If .iso file is needed . . .

My computer, like many nowadays, came with Win 7 SP1 installed and
"registered" at the assembly point. I also downloaded from Microsoft
the Windows 7 SP1 .iso file. Since I do not have the "key" if I ever
need to use the .iso file, will it ask for my registration key, and if
so, am I up the proverbial creek since I don't have it? How does it
work in a case like mine?

Thank you for any insights.

Tony

Tony wrote:

My computer, like many nowadays, came with Win 7 SP1 installed and
"registered" at the assembly point. I also downloaded from Microsoft
the Windows 7 SP1 .iso file. Since I do not have the "key" if I ever
need to use the .iso file, will it ask for my registration key, and
if so, am I up the proverbial creek since I don't have it? How does
it work in a case like mine?

Thank you for any insights.

Tony

The following link has several programs for finding the key;

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/produc...pkeyfinder.htm

HTH

--
Sir_George

Tony wrote:
My computer, like many nowadays, came with Win 7 SP1 installed and
"registered" at the assembly point. I also downloaded from Microsoft
the Windows 7 SP1 .iso file. Since I do not have the "key" if I ever
need to use the .iso file, will it ask for my registration key, and if
so, am I up the proverbial creek since I don't have it? How does it
work in a case like mine?

Thank you for any insights.

Tony

Windows 7 OEM uses BIOS SLIC activation, as well as using
a COA sticker on the side of the box, suited to re-installation
of the OS using a retail installer disc. In other words, if you
need to reinstall the OS using a Microsoft retail disc,
the key should be on a COA sticker.

Windows 8 OEM stores an actual key in the BIOS chip. The key
can be used to automatically activate either the OEM version
of the OS, or a retail re-installation done with a Microsoft disc.
As a result, no COA sticker need be placed on the outside of the
computer.

A disadvantage of the Windows 8 implementation, is it is not
as generous. With the old SLIC scheme, some computers could
support multiple OEM OSes. You could take your Win7 OEM machine,
remove the OS, and restore using the WinXP OEM disc for some
previous generation of computers. (Of course, the drivers would be
wrong.) The Windows 8 scheme, the key in the BIOS doesn't
necessarily allow any regression. And I haven't heard whether
any OEM uses both the Win8 key method and a SLIC table
at the same time. I don't know if that would be legal, would
be extra cost to them, or what.

Since your question is about a Windows 7 computer, look for the
COA sticker. Some laptops, the sticker is inside the battery bay.
If you can't see it adhered to the bottom of the laptop,
then check inside the battery bay. The computer should be
completely off, before you pull the battery, not sleeping...

The COA appears to be designed to damage easily, rendering
the key unreadable. At your earliest convenience, take
a picture of it with a digital camera, and store it on
all of your other computers. If the disk drive dies on that
computer, and the COA is scratched right off, your digital
photo will have a copy for you. The printing technique used
for the key, doesn't appear to use a very good ink transfer
method, so the dot density is not good. And won't stand
a lot of scratching. Your camera will likely need a macro
setting, or some sort of zoom thing, to get a good picture.
(Sure, you could write the key in a text file, but
where is the fun in that ? :-) )

Paul

Paul wrote on 12/22/2014 8:52 PM:
Tony wrote:
My computer, like many nowadays, came with Win 7 SP1 installed and
"registered" at the assembly point. I also downloaded from Microsoft
the Windows 7 SP1 .iso file. Since I do not have the "key" if I ever
need to use the .iso file, will it ask for my registration key, and if
so, am I up the proverbial creek since I don't have it? How does it
work in a case like mine?

Thank you for any insights.

Tony

The COA appears to be designed to damage easily, rendering
the key unreadable. At your earliest convenience, take
a picture of it with a digital camera, and store it on
all of your other computers. If the disk drive dies on that
computer, and the COA is scratched right off, your digital
photo will have a copy for you. The printing technique used
for the key, doesn't appear to use a very good ink transfer
method, so the dot density is not good. And won't stand
a lot of scratching. Your camera will likely need a macro
setting, or some sort of zoom thing, to get a good picture.
(Sure, you could write the key in a text file, but
where is the fun in that ? :-) )

Paul

If it's on the outside, lay the laptop on a flatbed and scan it! :-)

Big_Al wrote on 12/23/2014 10:44 AM:

If it's on the outside, lay the laptop on a flatbed and scan it! :-)

:-)

Big_Al wrote:
Paul wrote on 12/22/2014 8:52 PM:
Tony wrote:
My computer, like many nowadays, came with Win 7 SP1 installed and
"registered" at the assembly point. I also downloaded from Microsoft
the Windows 7 SP1 .iso file. Since I do not have the "key" if I ever
need to use the .iso file, will it ask for my registration key, and if
so, am I up the proverbial creek since I don't have it? How does it
work in a case like mine?

Thank you for any insights.

Tony
The COA appears to be designed to damage easily, rendering
the key unreadable. At your earliest convenience, take
a picture of it with a digital camera, and store it on
all of your other computers. If the disk drive dies on that
computer, and the COA is scratched right off, your digital
photo will have a copy for you. The printing technique used
for the key, doesn't appear to use a very good ink transfer
method, so the dot density is not good. And won't stand
a lot of scratching. Your camera will likely need a macro
setting, or some sort of zoom thing, to get a good picture.
(Sure, you could write the key in a text file, but
where is the fun in that ? :-) )

Paul

If it's on the outside, lay the laptop on a flatbed and scan it! :-)


That'll work with a CCD scanner (good depth of field), but not
so well with the CMOS ones. For scanners based on CMOS sensors,
the item has to be pressed right on the glass, with no gap.

http://www.carlmcmillan.com/DOF/DepthofField.htm

Paul