realise that what was happening and I wish I had never found that article from How to Geek because it really threw me. I am more at home with hardware stuff really and I apologise for being so pedantic and well dumb to everyone.
I am currently wiping a spare drive for the machine as I am not so sure of the original one's integrity and downloading the x86 Windows 7 Home Pre from your tutorial link which I did mean to ask what was meant by the latest and greatest. I see the tutorial has changed bit since I last followed it but it does seem a fair bit easier to follow.
Not wanting to be making excuses but coming off a string night duty shifts and not feeling the best today is not really helping. The only good thing I have going is at the moment I am at my own place and have ADSL access where at my partners place it is just a wifi crawl pace for downloading and having extra machines to do what I have to also a plus.

gregrocker said:

Happy New Year, John!

To you too mate I have the ISO ready to go as soon as the drive is wiped about another hour to go on that and it is a faster drive too.

Just to update drive wiped and ISO installed and downloading updates now as I type only hiccup was the LAN driver which I installed from the main machine via a stick.

So a really big thank you to all and I really must apologise for being such a gung ho pedantic pain.:)