Windows COA stickers is a PIA

[HFultzjr]

Hello,

Is anyone else really peeved at the newer Windows COA stickers?

I have seen many that are rubbed off and unusable, since they went to the "paper" stickers.

I have been putting carton sealing tape over the ones that are still legible.

What a way to save a few cents!!!!!!!!!!!




Harold
ACS Alternative Computer Solutions

 

[PC Ops]

Same here, I've been putting tape on all unprotected coa stickers I encounter since Vista. Seen so many unreadable...

 

[PCX]

Same here. The only other thing I can suggest is to collect what ever recovery disks you can for computers that have rubbed of recovery disks. Alternatively, you can use the recovery partition and even if the hard drive is failing you can clone the failing hard drive and use the recovery partition on the new drive to restore Windows.

Just a couple of ideas if you are try not to order cds to save your customer money.

 

[tankman1989]

You should be able to pull the key from the registry. You can use this program to find it (ans A LOT of other info from the computer/network): http://www.gtopala.com/

IDK if the paper COA's were a way for MS to sell more licenses or what. Once they rub off some people might think they have to buy a new key if they don't know how to recover the key from the registry.

 

[Martyn]

You should be able to pull the key from the registry. You can use this program to find it (ans A LOT of other info from the computer/network): http://www.gtopala.com/

IDK if the paper COA's were a way for MS to sell more licenses or what. Once they rub off some people might think they have to buy a new key if they don't know how to recover the key from the registry.

It's not the case a lot of the time. The key in the registry is not the one on the COA(I think it's a manufacturers mass key) and doesn't work most of the time in my experience although I rarely use it. If you have a proper oem cd then the key isn't required, certainly seems to be the case with Dell and HP.

 

[PCS]

The paper stickers was in an effort to thwart people who removed and resold the stickers/ restore media.

 

[PC Ops]

You should be able to pull the key from the registry. You can use this program to find it (ans A LOT of other info from the computer/network): http://www.gtopala.com/

IDK if the paper COA's were a way for MS to sell more licenses or what. Once they rub off some people might think they have to buy a new key if they don't know how to recover the key from the registry.

It's not the case a lot of the time. The key in the registry is not the one on the COA(I think it's a manufacturers mass key) and doesn't work most of the time in my experience although I rarely use it. If you have a proper oem cd then the key isn't required, certainly seems to be the case with Dell and HP.

That's right. If there never was a reïnstall the pc probably is still activated with an OEM SLP (System Locked Pre-installation) key. Some good info on this topic here.
These keys won't work with the media we use. (See the link why). There are ways to build your own oem media but that's a too grey area and off-topic.
​

 

[joydivision]

It is a problem but I have sometimes manage to get the keys using Jellybean. A lot of laptops now just have the sticker inside the battery which solves the problem.

 

[pcpickup]

Dell seems to be the only smart company putting them under the battery. We have seen a lot of these as well and the recovery partition is the best way to get the customer back up and running.

I have also has a few that have been partially readable but once we figure them out we add them to the customers file in our system so that we can just look it up next time the computer comes in.

 

[Martyn]

Dell seems to be the only smart company putting them under the battery. We have seen a lot of these as well and the recovery partition is the best way to get the customer back up and running.

I have also has a few that have been partially readable but once we figure them out we add them to the customers file in our system so that we can just look it up next time the computer comes in.

Yes I log them all in PCRT when they come in.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

pia = pita? yes yes they are.

 

[HFultzjr]

Most of the ones I find a pain are the ones with failed hard drives....can't retrieve the key.

Customers almost never make recovery media LOL.

Stickers worn off, then it's a call to the manufacturer for replacement media.

What should be a quick in and out job turns into waiting a week to get the media.

On a side note....has anyone else seen a dramatic increase in hard drive failures, just after 1 year manufacture warranty? In the last 3 months I have seen more than I usually see in a year. All types......must all be junk. I've also heard that both Seagate and Western Digital are shortening their warranty period.

Anymore, I don't make recommendations on brand....just tell the customer the prices and let them choose.

Sorry, I should have started the hard drive topic in a new thread!

I just HATE the quality of stuff being manufactured!



Harold
ACS Alternative Computer Solutions

 

[PCX]

Most of the ones I find a pain are the ones with failed hard drives....can't retrieve the key.

Customers almost never make recovery media LOL.

Stickers worn off, then it's a call to the manufacturer for replacement media.

What should be a quick in and out job turns into waiting a week to get the media.

On a side note....has anyone else seen a dramatic increase in hard drive failures, just after 1 year manufacture warranty? In the last 3 months I have seen more than I usually see in a year. All types......must all be junk. I've also heard that both Seagate and Western Digital are shortening their warranty period.

Anymore, I don't make recommendations on brand....just tell the customer the prices and let them choose.

Sorry, I should have started the hard drive topic in a new thread!

I just HATE the quality of stuff being manufactured!



Harold
ACS Alternative Computer Solutions

My experience is that on most failing hard drives that do not have a product key, you can do one of two things. One, you can clone the hard drive onto a new one, do a chkdsk and then reinstall the OS on the new drive or two, you can go through the same process except, you go into the OS and make the recovery disks and then do the install from them. It may not be a bad idea to attempt to make the recovery disks first before attempting the recovery partition. This process does take longer, but it is quicker when compared to waiting for the disks.

Alternatively, if the hard drive was not failing with too many bad sectors or a really bad read error, you can often times clean up the file system, troubleshoot a few things and then basically give them their computer back the same way it was before it started crashing or running like crap. Obviously this is a specialized service that you can charge more for and is more appropriate for businesses.

As for the hard drives failing. Yes, I have seen an definite increase.

 

[jft135]

The paper stickers was in an effort to thwart people who removed and resold the stickers/ restore media.

These are actually easier in my experience. All you need is a heat gun and a razor blade. Can't even tell its been moved.

 

[Kitten Kong]

These are actually easier in my experience. All you need is a heat gun and a razor blade. Can't even tell its been moved.

I have to ask though, why would you even want to remove the coa sticker?, it is only valid on that one particular machine in any case. Unless of course, your moving it under the battery compartment.

 

[geekhelp4u]

I have to ask though, why would you even want to remove the coa sticker?, it is only valid on that one particular machine in any case. Unless of course, your moving it under the battery compartment.

Agreed - and you will see that on newer HP and Dell notebooks they are putting they COAs under the battery, as well as the serial numbers.

In addition to the tape - I usually take a picture of the COA and include this in the users backup.

 

[FoolishTech]

I get it in the D7 info report and save it to \support hoping it's not the SLP key.

Additionally I will inform them of the problem, and ask them if they mind having tape over their sticker to prevent the fading.

What amazes me is that when I offer the option some still don't care, they figure if something breaks bad enough on it they'll just buy a new one anyway.

Other than that I don't keep a personal record of it for future reference, unless it's a regular business client.

 

[tarik]

Asus is the only company i have seen that actually cover up the coa with clear plastic.

 

[andcorptech]

I have to ask though, why would you even want to remove the coa sticker?, it is only valid on that one particular machine in any case. Unless of course, your moving it under the battery compartment.

We have removed alot in the last few years when we swap cases. There was a local business in town a few years ago who insisted on using small crappy cases which have some really hard to get uatx power supplies. We end up recasing alot of them but there was one that was used in a "custom fit" shop bench. It cost me $120 to get a case and PSU as the PSU alone wasnt available. We can recase them in a different case with 500W PSU for $88 so we need to move stickers over. I mostly use just a razor blade , which works with some practice, but i will be trying the heatgun as well now.

 

[Kitten Kong]

That makes sense to me andy. I've done similar in the past, where the font panel was irreparable etc. or case badly smashed, as it had been dropped on the floor by a temper tantrum..

However jft's comment had me worried that they 'could' of been transferring licenses from one machine to another. Hence why I posted my question to them.