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

baumgrenze · 28 Mar 2014

I'm a born procrastinator. By the time I shopped MS no would longer sell me Win 7 (if if they still will, they've done a good job of hiding the possibility.) All their major authorized vendors are also out of stock, unless Amazon represented by an Amazon Seller is considered authorized.

I have an expensive sealed copy of Win 7 Pro Upgrade, SKU FQC -00130. I have an RMA to return it sealed to the vendor in Ft. Dodge, IA, a vendor with a very good BBB reference. An image of the COA is attached.

It looks genuine, although I have a question about the spacing of the digits in the upper right bar code (8224....) The ends are unbroken. The image distortions are from a fold in the shrink wrap. It seems that MS may have moved the green/white arrow circle (here in the lower right) around their COAs. The text on the cardboard sleeve contains no typos I can find.

There is no color shifting ink on the COA, but this could, perhaps predate that innovation.

Can anyone think of any questions I have not asked that apply to a still sealed package?

I've read enough about activation to realize that if this is a very clever counterfeit it may be months or years before Microsoft suddenly declares it unusable.

Thanks,

baumgrenze

bigmck · 28 Mar 2014

baumgrenze said:

I'm a born procrastinator. By the time I shopped MS no would longer sell me Win 7 (if if they still will, they've done a good job of hiding the possibility.) All their major authorized vendors are also out of stock, unless Amazon represented by an Amazon Seller is considered authorized.

I have an expensive sealed copy of Win 7 Pro Upgrade, SKU FQC -00130. I have an RMA to return it sealed to the vendor in Ft. Dodge, IA, a vendor with a very good BBB reference. Here is an image of the COA.

It looks genuine, although I have a question about the spacing of the digits in the upper right bar code (8224....) The ends are unbroken. The image distortions are from a fold in the shrink wrap. It seems that MS may have moved the green/white arrow circle (here in the lower right) around their COAs. The text on the cardboard sleeve contains no typos I can find.

There is no color shifting ink on the COA, but this could, perhaps predate that innovation.

Can anyone think of any questions I have not asked that apply to a still sealed package?

I've read enough about activation to realize that if this is a very clever counterfeit it may be months or years before Microsoft suddenly declares it unusable.

Thanks,

baumgrenze

Did you buy it in a local store or over the Internet? If over the Internet, from whom?

ignatzatsonic · 28 Mar 2014

baumgrenze said:

Here is an image of the COA.

I don't see any image.

But maybe that is just as well. You DON'T want to post an image of the 25 character "Product Key", which should be clearly visible on that COA.

You can post the COA, but please use a photo editing program of some type to blur out or cover up the Product Key's 25 characters.

Otherwise, someone else seeing the image could attempt to use the Product Key to activate their own installation, leaving you out in the cold.

ThrashZone · 28 Mar 2014

Hi I requested a review of the attachment,
It was removed for the reasons mentioned by ignatzatsonic,
Cheers.

baumgrenze · 28 Mar 2014

Help me understand. The 5 confusing and sometimes contradictory MS phone reps I spoke with yesterday all seemed to insist that I needed to open the package to see the product key and/or the activation code.

The image I posted is a Certificate of Authentication sticker. It is on the outside of the software packaging in a place where any storefront customer could examine it and jot down the information.

My research tells me that it is there to assure me that the package was delivered to me unopened. It has a perforated seam that runs down the edge of the plastic box that contains the disc(s) and any paperwork from MS. I do not think I posted anything inappropriate. Please take another look. Perhaps it should be reinstated?

Thanks,

baumgrenze

See:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/Software.aspx

Certificate of Authenticity (COA)

The COA is a sticker or a label that is attached to the retail packaging for products such as Windows, Office, or Windows Server. A COA should always accompany the product with which it is associated. COAs cannot be purchased separately. COA features the product name printed on the label and also contains anti-copy security features such as:

- Interwoven security thread – is built into the paper and random paper fibers are visible when the thread appears at the surface
- Color shifting ink edge - changes from green to magenta when viewed from different angles

Product key label

The product key label is a white or orange label that accompanies the installation CD/DVD and Certificate of Authenticity (COA) for a product and contains a 25 character product key. The product key label should not be purchased separately.

whs · 28 Mar 2014

If you want to be 100% certain, return the thing and get a Windows 7 OEM from TigerDirect or Newegg for $89 or $99 depending on the day.

gregrocker · 28 Mar 2014

I agree with above. Most consumers don't need Professional although I regularly see it for $130 on Tiger Direct. I'd buy Home premium, maybe two. Just remember that OEM locks to the first mobo installed upon.

baumgrenze · 28 Mar 2014

Keeping my path simple involves 'staying on the path.' I have a machine running WinXP/Pro. I am trying to upgrade it to Win7/Pro/64bit. The hardware will work. Buying and installing an OEM copy is 'cutting corners' and not 'staying on the path.' I have in hand a product that a vendor ostensibly purchased from Microsoft and wants to sell to me. I'm having a hard time getting a straightforward answer.

I would appreciate it if someone would address the simple difference between a COA (Certificate of Authenticity) and a product code/activation code.

Thanks,

baumgrenze

whs · 28 Mar 2014

baumgrenze said:

Keeping my path simple involves 'staying on the path.' I have a machine running WinXP/Pro. I am trying to upgrade it to Win7/Pro/64bit. The hardware will work. Buying and installing an OEM copy is 'cutting corners' and not 'staying on the path.' I have in hand a product that a vendor ostensibly purchased from Microsoft and wants to sell to me. I'm having a hard time getting a straightforward answer.

I would appreciate it if someone would address the simple difference between a COA (Certificate of Authenticity) and a product code/activation code.

Thanks,

baumgrenze

The straight forward answer is simple - there are no retail versions on the market - unless you pay horrendous prices from shady sources.

gregrocker · 28 Mar 2014

...Except retail OEM. Again the difference is that it locks to the mobo once installed.