COA sticker covers

[ConozoComputers]

We all know the Microsoft COA stickers wear out and are unreadable. I usually put two pieces of scotch tape on them but it doesn't look very nice. The sticker measures about 3x7cm, is there anyone that has clear tape or stickers that are this size or perhaps a full clear sticky sheet that has backing that you can cut to size then peal off.

Does anyone know of any quick, easy, and neat solutions?

[tobey]

I use clear packing tape, looks decent enough. But I'm almost certain that there are sticker printers who would gladly sell you blank transparent stickers cut to the dimensions of the COA sticker. Look a few up and give them a call.

['putertutor]

I'd like to know if there is an elegant solution as well. Thus far I have been using a very transparent shipping tape, which, when cut properly, isn't bad looking, but it also isn't very classy.

I have been meaning to grab a pack of clear address labels (Avery 5661) to see how those do. They measure about 1"x4" so it is just big enough, but maybe a smidge smaller than needed. A COA sticker is about 15/16" tall, so almost no real room for sticking to the case in that dimension. Has anyone else tried that out? Or any other solutions?

[Tekko]

Order an ID laminate, look at your drivers license(USA), they're that size and clear.

[NETWizz]

Don't bother. The COA stickers outlast the computers.

I have seen some damaged, removed, pealed off by students... but overall they stay put if left alone.

I can still see the COA sticker on Dell GX260 systems saying they are licensed for XP... Look almost as good as when they were bought new.

[Rosco]

Originally Posted by NETWizz

Don't bother. The COA stickers outlast the computers.

I have seen some damaged, removed, pealed off by students... but overall they stay put if left alone.

I can still see the COA sticker on Dell GX260 systems saying they are licensed for XP... Look almost as good as when they were bought new.

exactly^^ no need to worry about this. some one just gave me a recycle from 2001 and the coa sticker looked great way better than the computer it is on.

['putertutor]

My experience has been that some of the older stickers, like the old XP machines etc, do have longer lasting stickers. But I have seen several laptops with worn out stickers.

http://www.technibble.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35317

[14049752]

Originally Posted by NETWizz

Don't bother. The COA stickers outlast the computers.

I have seen some damaged, removed, pealed off by students... but overall they stay put if left alone.

I can still see the COA sticker on Dell GX260 systems saying they are licensed for XP... Look almost as good as when they were bought new.

I'm curious if you've worked on a computer in the last four years.

The old shiny COA stickers last...the newer ones for XP SP3, Vista and 7 certainly do not last. Sony covers theirs and I give them tons of praise for it... Dell started putting them under the battery...which is also fantastic. HP, et al, have them right there on the bottom ready to rub the numbers and letters clean off.

[ConozoComputers]

Originally Posted by 'putertutor

I'd like to know if there is an elegant solution as well. Thus far I have been using a very transparent shipping tape, which, when cut properly, isn't bad looking, but it also isn't very classy.

I have been meaning to grab a pack of clear address labels (Avery 5661) to see how those do. They measure about 1"x4" so it is just big enough, but maybe a smidge smaller than needed. A COA sticker is about 15/16" tall, so almost no real room for sticking to the case in that dimension. Has anyone else tried that out? Or any other solutions?

Thats a little large but I did find that Avery has a 1" x 2-5/8" clear address label sticker. Its slightly smaller than the COA sticker but it would cover all the important information and has rounded corners. Its Avery 15660 and they aren't too expensive, i even found some comparable 3M ones on eBay for less.

[NETWizz]

Originally Posted by 14049752

I'm curious if you've worked on a computer in the last four years.

The old shiny COA stickers last...the newer ones for XP SP3, Vista and 7 certainly do not last. Sony covers theirs and I give them tons of praise for it... Dell started putting them under the battery...which is also fantastic. HP, et al, have them right there on the bottom ready to rub the numbers and letters clean off.

Yes, I have, unfortunately though I generally work on Servers, Storage, and Networking now. That said all of our Dell systems at work have clearly visible Vista, Windows 7, and XP stickers.

That said, I don't bother with them because I don't use those product keys anyway. Instead, I make an image that uses a Volume Licensed. Specifically, we are under an Enterprise Agreement (EA), which is different than small businesses, which generally have a Select Agreement (SA), and different than home users who are licensed under End-User Licence Agreements (EULA).

In my situation, a sticker like the one that is totally worn off wouldn't phase me. Would just image it and never blink an eye under the EA. Under an SA, I would look for the PO# that can identify that OEM Serial # as having a particular licence like others in that purchase and put it in a licence binder indicating a damaged sticker. For an EULA, I would tell the customer they are SOL.