Solved Product key query

The product key in my system differs from the one on the label at the back of my laptop, any thoughts please.

brummyfan said:

The product key in my system differs from the one on the label at the back of my laptop, any thoughts please.

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Can you take a screenshot of the display that shows this?

Hi brummyfan,

Laptop manufacturers usually make one installation, to which they add their own prorietary apps., trialware, etc.

Then they image that onto huge numbers of hard drives that go in the laptops. Obviously, they then all have the same product key and activation code on the hd.

It is much quicker ( i.e. cheaper )for them to do it this way. They pay a license fee to M$ based on the number of machines that carry that key.

However, they provide a key on the side of your machine to be used if you have a disaster and cannot use the recovery media.

This will usually be different from the one on the hd. Usually , you need to ring the manufacturer to get them to activate that extra key.

Hope it helps

SIW2

Thank you guys for the response, I have already written down my product key number using this tutorial by Brink http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/85023-product-key-number.html
When I was upgrading my memory I noticed the label similar to this one in the attachment,
both have 25 characters of alpha bates and numbers. I am wondering why should these two differ, my vista is genuine as this came pre installed when I bought the laptop.

Hi brummyfan,

It seems odd , but it is normal with an oem pre-installed system for the keys to be different.

Read my previous post as to why this is.

Hope it helps

SIW2

Thanks SIW2 for the explanation and all OK.