Activation key sticker partially rubbed off; Sony's restore discs.

Two questions: 1) Sony Vaio with Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) Service Pack 1 (build 7601) pre-installed. Having problems, need to reformat. The sticker on the bottom with Activation Key is half rubbed away, can only see 1st 3 groups of characters. Somewhere Sony has the Serial Number of my computer along with the Activation Key for my computer. But having spoken several times to Support at Sony including a supervisor, they claim they have none of that info. I've used Belarc software, but it gives me a Key which MS tells me is blocked by Sony. This is probably their overall Key, but not the Key specific to the install on my computer - the characters left underneath my computer are different. (As mentioned, I only have these partially,but the 1st 3 groups I have do not match). I know that's an issue involving myself and Sony, but can MS help in some way? It's a valid computer purchase which can be verified - I have the Serial #, etc. 2) I have a set of reformat discs for my computer obtained several years ago from Sony. Sony Vaio support insists that if I use these then an activation between myself and MS will not be required. If they are wrong, I'll do a reformat and not have a working computer. I don't understand how they can be correct - are they thinking of Windows 8 (and above?), for which the Activation Key is on the Motherboard? How will these discs let MS know that this is an authentic copy without contact? The discs do not have an Activation Key inside the case. Please help.

Thanks for the prompt response. "Therefor will self activate with the Sony SLP key" What is an SLP key? Also what is a COA key? Not familiar with what those acronyms stand for. When I first purchased the computer, there was a sticker under the computer, as mentioned. I don't remember if I had to use the key to validate when I first used the new computer. But every time I've reformatted I've had to use it.

Ranger4 - " OEM SLP and COA SLP product keys, are issued by large computer manufacturers and use SLP (System Locked Pre-installation) technology to bind the license to the original motherboard via the BIOS and software." I made a careless mistake which makes my situation hopeless I guess (I posted in a Sony forum but doubt I'll get any help there). I'd located several articles on trying to locate the key. One had a command prompt. I followed thru on that one, and after hitting "Enter" got a small popup - "You have successfully removed the Product Key". I looked back at the article and saw I had confused it with another - this one was for removing the Product code in order to enter a new code. I did a System Restore, but no luck, so I suppose as you mentioned it was in the BIOS and therefore the Restore did not put the code back. A dumb mistake when I was frustrated by not being able to find a scan I'd done of the bottom of the computer a few years ago when I saw the sticker was starting to be rubbed away. Thanks for the feedback guys, I guess it's hopeless, I'd have to buy a new copy of Windows 7 and hope the activation code with it works. Not worth the money (if I can even find one) as this computer is wearing down and has multiple hardware problems - only 1 of 3 ports works, keyboard doesn't work so use a bluetooth one - when the one port goes (if it does), the machine is finished. And software problems - the system locking up when I watch video/stream or downloaded, which I hoped would be cured with a reformat. Have looked in 2 external hdds, but can't find that scan of the computer bottom. Thanks for your responses.

I'd already decided to buy a new computer in a few months but need this to work for another month or so.
If you guys (or anyone else) has a possible solution please let me know.

Ranger4 - "The OEM SLP keys self-activate if the corresponding data in the BIOS is correct. OEM SLP keys, which the user can read in the MGADiag report or software like KeyFinder, cannot be used by the end user to manually activate Windows."

I used Belarc and it gives me an OEM key. MS told me that the key is blocked by Sony.
Perhaps that is what you refer to.
On the base of my computer I have the 1st 3 groups of 5 characters of the Product Activation Key.
They are different than the 1st 3 groups of the OEM key that Belarc shows me.

I could reenter the key Belarch shows me into the computer, into wherever the key I removed was, perhaps the BIOS, by using a command prompt the article gives.

But it's seeming less likely that I will be successful in doing a restore with the recovery discs I have and having Windows activated successfully.

Ranger4 said:

Zyzzx. Use the Sony reinstall discs that you say you have. If you use those then activation should occur automatically.

Both Layback Bear & SIW2 have suggested that you use those discs as well.

Very encouraging, especially after I made a braindead mistake that I thought was irremediable. But I'd like to make sure I expressed myself clearly: I removed the Product Activation Key (via a Command Prompt) that was in the computer for my Windows 7 software (I've reformatted a few times using the partition and at the end inputting the key from the stickers, never tried the discs]. It was a prompt for removing the Product Key in order to input a new Product Key (I confused it with another article or another procedure in the same article to try to find the key). Unfortunately I did that effectively - I was getting in the lower right of the screen after that occurred - "This is not an authentic version of Windows" or something like that. I've managed to get rid of that, but wanted to make sure it's understood that if the discs relate to a key that's in the Registry or BIOS or wherever, it may no longer be there, thanks to my not paying attention (Lesson learned - hopefully - Pay Attention before hitting "Enter" on Command Prompts). Perhaps I removed the activation key from the registry but it's still in the BIOS? I was afraid it was removed completely from the computer, but I'm hoping you guys will tell me that's not the case. Do all of you still feel the discs will activate properly and not tell me it's not authentic Windows Software or something like that, and shut down after 30 days? Thanks to all of you for being so helpful.