Why do people remove COA's and/or serial number stickers?!

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#1 Post by **underclocker** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:54 am

I'm pretty sure there isn't a good answer to this question, but as of late, I've either purchased or noticed ThinkPads on eBay that are being sold without either COA's or serial number stickers.

From the pictures, it's clear that the COA's are just scratched off, basically destroyed.

And when the serial number stickers are removed, the actual serial numbers are still available in the BIOS.

Why do people remove these items?!?! Is it just under-informed sellers? Silly corporate policies for old equipment? I do understand why so many machines come without drives, but removing stickers? Just nutty?!

ajkula66 · #2 Post by **ajkula66** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:45 am

I've seen quite a bit of this, and would attribute it to corporate nonsense mostly. In one batch from a particular liquidator, not a single machine had a COA (and some of these should've had W2K, what's the big deal) and on most of them serial had been removed. Mind you, my source had gone through the trouble of accessing the serials through BIOS and putting them on the bill of sale...but all in all, that's idiocy, plain and simple.

Other answers to this question exist, I'm sure...

Phazer · #3 Post by **Phazer** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 8:24 am

Side note but related..has anyone ever had a key number from the bottom of a TP work?

MODS: I'm not trying to circumvent any forum rules, just wondering.

#4 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:06 am

And when you complain that the sticker was removed (or e.g. W2K instead of XPP as advertised) they send you a Dell or HP/Compaq COA.
If it's for my own use, I don't care if there is a COA.
The feeble argument for removing the Serial No. is some hogwash about warranty.
Load of BS.

#5 Post by **Kyocera** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:22 am

I've seen some start to peel on their own, it's possible people just don't like the messy look they give and pull them off. The windows coa sticker usually start to peel off on their own from my expericence.

I always peel off the stickers on the palm rest immediately because if you have the machine for years they fade and start to look like crap or start to peel on their own and then you have that funky looking "weird" spot on the palmrest.

rek · #6 Post by **rek** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:17 am

Phazer wrote:Side note but related..has anyone ever had a key number from the bottom of a TP work?

No, those CD key stickers from major OEMs are specifically generated so that they don't work without manual telephone activation from Microsoft (I assume they also require the Lenovo SLIC table to be present in BIOS)

The "real" preload CD-key, the one that's pre-activated for the Lenovo SLIC table in the BIOS, is held in the unattended install script in the Windows installation files. (Handy for creating a 'vanilla' installation CD out of the Windows licence you paid for with the machine...)

MODS: I'm not trying to circumvent any forum rules, just wondering.

This is not privileged information, heck, there's a stickythread about it in the Windows forum

leoblob · #7 Post by **leoblob** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:49 pm

Kyocera wrote:...it's possible people just don't like the messy look they give...

This certainly describes me (but I'm not going to peel it off, regardless).

NorrisCell · #8 Post by **NorrisCell** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:52 am

rek wrote:
Phazer wrote:Side note but related..has anyone ever had a key number from the bottom of a TP work?
No, those CD key stickers from major OEMs are specifically generated so that they don't work without manual telephone activation from Microsoft (I assume they also require the Lenovo SLIC table to be present in BIOS)

All 4 TPs I've owned have loaded XPP and validated perfectly with the serial printed on the sticker. No phone call necessary. Not sure if you're referring to something different, but I've never had a problem with the attached sticker.

#9 Post by **Harryc** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 4:05 am

NorrisCell wrote:
All 4 TPs I've owned have loaded XPP and validated perfectly with the serial printed on the sticker. No phone call necessary. Not sure if you're referring to something different, but I've never had a problem with the attached sticker.

Are you running an OEM or retail version of XP?

#10 Post by **jdhurst** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:34 am

The COA sticker is the OEM license that lives and dies with the computer to which is was originally affixed. It is against licensing restrictions to move it to another machine. I would not buy a used machine without the COA sticker. If I did, I would have to provide my own licensing.

Two things:
1. It is possible to carefully remove and affix to a new base. I got a new base (warranty) a while back, and the sticker was moved. Wrinkly, but firm and still there.
2. If you have a set of recovery CD's that work, you don't need the key to validate.

... JDH

#11 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:36 am

Phazer wrote:Side note but related..has anyone ever had a key number from the bottom of a TP work?

Yes, with a generic OEM XP CD. I made a slipstream CD some time ago starting with a generic OEM CD that came with a desktop PC I owned to bring the installed version I had of XP (SP1) to the newer version SP2. When I used this CD on the ThinkPad, the key number on the bottom was the one that worked.

jronald · #12 Post by **jronald** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 5:24 pm

My understanding, for what it is worth (not much)
XP has 3 versions
VLK = Volume License Key
Retail = 1 key
OEM = 1 key but changeable

I have a VLK CD and key, cost a fortune but is easy to install on several machines

I have a retail CD, a VLK will work a Cracked Retail key will work (or a recylecled key) but I have never gotten a "sticker" key to work

I dont have and OEM CD, but after some reading it appears that Gateway, HP, Compaq have ther own sets of numbers that work. Seem to be generic between the companies, but wont work on the VLK or the Retail

Most of this is observation and some reading.
I dont mess with enough to find out for sure.
With the VLK I dont run into many issues

Any other observations out there?

Ron

whizkid · #13 Post by **whizkid** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:50 am

I would imagine large customers who already have a contract with Microsoft would ask for no COA's on their new ThinkPads.

I have purchased used machines where there was no serial number, and it looked to me like the machine never had one. I got the serial number from the BIOS, and it was still under warranty. I sent it off to IBM for a screen issue. They denied warranty repair due to "spill damage" but they did put a serial number sticker on it. <shrug>

NorrisCell · #14 Post by **NorrisCell** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:32 am

Harryc wrote:
NorrisCell wrote:
All 4 TPs I've owned have loaded XPP and validated perfectly with the serial printed on the sticker. No phone call necessary. Not sure if you're referring to something different, but I've never had a problem with the attached sticker.
Are you running an OEM or retail version of XP?

I have an OEM CD that I bought for my desktop. I use it on my TPs, but with their attached label. The versions have to match, naturally, so a retail CD won't work. I do have a legit retail CD, but I save it for emergencies (Computers that don't have a COA attached)

If anyone out there is in need of an OEM backup, I would be happy to upload an image. (I don't believe this breaks the piracy forum rule, as the serial number is the important part. I'm just offering up a guaranteed clean copy for those that have a legitimate serial. Mods, is this is out of line, please let me know and I will edit it)

Why do people remove COA's and/or serial number stickers?!

Why do people remove COA's and/or serial number stickers?!

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