Refurb question... Registered Refurbisher Program

[schandler88]

Hi all, I actually ended up at your site googling for RegisteredRefurb issues and after sifting through your forum (which is awesome for someone like me!) I havent found the answer to my question...

How are those who are part of the program refubing machines with a Windows 8 or 10 sticker on them? Stickers like I have attached, machines that have no COA ID. I 100% understand that the product key is in the BIOS, but that is not what I am talking about, I am talking about the COA ID number to punch into the msregrefurb.com site to generate a new key.

If anyone has had any experience with this and wouldnt mind sharing I would really appreciate it!!!

 

[Porthos]

How are those who are part of the program refubing machines with a Windows 8 or 10 sticker on them? Stickers like I have attached, machines that have no COA ID. I 100% understand that the product key is in the BIOS, but that is not what I am talking about, I am talking about the COA ID number to punch into the msregrefurb.com site to generate a new key.

I belive the msregrefurb.com site is for purchasing citizenship ( only for qualified charitable organizations, academic users, and specially approved recipients) keys. You are supposed to purchase full refurb licensces from a distributor for all others.

 

[Markverhyden]

Hi all, I actually ended up at your site googling for RegisteredRefurb issues and after sifting through your forum (which is awesome for someone like me!) I havent found the answer to my question...

How are those who are part of the program refubing machines with a Windows 8 or 10 sticker on them? Stickers like I have attached, machines that have no COA ID. I 100% understand that the product key is in the BIOS, but that is not what I am talking about, I am talking about the COA ID number to punch into the msregrefurb.com site to generate a new key.

If anyone has had any experience with this and wouldnt mind sharing I would really appreciate it!!!

The pictures you posted are for OEM machines. Retail still has a license sticker so I'd bet that refurb does as well.

 

[schandler88]

I belive the msregrefurb.com site is for purchasing citizenship ( only for qualified charitable organizations, academic users, and specially approved recipients) keys. You are supposed to purchase full refurb licensces from a distributor for all others.

We purchase they COA's through a reseller, you use the info on the new COA on msregrefurb.com to generate a KEY. We have been doing this for years starting with XP. The problem is that 8 and 10 machines dont have COA id numbers.

 

[schandler88]

The pictures you posted are for OEM machines. Retail still has a license sticker so I'd bet that refurb does as well.

All the machines we get are from Dell, HP, etc. This is all they have on them. The only way you get a retail sticker is to go purchase Windows 10. No one does that...

All of these machines were purchased retail with a key install by the OEM, how do we refurb them?

 

[Porthos]

We purchase they COA's through a reseller, you use the info on the new COA on msregrefurb.com to generate a KEY. We have been doing this for years starting with XP. The problem is that 8 and 10 machines dont have COA id numbers.

All of the refurb COA's I have seen have the actual key on them. Like the key in this picture.

 

[schandler88]

All of the refurb COA's I have seen have the actual key on them. Like the key in this picture.

Those are MAR keys, not MRR keys

 

[Porthos]

Those are MAR keys, not MRR keys

Since I have not intrest personally about becoming a refurbisher I am only going on what I have read. I am sure @Nige has better info.

Also bios keys and no numerical sitckers have been around since 2012. I feel you are overlooking something or no one would be refurbishing computers that were produced since 2012.

 

[Porthos]

Option 2: If the PC does not have a pre-existing COA, please enter the following Windows Product Key Code when prompted for the pre-existing COA ID:
Windows Product Key Code: 00999-999-000-777
For each of the PCs that use this code to obtain a Windows product key, you must also record, and store
From page 32 of this guide dated Aug 2017

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...6_Final.docx&usg=AOvVaw1A2uORf4WeLnzCLBg0xhTD

 

[Kitten Kong]

simple answer here, is I do not know.

Have you tried contacting the refurb peeps on rrpna@msdirectservices.com

 

[schandler88]

Porthos, I assumed due to the verbiage in that document it was referring to Citizenship licenses only, but you may be correct!!!

Nige, yes, unfortunately I have yet to speak to a competent person after emailing that address about a dozen times, the last person flat out told me "you cant". But I am almost 100% positive they did not understand what I was asking....

 

[Porthos]

but you may be correct!!!

It looks like it takes some "time consuming" detailed records to have on hand in case of an audit. Sounds like solid backup of those records is a must.

 

[Markverhyden]

Those are MAR keys, not MRR keys

Looks like the difference is a matter of size.... No pun intended. LOL!!!!



From - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/refurbishedpcs/buygenuine

Edit: It's interesting we see MAR COA's but not MRR for W10. @schandler88 are you registered as an MRR and have you actually purchased any MRR software? MRR will be sold through wholesalers like Ingram Micro, etc. So a phone call to them should get you an answer which would be quicker than trying to get an answer through M$.

 

[schandler88]

Yes, we arent big enough for MAR keys...maybe one day!

Yes we have been using MRR keys since XP. We actually do a lot of Windows 10 MRR keys, BUT they are from machines that currently have Win7 COA's so they still have the COA ID on them. The issue is now we are starting to get some computers that actually shipped with Win8 and Win10 and dont have the COA on them (since the key is in the bios) no COA means no COA ID, which is a required field to generate a MRR key using the MRR COA we purchase from our distributor.

Our keys look like this (but obviously for Win10). Once we have them we go to msregrefurb.com, enter the old COA ID (not product key, in the sample image its the number that starts with 00212), enter the new COA ID, then it generates a PDF that has the new and old COA ID & the new Win10 Product key on it. We print and give to the customer with the computer when it sells.

Ill shoot an email over to our supplier for the refub keys, I believe they come from malabs. Not sure how knowledgeable they are on the subject though...

 

[Your PCMD]

I am sure @Nige has better info.

I do not know.

Can't get any simpler than that.

 

[mikeroq]

I tested this tool out: http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/microsoft_pid_checker.html



The highlighted blue part matches what's on a COA. I tested that with the product key off a Windows 7 COA. The SS is a Win 10 key I pulled from the UEFI of a Dell I have on the bench.

Try that out and put that into the portal.

 

[schandler88]

No kidding!

I will try that first thing in the morning and see what happens!

 

[schandler88]

Just doing some more reading....

Per the RRP Program guide...

"Since changes to the Program in December 2011, a pre-existing COA is no longer a pre-requisite when preinstalling Citizenship Windows licenses, so you now have two options when asked to enter the COA ID. This change only applies to Citizenship Windows licenses. All PCs being preinstalled with a commercial Windows license must have a pre-existing Windows COA attached. One of the uses of the preexisting COA is to allow us to ensure that the PC meets the criteria for a Qualified PC. Therefore, if there is no pre-existing COA it is important that other records are kept to verify that the PC is a Qualified PC."

Since all we do is Commercial, no citizenship, does that mean that all of this is completely irrelevant to my situation?

"Please follow these instructions.
Option 1: If the PC has a COA affixed, enter the ID when prompted.
Option 2: If the PC does not have a pre-existing COA, please enter the following Windows Product Key Code when prompted for the pre-existing COA ID: Windows Product Key Code: 00999-999-000-777 For each of the PCs that use this code to obtain a Windows product key, you must also record, and store, the following information:
a. Recipient Name (full name of the entity that will be purchasing the Refurbished PC from Refurbisher or if the recipient is a Specially Approved Recipient, you must also include the name of the TAP in which the entity is a participant (“Purchasing Entity”) Microsoft Registered Refurbisher Program Guide FY18 CONFIDENTIAL 33 Published: August 2017
b. Make
c. Model
d. Serial Number
e. Processor Type"

 

[Porthos]

"Please follow these instructions.
Option 1: If the PC has a COA affixed, enter the ID when prompted.
Option 2: If the PC does not have a pre-existing COA, please enter the following Windows Product Key Code when prompted for the pre-existing COA ID: Windows Product Key Code: 00999-999-000-777 For each of the PCs that use this code to obtain a Windows product key, you must also record, and store, the following information:
a. Recipient Name (full name of the entity that will be purchasing the Refurbished PC from Refurbisher or if the recipient is a Specially Approved Recipient, you must also include the name of the TAP in which the entity is a participant (“Purchasing Entity”) Microsoft Registered Refurbisher Program Guide FY18 CONFIDENTIAL 33 Published: August 2017
b. Make
c. Model
d. Serial Number
e. Processor Type"

It looks like it takes some "time consuming" detailed records to have on hand in case of an audit. Sounds like solid backup of those records is a must.

 

[Markverhyden]

Just doing some more reading....

Per the RRP Program guide...

"Since changes to the Program in December 2011, a pre-existing COA is no longer a pre-requisite when preinstalling Citizenship Windows licenses, so you now have two options when asked to enter the COA ID. This change only applies to Citizenship Windows licenses. All PCs being preinstalled with a commercial Windows license must have a pre-existing Windows COA attached. One of the uses of the preexisting COA is to allow us to ensure that the PC meets the criteria for a Qualified PC. Therefore, if there is no pre-existing COA it is important that other records are kept to verify that the PC is a Qualified PC."

Since all we do is Commercial, no citizenship, does that mean that all of this is completely irrelevant to my situation?

"Please follow these instructions.
Option 1: If the PC has a COA affixed, enter the ID when prompted.
Option 2: If the PC does not have a pre-existing COA, please enter the following Windows Product Key Code when prompted for the pre-existing COA ID: Windows Product Key Code: 00999-999-000-777 For each of the PCs that use this code to obtain a Windows product key, you must also record, and store, the following information:
a. Recipient Name (full name of the entity that will be purchasing the Refurbished PC from Refurbisher or if the recipient is a Specially Approved Recipient, you must also include the name of the TAP in which the entity is a participant (“Purchasing Entity”) Microsoft Registered Refurbisher Program Guide FY18 CONFIDENTIAL 33 Published: August 2017
b. Make
c. Model
d. Serial Number
e. Processor Type"

I saw that as well. So if you are not getting a COA with a Product Key then I'd guess this is the route you take. I also saw somewhere else that MS said that Citizenship licenses register at the refurb web site otherwise there should be a Key from the wholesaler to enter. But that may have been older and referring to W7.