how do I activate & validate Windows 7 using small manufacturer's COA


  1. Posts : 2
    Windows 7
       #1

    how do I activate & validate Windows 7 using small manufacturer's COA


    How do I activate & validate Windows 7 using small manufacturer's COA?
    The COA is 14 digits as opposed to Microsoft's 25 digit product key. When I try entering this code it is immediately rejected.
      My Computer

  2.    #2

    Can you post back a camera snap of the COA sticker or type out everything on the sticker except the actual numbers?

    Is it a holographic sticker similar to COA stickers you may have seen before?

    It's possible it's not MS but the manufacturer's S/N or other identifiers.

    Do you have a Recovery Partition on the HD, or Recovery disks you made or received - as these should auto-activate.
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  3. Posts : 71,988
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #3

    Hello Damianspower, and welcome to Seven Forums.

    That's not the OEM-COA product key number. It does indeed need to be the 25 numbers in groups of 5. Here's a couple of examples of a OEM-COA sticker from the tutorial below to help find your product key number.

    Product Key Number for Windows 7 - Find and See








    Hope this helps,
    Shawn
    Last edited by Brink; 27 Nov 2011 at 17:51. Reason: typo
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 21,482
    Win 7 x64 Home Premium (and x86 VirtualBox VM)/Win10
       #4

    OT @Brink.....
    I've never seen the second COA you've posted there - is that a special for a machine with the cable TV widget pre-installed?
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  5. Posts : 71,988
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #5

    Hello Noel,

    LOL, to be honest I don't know what it's from. I got the images from a Google search. My guess would be one for the OEM-SLP #, and the other for the OEM-COA #.
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  6. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #6

    Hi Shawn

    Top is the old type,
    Bottom is the new type.

    Ray.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 21,482
    Win 7 x64 Home Premium (and x86 VirtualBox VM)/Win10
       #7

    theog said:
    Hi Shawn

    Top is the old type,
    Bottom is the new type.

    Ray.

    New type of what?
    There's TWO Keys shown there??
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #8

    Sticker.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 21,482
    Win 7 x64 Home Premium (and x86 VirtualBox VM)/Win10
       #9

    99% of COA stickers have only one Key - this one has TWO - why?
      My Computer


 

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