[Cedarcrest PC]

The COA (Certificate of Authenticity) is the license key for your windows operating system. The sticker changed after XP and now can fade very quickly.

Here is a picture of a COA on a 6 year old laptop:


Looks brand new still doesn't it?


Here is a picture of a 1 year old laptop with the new style COA


The OS version(red arrow) is completely gone and the key is barely legible.

If you can't read the COA and your hard drive totally dies nobody can legally reinstall windows for you on a new drive. You would have to buy a new windows license.

Do yourself a favor and take a picture or write your COA info down now and store it somewhere safe.

[thebookworm]

That is some great info! Thanks!

[Happy Wife And Mom]

Off to find the camera. Thanks!

[A Former Geek]

A great tip Nick. I have noticed this as well and wondered if it was a secret ploy by Microsoft to rake in more revenue. It's either that or they are to stupid to use a durable tag. Both options cast a bad light on them.

[gonefromhere]

Thanks Nick....I checked out my COA and my CYA is covered.....

[November Rain]

Thanks for the tip!

[Cedarcrest PC]

A Friendly Geek, on 08 December 2010 - 05:10 PM, said:

A great tip Nick. I have noticed this as well and wondered if it was a secret ploy by Microsoft to rake in more revenue. It's either that or they are to stupid to use a durable tag. Both options cast a bad light on them.

I have to assume its on purpose. Win98 stickers through XP worked fine. Why change it?

Now once a laptop is a few years old its essentially worthelss, because it is not worth purchasing a new OS.

I think they would have been better off just saying they will only support an OS for a set number of years. Of course if vista wasn't such a flop they wouldn't have had the problem to begin with.

[LPPT]

Why do you use code in your title? I knew it was going to be complicated because you had to use abbreviations

Do I look like a geek

[Cedarcrest PC]

LPPT, on 08 December 2010 - 08:05 PM, said:

Why do you use code in your title? I knew it was going to be complicated because you had to use abbreviations

Do I look like a geek

I figured people would actually look at it that way

If I had said look at your certificate of authenticity nobody would have read it

[LPPT]

CedarcrestPC, on 08 December 2010 - 11:16 PM, said:

I figured people would actually look at it that way

If I had said look at your certificate of authenticity nobody would have read it

You will have to point that out to me next time I lock you in my bedroom

[Cedarcrest PC]

I'll make sure to do an ultra thorough job CYA'ing you on your COA next time I'm locked in your bedroom. I'll bring the beer

But you have to promise to keep the biting to a minimum.

[LPPT]

CedarcrestPC, on 08 December 2010 - 11:24 PM, said:

I'll make sure to do an ultra thorough job CYA'ing you on your COA next time I'm locked in your bedroom. I'll bring the beer

But you have to promise to keep the biting to a minimum.

You may have to wrap you ankles in steel!!
I will also expect you to be able to name off at least 1/2 the plants in the garden by then young man

[Cedarcrest PC]

Just wanted to remind everyone about this. We had one come in yesterday with a dead hard drive and the code was gone.

The only legal option is to purchase a new operating system license.

Save yourself $100.00 and take a picture right away!

[Cedarcrest PC]

Bumping an old post again, I had one on Friday with a totally dead hard drive and the COA was worn off. If you haven't done it go take a picture or write your code down now!

You'll be glad you did.