Windows 7: Windows 7 home prem serial number issue

Hi

I hope you can help with a recent issue thats shown itself. I bought a used Acer Aspire 5542 laptop months ago running Win 7 home prem with all the latest updates and everything running fine. A few days ago a message popped up telling me the serial number was invalid although there is the COA on the underside of the laptop. On a suggestion from a friend I ran Belarc Advisor to find out the code installed, it showed the two numbers were different. What Im assuming is the hdd has crashed/been upgraded, and replaced with a dodgy copy of Windows, or Ive been scammed.

Where do I stand on this, can I replace the dodgy no. with the real one, download a beta and use the coa, or am I stuck with having to buy a new Windows disc?

Thanks in advance

Ray

If you have a Legal COA sticker on the outside for the version of Windows you are running you can change the License key to that and it should activate.

Product Key Number - Change

Open Control panel and then open System and at the bottom is a Link to "Change Product Key" click that and input the key from the COA sticker.

Edwar

Thanks for that information, I will do as you say and let you know in a few days

Thanks again

Ray