Help with activations codes

John this is the way I keep things straight in my head. I try to keep it simple because I'm simple.

1. OEM/SLP is what the manufacture uses at the factory or you can use if you still have a recovery partition the factory installed to put the computer back the way it left the factory. It can only be use on that computer. It can not be transferred to another computer.

2. OEM install uses the Microsoft OEM COA sticker some times called a OEM Builders that is placed on the computer or comes with the OEM DVD.

3. If you want use the Microsoft OEM COA sticker and code that is on that computer to have a clean install that OEM COA code can be used on the computer it came with and no other computer.

4. You cannot use the OEM COA from one computer and use it on another computer. It must stay with the computer it came with to be legal.

5. Now if you can find a Retail COA and buy it, you can installed Windows 7 Retail on any computer your heart desires as long as the hardware is up to it.

BUT! It can only be on one computer at a time. You can not legally put a Retail copy of Windows 7 with the same Retail COA on more than one computer at a time.

I hope my little simple list helps you. It helps me.

I think I will print this post before I forget the damn list.

Edit:

Some more information that might help.

The difference between a COA_SLP Key and an COA_NSLP (System Builder) Key.
The COA_SLP Key is only valid where the machine is from a major manufacturer - and must have the proper manufacturer's COA sticker on the case.
The COA_NSLP Key is valid from any source (and costs more) - still needs a COA sticker on the case, but this one says 'System Builder' (if I remember right) rather than stating a manufacturer.

Thanks Jack I was just completely thrown bythe How to Geek process and I told them as much. A lot of others I would guess would have thought the same as me.
Anyway the laptop is installed with Windows security and email just the other stuff like Adobe to go but now it's bedtime for one really knackered old dope

My sticker is a little grubby so I wrote down the license key.

Anyway I thought that I'd just mention a program named Recall that will display both the OEM and Sticker information.

Recall: Home Page - NON English

Recall Portable version download from Softpedia. (I use this)

More programs by keit - Softpedia

Installer gives the option to choose language.

That could be an Office key :)

DavidE said:

I'll also add I don't see how any program could see and report the key on the COA sticker if that key was never used by a PC OWNER authorized person ...

If a Pre-purchased OEM PC owner has done a clean install and used the COA key, I can understand the possibility of 2 keys being "reported and found somewhere (registry)"

Sorry for causing any confusion. The program reports two license keys but in fact one of them is "product ID" rather than license key.

Control Panel > System shows:

Here's the scenario on my machine:

Purchased the machine with OEM version of Windows 7 installed. At some point I booted into Linux and deleted all partitions and created a single new partition to clean install Windows 7.

Downloaded a Windows 7 ISO from Digital River and created a USB installer using Linux.

Clean installed Windows 7 and used the license key on the sticker to activate it.

Callender said:

My sticker is a little grubby so I wrote down the license key.

Anyway I thought that I'd just mention a program named Recall that will display both the OEM and Sticker information.

Recall: Home Page - NON English

Recall Portable version download from Softpedia. (I use this)

More programs by keit - Softpedia

Installer gives the option to choose language.

Yep well I started taking photos of my stickers a while ago but I do get the odd fix where it is almost obliterated. Plus I lie to stick them inside the machine somewhere as I cannot see any good reason for seeing that as doing the wrong thing.

Did you activate it successfully yet?

Yep it was the sticker one and I have nearly got it all back together again - updates being the most painful part.
I used a better hard drive because of the bluey tit threw before but has just doe another one but seems to be going ok now. I have removed the wifi mouse device as I think it might be suspect.

The oem license terms specify the lcation of the cao sticker. It must be on the outside unless you lso affix alabel on the outside poiting out its location.