Vista Home Premium 64 bit COA question.

[zillion]

A new Dell laptop purchase granted me a Vista COA sticker on the underbelly and a Dell stamped reinstall disc (full install, not an upgrade disc).

I attempted to use it to install Vista on a Sony Vaio (also with a COA for the same OS at the bottom), and although it worked, it never prompted me for a COA during the install.

So I used Magic Jellybean to find the COA after the fact, and when compared to my new Dell laptop, I noticed that they were different. I have yet to experience a recovery disc that had a non matching COA when compared to the computer it came with, so now I am confused...

I have three Vista Home Premium 64 COAs.. the Sony sticker, the Dell, and the one (OEM??) on the Dell installer disc...

So my Dell laptop had two COA's all along? Is my sticker one just an "uncirculated dollar bill" that is not registered?

Can the Sony live in harmony with my Dell installed from the same disc when it comes to "Genuine Advantage" updates, etc.?

If ill advised (or if just better to), may I keep the install on the Sony but change the COA to match the one on the bottom of it?

A little clarification on how these things work with Vista (or any Os for that matter) would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks! -Z

[Train]

With OEM cds like that, non matching keys like you found are normal.

Fact is, I have yet to see one that matched.

[zillion]

I am sure that is the way, but I just meant it is my first discovery of this. The thing I don't get then is, what is the point of the COA if in theory, I could install this OS from this disc on any hardware compatible computer? Other than that it is Vista, what is the downside?

[Steve R Jones]

Your Dell didn't come with a 2 for 1 Operating System. It came with a use one or the other.

Using the Dell OS on the Sony is illegal. This is especially true if the Dell i sstill up in running. See the note above.

[zillion]

Though I have little sympathy for Microsoft (especially when I OWN two legal COAs and just can't figure out how to use them properly), I never planned to use the Sony laptop with that install and will reformat it or change the COA after I figure out the best plan to make everyone happy and avoid conflict...

I figured Dell isn't giving a 2 for 1 deal, but really, how are we expected then to make a CHOICE on which COA to use, if the Dell disc doesn't prompt one to input the one from the under-belly sticker during the install?

As part two of that question, is there a method to avoid reinstalling Windows again on the Sony and just change the COA to the one on the bottom of it so everyone's happy?

[bruceb]

This link tells how to change the license key on Vista

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

Frankly, I am surprised the Dell OS CD would even install on the Sony.
It usually checks the BIOS to see if the OS CD & the BIOS ID match. Unless
with Vista, they can't modify the OS cd easily like they could with XP

[zillion]

Thanks for the link and I will research this more. I am baffled by the bios check as well and expected the same.

This may be a moot point for the current matter at hand seeing that I wiped the Sony and put XP on it... but I AM curious of three things just from a trivial knowledge and understanding point of view:

1. Is the OEM COA that is built into the installer disc a one of a kind, or is possible the same one is used in other/all of their discs that come with new PCs?
2. Either way (though especially if it is a one of a kind), if I DID the Vista change method from that link, would it affect the legitimacy of the install on my Dell laptop?
3. Assuming it did, could I then apply the same method to the Dell to update it’s COA to the sticker on the bottom?

[bruceb]

OEMS, like Dell, HP, Sony, use what is known as a Preactivated Volume License Key