OEM Disk Sleeve: Product Key Obscured?

My copy of Window 7 OEM finally arrived from B&H Photo.

But the Product Key had a grey sticky (*real* sticky... not the rub-off
stuff" grey "Microsoft" label obscuring it.

I tried to scuff it off and, of course, succeeded in rubbing out two of
the product key's digits.

It's been 4 days and B&H support isn't responding - backlogged, I would
guess, but eclipse-related issues.

Has anybody run into the grey label thing?

I've been through a few OEM versions of Windows-7 and the Product Key
has always been plainly visible.

My guess is that I'm screwed and MS is $130 richer.... but there would
be some satisfaction in knowing what is going on with the grey label.
--
Pete Cresswell

Sounds like I am not the only one:
http://tinyurl.com/yco9gh4t
--
Pete Cresswell

PeteCresswell wrote:

My copy of Window 7 OEM finally arrived from B&H Photo.

But the Product Key had a grey sticky (*real* sticky... not the rub-off
stuff" grey "Microsoft" label obscuring it.

I tried to scuff it off and, of course, succeeded in rubbing out two of
the product key's digits.

It's been 4 days and B&H support isn't responding - backlogged, I would
guess, but eclipse-related issues.

Has anybody run into the grey label thing?

I've been through a few OEM versions of Windows-7 and the Product Key
has always been plainly visible.

My guess is that I'm screwed and MS is $130 richer.... but there would
be some satisfaction in knowing what is going on with the grey label.

No URL so had to guess. Is this their web site?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/

If so, how can you be on hold for 4 days on the phone. They have phone
numbers listed at the top of their home page.

Start a return. Bet that'll get their attention.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/He...rnExchange.jsp

On Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:55:22 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

My copy of Window 7 OEM finally arrived from B&H Photo.

That sounds wrong for a start - according to MS's T&C, OEM versions
can't legally be re-sold. It's probably being sold as a
reinstall-only disk, for those who have purchased a PC with a valid,
authenticated, OEM installation, and now need to reinstall, but
originally were not supplied with installation media, have since lost
them, or they have got damaged. Such persons would enter the PK from
the label stuck on their PC. That is probably about the only way that
MS might just consider such a transaction legal, and that is most
probably why the PK has been deliberately defaced.
--
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Java Jive wrote:
On Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:55:22 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

My copy of Window 7 OEM finally arrived from B&H Photo.

That sounds wrong for a start - according to MS's T&C, OEM versions
can't legally be re-sold. It's probably being sold as a
reinstall-only disk, for those who have purchased a PC with a valid,
authenticated, OEM installation, and now need to reinstall, but
originally were not supplied with installation media, have since lost
them, or they have got damaged. Such persons would enter the PK from
the label stuck on their PC. That is probably about the only way that
MS might just consider such a transaction legal, and that is most
probably why the PK has been deliberately defaced.

He means System Builder OEM, not Royalty OEM.

That's what I used on my "Win7 SP1 Pro x64" PC here.
Notice my supplier doesn't have stock, and they're acquiring
them from "under a rock" somewhere. That's what Special Order
and a long time frame means. This was a stock item when I bought
mine in the fall of 2015.

http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=IM55839V

Mine came with a blue 3x5 card, with a COA sticker on
it, and the font is around 3pt high. It didn't use
"scratch and sniff" or any of the other stupid methods
they've come up with since. You almost need a
CSI forensics team to pull the key off the product now...

There is a report of "B&H and the gray stuff" here.

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-up...win10-oem.html

According to the text description on Tenforums, where the 25-character
key is located, is coated with the gray stuff. There is no sign of
the gray stuff here.

https://www.tenforums.com/attachment...oa-sticker.jpg

Here, a lucky recipient, gets to play roulette on scratch and sniff.
Is there a key under there, or a "better luck next time" ? One
of the worlds most expensive lottos. Imagine how small the font
would have to be, underneath that gray/silver panel... Better
get "Barney in the lab with that Electron Microscope" for this one.

https://c.s-microsoft.com/en-us/CMSI...3-ab2fff7f020d

Paul

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
My copy of Window 7 OEM finally arrived from B&H Photo.

But the Product Key had a grey sticky (*real* sticky... not the rub-off
stuff" grey "Microsoft" label obscuring it.

I tried to scuff it off and, of course, succeeded in rubbing out two of
the product key's digits.

It's been 4 days and B&H support isn't responding - backlogged, I would
guess, but eclipse-related issues.

Has anybody run into the grey label thing?

I've been through a few OEM versions of Windows-7 and the Product Key
has always been plainly visible.

My guess is that I'm screwed and MS is $130 richer.... but there would
be some satisfaction in knowing what is going on with the grey label.

Forgot to include the link...

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/Hardware.aspx

"Product Key Concealment

The concealment panel consists of a small clear label
with removable silver scratch off material that has been
applied to conceal a portion of the 25-characters of the
product key."

Ten characters under the goo, fifteen characters visible.

Paul

On Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:55:22 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote in

It's been 4 days and B&H support isn't responding -

That's typical for B&H. Don't hold your breath.
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.

Per VanguardLH:
Start a return. Bet that'll get their attention.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/He...rnExchange.jsp

Done - Thanks.

Dunno why that wasn't the first thing I did.... cuts right to the chase.
--
Pete Cresswell

On 23/08/2017 21:55, (PeteCresswell) wrote:

My guess is that I'm screwed and MS is $130 richer.... but there would
be some satisfaction in knowing what is going on with the grey label.
What made you say that Microsoft is richer by $130. You bought an OEM
disk and so all the money went to whoever sold you. Microsoft doesn't
get anything extra because OEM licenses are sold in bulk. DELL buys 1
million licenses and so MS gives it a special price. Now if they decide
to sell it to you then the money goes to DELL not Microsoft.

Frankly, it is time that you give up using computers. You had problems
with eBay purchase and now you bought an OEM license when you know it
may or may not be legit to do so.

Why don't you just buy a new machine and start using windows 10? You
won't have to worry about serial number and all that crap because
licenses are digital and so piracy is reduced and you won't get blood
pressure any more.

If you don't like windows 10 then go and start using LinJunk where you
don't need to worry about these things.



--
With over 500 million devices now running Windows 10, customer
satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
My copy of Window 7 OEM finally arrived from B&H Photo.

But the Product Key had a grey sticky (*real* sticky... not the rub-off
stuff" grey "Microsoft" label obscuring it.

I tried to scuff it off and, of course, succeeded in rubbing out two of
the product key's digits.

It's been 4 days and B&H support isn't responding - backlogged, I would
guess, but eclipse-related issues.

Has anybody run into the grey label thing?

I've been through a few OEM versions of Windows-7 and the Product Key
has always been plainly visible.

My guess is that I'm screwed and MS is $130 richer.... but there would
be some satisfaction in knowing what is going on with the grey label.

You did not say how you contacted B&H.
Part of my work consists of dealing with regulators, vendors, contractors, and company
executives. I either call first then email or email then follow up with phone calls.
Several times per day if necessary, escalating to the next higher manager as needed.

I order around $400 of equipment from B&H every year.
On the very few ocsasions that there were problmms I phoned B&H.
The resolution was either immediate or they would call within 24hrs to discuss.
Never had a bad deal from them going on 10 years now.

On 24/08/2017 17:39, Paul in Houston TX wrote:


Part of my work consists of dealing with regulators, vendors,
contractors, and company executives. I either call first then email
or email then follow up with phone calls.
Several times per day if necessary, escalating to the next higher
manager as needed.

I order around $400 of equipment from B&H every year.
On the very few ocsasions that there were problmms I phoned B&H.
The resolution was either immediate or they would call within 24hrs to
discuss.
Never had a bad deal from them going on 10 years now.


Peter paid $5 for the OEM disk and license like he has always done. If
it worked then after 3 months he would have been here again complaining
that his license has expired and Microsoft found him out to be a pirate
of its operating system.

Also, for $5 there is no point in doing all that chasing up using eMail,
and "phone calls several times per day". He must have better things to
do than you have. You are retired 20 years ago, while he has another 3
months before he retires.






--
With over 500 million devices now running Windows 10, customer
satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.

On 08/23/2017 03:55 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
My copy of Window 7 OEM finally arrived from B&H Photo.

But the Product Key had a grey sticky (*real* sticky... not the rub-off
stuff" grey "Microsoft" label obscuring it.

I tried to scuff it off and, of course, succeeded in rubbing out two of
the product key's digits.

It's been 4 days and B&H support isn't responding - backlogged, I would
guess, but eclipse-related issues.

Has anybody run into the grey label thing?

I've been through a few OEM versions of Windows-7 and the Product Key
has always been plainly visible.

My guess is that I'm screwed and MS is $130 richer.... but there would
be some satisfaction in knowing what is going on with the grey label.




You can buy them on EBay for just a few bucks


If B&H does not supply you with one, I'd return it for a refund if possible.

Per Paul in Houston TX:
You did not say how you contacted B&H.
Part of my work consists of dealing with regulators, vendors, contractors, and company
executives. I either call first then email or email then follow up with phone calls.
Several times per day if necessary, escalating to the next higher manager as needed.

I order around $400 of equipment from B&H every year.
On the very few ocsasions that there were problmms I phoned B&H.
The resolution was either immediate or they would call within 24hrs to discuss.
Never had a bad deal from them going on 10 years now.

Phone, then email.

I am putting it down to the eclipse - and their voicemail message made
reference to their being backed up.

I took Vanguard's suggestion and initiated a return/replace request via
their web pages and response was nearly immediate - they emailed back
the RMA approval and a PDF for the return shipment.

I agree that B&H is a class act. Don't buy that much from them but
it's at least a couple of items per year and they have always shipped
promptly.
--
Pete Cresswell

Per (PeteCresswell):
Done - Thanks.

Dunno why that wasn't the first thing I did.... cuts right to the chase.

I think the process has run to completion with B&H: they have no more
product available, so they sent me an email asking whether I prefer a
refund or store credit...

So I think it's "Case Closed" - and to the credit of B&H.

Certainly, given the exact circumstances, they *could* have told me to
pound sand.
--
Pete Cresswell