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.
--
Best of Luck,
Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help -
www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts
http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
"Rob" <Rob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3541BD26-432E-40C4-92BA-F96010DA9DEC@xxxxxx
Quote:
> How do I check to see if a COA has already been used (without going
> through
> an installation routine)?