Verify COA

Rob;
You can't.
That is one reason it is a good idea to verify the source is
legitimate.
Be wary of good deals that seem to good to be true.

Are you considering purchasing from a source unknown to you?

If you are referring to retail, as long as you get the appropriate
original documentation and original media, you are fine since you will
then clearly own the license.

However with OEM, there may be complications since OEM is normally
tied to the original computer regardless the condition of the
computer.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"Rob" wrote in message

> How do I check to see if a COA has already been used (without going
> through
> an installation routine)?

You can't. You will need to install the software and activate.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

"Rob" wrote in message

> How do I check to see if a COA has already been used (without going
> through
> an installation routine)?

Rob

There are some obvious things you can check. Take a look at the following
website for some tips on recognizing authentis Microsoft software. You can
also contact Microsoft Piracy to check if a particular product key has been
reported stolen. They also maintain a list of product keys that have been
reported as being invalid.

How to Tell:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/content.aspx?pg=coa&displaylang=en


--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


"Rob" wrote in message

> How do I check to see if a COA has already been used (without going
> through
> an installation routine)?

>
> "Rob" wrote in message
>
>> How do I check to see if a COA has already been used (without going
>> through
>> an installation routine)?
>

"Rick Rogers" wrote in message

> Hi Rob,
>
> You can't. When you activate, a hash is created that uses the Product Key
> and an amalgam of the hardware on the system, and this is what is used to
> activate the COA, so it varies and you cannot check by just the COA alone.
>
> If a Product Key has never been used, you will obviously be able to
> activate.
>
> If a Product Key has been used, you will get a message about it already
> being in use, even if it currently is not. This requires a phone
> activation. If you determine that the key is currently in use, you can
> purchase a new one for activation at this point.

Or, you can simply wait 120 days without installation to incur no further
expense. Then, for all intents and purposes, you might as well have
purchased the license an hour ago, since the previous record on the
Microsoft Activation Servers will have been expunged entirely by then.

If the key was genuine in the first place, you will get no such message, and
your OS will activate normally via the Internet -- unless, of course,
Microsoft has flagged your particular key as being invalid for one reason or
another.

If it wasn't, I don't know what would happen, since I've never owned such a
key. Probably, the MS Stormtroopers (all "Twenty-something metro-sexuals"
wearing khaki slacks and blue short-sleeved casual shirts) will all appear
out of the walls, surround you, and slam your face into freshly-printed
copies of the Vista EULA. Then, like Donald Sutherland in the last scene of
"The Invasion of the Body Snatchers", they will all point at you with
horrible faces, and begin screeching "PIRATE!!!" over and over. You, of
course, will immediately expire from the excitement of it all. Or the
consternation. Or the neighbors will beat you to death for failing to pay
your taxes, like a good little citizen (Chaos is everywhere and everywhen,
and completely unrelated things can happen at once for absolutely no
reason.)

In any case, you should have little trouble if you do it legally.

Donald McDaniel