How can I manually translate a Product ID to a CD Key"

NY wrote:
"VanguardLH" wrote in message
...
If users realized how important is that COA sticker, they might get in
the habit of applying some self-stick laminated plastic on the sticker.

It doesn't help that Microsoft laminate the COA to protect it - and then
stamp the unique licence key *on top of* of this lamination so it wears
off. Why not alter the process so the paper sticker is stamped with the
key and then the lamination is applied *afterwards* as the sticker is
being added to the PC. While they are at it, they could choose a font
that makes all the letters and digits as different as possible from each
other, to avoid the O/zero, I/one, Z/two problem.

Whenever I get a new laptop, the first think I do is put the laptop on
my scanner and take a photo of the COA; I then save this JPEG on the
laptop somewhere so I always have it if I ever need it.

If there is a sticker on the machine...MSFT didn't laminate it or stamp
the product key on top, the OEM is contractually required to do so.

--
...winston
msft mvp consumer apps

". . .winston" wrote in message
...
NY wrote:
It doesn't help that Microsoft laminate the COA to protect it - and then
stamp the unique licence key *on top of* of this lamination so it wears
off. Why not alter the process so the paper sticker is stamped with the
key and then the lamination is applied *afterwards* as the sticker is
being added to the PC. While they are at it, they could choose a font
that makes all the letters and digits as different as possible from each
other, to avoid the O/zero, I/one, Z/two problem.

Whenever I get a new laptop, the first think I do is put the laptop on
my scanner and take a photo of the COA; I then save this JPEG on the
laptop somewhere so I always have it if I ever need it.

If there is a sticker on the machine...MSFT didn't laminate it or stamp
the product key on top, the OEM is contractually required to do so.

Ah I didn't know that. So when an OEM supplies PCs with Windows
pre-installed, it is the OEM that generates/prints the serial key; from a
list of keys that MS presumably supply them. I'd always thought that the
stickers were pre-printed with the licence keys by MS, and the OEM simply
stuck them on the PCs that they manufacture.

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 15:09:05 +0100, NY wrote:

"VanguardLH" wrote in message
...
If users realized how important is that COA sticker, they might get in
the habit of applying some self-stick laminated plastic on the sticker.

It doesn't help that Microsoft laminate the COA to protect it - and then
stamp the unique licence key *on top of* of this lamination so it wears off.
Why not alter the process so the paper sticker is stamped with the key and
then the lamination is applied *afterwards* as the sticker is being added to
the PC. While they are at it, they could choose a font that makes all the
letters and digits as different as possible from each other, to avoid the
O/zero, I/one, Z/two problem.

Whenever I get a new laptop, the first think I do is put the laptop on my
scanner and take a photo of the COA; I then save this JPEG on the laptop
somewhere so I always have it if I ever need it.

Suggestion: keep a copy somewhere else as well.

You might need it someday when the laptop's drive is inaccessible...

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

Todd wrote:

Lately, I have seen the COA sticker applied, out of
the way, in battery compartment. Good idea.

Now there's a good spot. Another is inside the cover plate for the HDD.
On desktops, I put the COA sticker inside the side panel.

But, seen one idiot Dell laptop where the battery
is not removable, except by removing a bunch of
screws. Frankenstein (Windows 8) too. What a hassle
to have to unscrew the battery compartment every two
weeks to clear Frankenstein with a full power off reboot.

For that guy, I'd write the product ID and key on a removable label and
put self-stick plastic laminate atop of it. If you're there often
enough, and for those customers that grant permission for you to record
and retain their product keys, maybe putting it on a USB thumb drive
would work which goes into the tool pouch toted to each job site.

On 07/30/2014 04:53 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Todd wrote:

Lately, I have seen the COA sticker applied, out of
the way, in battery compartment. Good idea.

Now there's a good spot. Another is inside the cover plate for the HDD.
On desktops, I put the COA sticker inside the side panel.

But, seen one idiot Dell laptop where the battery
is not removable, except by removing a bunch of
screws. Frankenstein (Windows 8) too. What a hassle
to have to unscrew the battery compartment every two
weeks to clear Frankenstein with a full power off reboot.

For that guy, I'd write the product ID and key on a removable label and
put self-stick plastic laminate atop of it. If you're there often
enough, and for those customers that grant permission for you to record
and retain their product keys, maybe putting it on a USB thumb drive
would work which goes into the tool pouch toted to each job site.


Everyone lets me keep a copy. I put it an a LUKS encrypted
flash drive and on my LUKS encrypted office computer's
hard drive.

On 29/07/2014 12:45 PM, Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Is there a utility out there where I can input a
Windows or Office "Product ID" and it will output
a "CD Key"?

Many thanks,
-T


ProduKey - Recover lost product key (CD-Key) of Windows/MS-Office/SQL Server
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html