Char Jackson wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

The product key shown on a sticker on the case is for a volume image of
the OS that gets copied onto thousands of computers by the OEM'er. They
don't validate every computer they manufacture. They copy an image
(fixed) onto each computer. They get to use the volume license. You do
not, so the product key shown on the sticker may not be valid for use by
you. Use something like Magic Jellybean or Belarc Advisor to get the
Windows 7 license key out of that instance of an install. That's the
one you get to reuse.

My Dell laptop was the other way around. The Windows key on the sticker
was my unique key. Belarc reported the generic Dell key.

Oops, yep, the other way around. The image is the same that gets puts
on thousands of computers so it has the pre-validated volume key. The
stickers get printed with different keys on them. The sticker won't
match the key in the image.

I need stronger coffee, or less interruptions.