In fact I posted manual instructions on how to backup and restore activation files just to spite those who were.Īs for activating Win7 over the phone, I had to because online activation wouldn't work and Windows gave me a screen with a phone number to call to activate over the phone. The one thread that I posted in where someone was asking about backing up activation files, I'm not the one shouting 'pirate' all over the place and questioning motives. Where did I accuse you of being a pirate? No need to add in offhand jibes, we're all civil people here. I will gladly mosiac out my key in a video where I reinstall 7 on my laptop and I use the key underneath and I activate through the internet, and then do the same with the boxed copy, if you'd like, but that's a lot of effort to try and make the point I'm trying to make :/. Allow me to set the stage: Microsoft was pushing. The video game industry was a very strange place just eight years ago. And all I'm saying is that you do not need to call and activate with the key you recieve when you purchase Windows 7 (boxed) or when you reinstall with the key underneath the laptop. Gaming history lesson: A literal butt once delayed Halo 2 on Windows Vista. I bought my copy of Professional straight from Microsoft, thank you very much. THanks, for yet again, showing the hypocrisy of before where you jumped down other people's throats for them assuming anyone who wanted to backup activation files is a pirate. If you've ever bought Microsoft software, you would know this. How do I have a CoA key on a non-OEM machine? Simple really. If you’ve lost or can’t find the product key, contact the manufacturer. If Windows came preinstalled on your PC, the product key should appear on a sticker on your device.

I never quoted you as saying OEM keys were illegal, which is why that statement is above where I quoted you.Īs for activating over the phone with a CoA key, yes you do have to activate ALL CoA keys over the phone with Win7. Generally, if you bought a physical copy of Windows, the product key should be on a label or card inside the box that Windows came in.

Halo 2 product key sticker