Retrieve Windows 7 product key

Yes Berton and I am guessing that is what has happened with the seller I have been dealing with and he has done a "backdated" version as I wanted using the clone or whatever he has of that version of 7 because as I mentioned earlier (I think) the version he put on was very old -build 7600 - I had to add SP1.
See pic

Correct Microsoft does not make laws.

What Microsoft and who ever buy their products do is agree to a contract.

This contract that the seller and buyer agree to is a legal contract.
Therefore are covered by the contract laws of what ever country they are located have established.

Microsoft makes legal contracts not laws.
Legal contracts are covered by the laws of a nation.

When you by a Windows operating system or other products from Microsoft you agree to a legal contract with Microsoft.

To my understanding when one pays for Windows operating system, they are paying for the right to use the operating system through a contract.
Microsoft still own the operating system and through a contract has given you the right to use the operating system under the conditions and methods of the contract.

gregrocker said:

There are some exceptions. Schools and other organizations often install SysPrepped images to multiple PC's at once, then activate them with Volume License Keys which do not have a sticker on the PC. This may be what the OP is asking about. But he should know how these PC's were activated in the first place - If they were bought off the shelf without licenses and then activated with VLK's. If not then they really need a COA sticker to stay within MS license agreements as SIW2 delineates.

As to Windows 8, my understanding is that these no longer have COA stickers but activate via the BIOS, including Win8 Professional which has downgrade rights to Win7 Professional if you want that. I believe one must contact their OEM or if retail MS Customer Service to attain the downgrade key and installation media. Someone who knows for sure can correct this as we have had several cases but I tend to forget Windows 8 internals due to so much to remember for Win7 and now it's successor Win10.

Code:

As to Windows 8, my understanding is that these no longer have COA stickers but activate via the BIOS, including Win8 Professional which has downgrade rights to Win7 Professional if you want that.

This answers what I have been trying for the last fortnight to find out and clarify and why the seller of this machine insists he doesn't have to give me a sticker for the 7 Pro option he loaded onto a new SSD I installed.
If this is indeed the case then he was right and I was not and have wasted my and everyone else's time over the last fortnight.
What bugs me is why didn't the operator at Microsoft know this as I told her that it was an 8 machine and that he was installing 7 for me plus by the same token why did the seller install build 7600 when he must know the correct build is 7601??
It seems as though I have been chasing my tail so to speak. All in all this is not a clear or easily clarified topic / subject because it is SO convoluted - at least to me and can be construed in so many ways by the likes of myself.

Did he give you the key John ?

I`d be like, where did you get the key from ?

Was it a downgrade from 8 to 7 ?

I have no idea how a downgrade from 8 to 7 works, but you said he installed 7 for you on a new ssd.

Did you have to pay for 7 ?

Well Mike (hope I got the name right) I am guessing he has a form of licence that allows him to do that on 8 machines as Greg quoted and if you were to look at any of the EBay sellers out here of this machine the deal is the same in every case and again I am guessing they would all be doing the same thing.

In that case perhaps he gets the code by allocating it from Microsoft somehow ie I ask for the 7 he asks M$ for a code and he passes it on to me. I am not going to ask him because he has been quite irritated by my persistence for one thing and would not say just to be bloody minded and on the other hand maybe he likes to keep his secrets to himself.

In all honesty even though I think Microsoft have been quite slack in support for me I have some sympathy for them but they have made up the rules and made them so complex and convoluted that maybe even they do not know what they are. Besides you only have to look at the sheer volume of operating systems all over the globe they have to look after and so many installs to police it must be nigh impossible to check each and everyone of the sources of installing their software.

Suppose it is like making a snowball at the top of a long slope and pushing it downwards - the further down it travels the larger and more complex it gets until it gets out of control.
As we all know there is also the problem with counterfeiting and just how are you going to stop that - a bit like making a failsafe security program - ain't going to happen.

Once again John, it`s Brian.

Wait a minute, you bought this pc off Ebay ?

But yet you say he installed Windows 7 on a ssd you installed, this is beyond confusing

At this point, as long as you have a good Windows 7 code, that`s all that matters. Write it down and tape it to the inside of the pc.

AddRAM said:

Brian

Sorry Brian as it has been a long two weeks at this wretched problem