Detaching the license key on a laptop that has preinstalled Win7?

coyote455 · 09 Nov 2016

I hope the title made it possible to understand what I meant!

I have a laptop (HP probook 4525s) that came with preinstalled Win7 Prof. 64bit.
The laptop won't start now (it might have a GPU problem I think)- and is in an overall bad condition, so now I'm trying to sell out the usable parts (the screen and the op. system if possible).
Yesterday someone told me that theoretically there's a way to "recover" my Windows from that machine- that's why I wrote detaching the license key from it, so someone else can buy it (as refurbished) and use it.
So.. do you think it's possible? If so, how? Does the process means doing something in BIOS?
Again, laptop doesn't work at the moment.
They told me if I can do it, I could sell the install DVD for 36-40$.

Barman58 · 09 Nov 2016

If the Licence came with the laptop it is an OEM licence and is not transferable to any other system - any such transfer would be classed as piracy of the software. basically if the laptop hardware fails then the licence is unusable

SIW2 · 09 Nov 2016

Hungary is in the EU.

http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/d...cp120094en.pdf

If you want trnasfer it to a different machine, the COA sticker may work, though you may need to call MS and get them to authorize over the phone ( free phone number). It is a license for one machine, so you will have to answer "one" when they ask how many machines it is being used on.

Not sure how you go about selling it separately as an individual. There are large companies selling second hand software, but usually to large business, government departments, hospitals, etc.

"The first sale in the EU of a copy of a computer program by the copyright
holder or with his consent exhausts the right of distribution of that
copy"

The original rights holder cannot oppose the sale of that copy.

Nothing surprising there. It is a basic principle of International Copyright Law.

coyote455 · 11 Nov 2016

Thanks guys, looks like it's not worth it. The laptop is gonna be lowered to its grave..

SIW2 · 11 Nov 2016

People do it, but not sure how they go about it. You could check the COA key and see.
COA key will be on a sticker - possibly under the battery.

The Ultimate PID Checker

coyote455 · 11 Nov 2016

SIW2 said:

People do it, but not sure how they go about it. You could check the COA key and see.
COA key will be on a sticker - possibly under the battery.

The Ultimate PID Checker

Of course I know about the sticker, it's indeed on the underside of the laptop. I've used it a few times when I reinstalled Windows- obviously it always worked without problems.
So let's say the first step is done, what would be the next? Again, the laptop doesn't boot. PowerLED is on, but that's all, HDD isn't whirring, display remains black.

SIW2 · 11 Nov 2016

You need to find out what type of key it is.
Sounds like it activated online when you used it. Theoretically, that should be ok. Unfortunately, you have already used it, so if installed on a different machine - you might have to ring MS.