I'm a Late Adopter - Do Not Want Win 8.1 - Is My Purchase Genuine?

You miss the real point. Microsoft also misses the point. As a committed long-time user I am being driven from the Microsoft platform.

I came to this forum looking for some useful input on Windows 7. I guess I looked in the wrong place. I was told that a Microsoft COA contains information that should not be shared. I can only conclude that none of those who attacked my initial post have ever looked at a Microsoft product in a retail box. The COA is right there for anyone who picks it up to see.

I am on the cusp of downloading Ubuntu and burning a copy to a bootable DVD to see if I can adjust.

My guess is it will be more pleasant and less of a hassle than Win8 and it will be totally legal.

In 1982 I tried the AppleII+ and was never entranced by the Apple straitjacket. In 1985 I bought my first PC, a PC's Limited AT clone from Michael Dell (before he put his name on his products.) It ran on Billl Gates' and Microsoft's DOS. It was followed by a series of machines, all running Microsoft operating systems.

If you want another 'simple search project' to to find a list of which sellers of software are on Microsoft's approved list. Hint, you need to know that they are called "Microsoft Certified Partners" or you will never find anything. Even with that string finding a simple list is a difficult task.

Good night friends,

baumgrenze

Searching for images of W7 boxes shows lots of COA stickers on the outside of the box. That makes me wonder why those at MS told the OP that the box would need to be opened in order to see the COA?

Jeannie,

Thank you for a logical, straightforward answer. It is good to know that my research on the function of the COA is not flawed.

I posted the COA image because I was interested in input from people who might recognize a flaw in it, someone with more experience regarding what looks right and proper for a retail COA and what does not.

I remain disappointed by those who ‘protected me from my own stupidity’ when I included it in my post. I’d like an explanation why it should not be restored. If another copy is needed, I’ll be glad to supply it.

I, too, have read about the increased sophistication of the counterfeiters. I was disheartened to read that the 'activation process' is not the last hurdle in determining if a product is not a counterfeit. I readily found posts that reported examples of activated products that were declared counterfeit more than a year after installation. Apparently Microsoft waits until some critical level (undefined) of multiple activations with the same code before they declare all of them illegal. I don't understand the language of a post that reported that activation generates a "hash code" which is compared with the product ID. Perhaps it makes sense to you. What is clear is that Microsoft does not maintain a database of all the activation codes they have issued, shifting those that have been activated from one heap (new) to another heap (used.) Somehow that seems cavalier even if it is more cost effective for Microsoft.

Thank you, too, for your signature tagline about RAID. You drove me to read much of an angry exchange on whirlpool.net.au. I think I see better than I did before. When I bought my current machine I specified that the OS/Program file HDDs should be in RAID1. I’ve had more than one failure and appreciated how quickly I was able to get back up and running. That experience led me to install a second 500 GB drive so that my data is also in RAID1. Until now I didn’t appreciate that there are malicious people who might trash both drives simultaneously just because they can. I will try to wrap my 74-year-old mind around the solutions without becoming enmeshed in an all-consuming task. My computer is a tool, not my sole life interest. That’s why I waited with upgrading. That’s why I am ‘testy’ about being forced to fix an operating system that isn’t broken but soon will be for lack of support.

Thanks again for your patience.

baumgrenze

Call MS Customer service. They confirm the key and if it doesn't work open a Support case to get it installed by whatever means necessary.

Thank you all for the supportive messages today.

I'm now inclined to open and install and take my chances. This has sure been a roller-coaster experience. Perhaps there are still steep drops to come. I hope not.

I tried asking at answers.microsoft (their community) and someone "microsoft engineer" gratuitously changed my posting subject so that it matched his answer rather than my question. Of all places, that was one where I thought I would find helpful, experienced eyes. Instead I was pointed to a MS website (not very helpful) featuring today's COA.

I will leave this 'unsolved' so that I can come back and close with my actual experience. Perhaps I will also add a note about the vendor if I think it appropriate. For those who suggested checking Newegg I suggest a Google search of this string "Newegg negative reviews." In particular, scan through some of the trustpilot posts.

Thanks again,

baumgrenze

FWIW, I went back and edited the OP and reattached the image.