COA ???????

Message

kingman99 · #1 Post by **kingman99** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:51 pm

Hi

I'm thinking about buying a T40 on ebay with a buy it now auction and l have one question.

It has windows XP installed and l'm now asking the owner if he has a COA on the laptop for windows, but then l realized what is the difference if has the COA or not. If l get a viris and have to reload the O/S what good is the COA anyway?

Thanks

Alan

sugo · #2 Post by **sugo** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:06 pm

You need a COA to be a legal owner of the copy of Windows running on your thinkpad.

#3 Post by **rkawakami** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:07 pm

The COA (certificate of authority) is the legal right (license) granted by Microsoft to the owner of the laptop, which allows the owner to install whatever version of Windows that the COA is for. The only "good" the COA provides is that you are deemed to be abiding by the software license agreement between Microsoft and you.

You can re-install Windows from an IBM/Lenovo recovery disk set, regardless of the reason (virus, disk crash, etc.). My understanding is that you cannot simply load a retail copy (or bootleg) of Windows using the product key from the COA (somebody correct me if I'm wrong).

sugo · #4 Post by **sugo** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:21 pm

rkawakami wrote:you cannot simply load a retail copy (or bootleg) of Windows using the product key from the COA

Because the retail Windows will reject the OEM key from COA.

kingman99 · #5 Post by **kingman99** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:21 am

I have no idea wht you are talking about l have done this before without a problem. I bought a retail wind 2000, years ago and never had a problem installing it in my 600x. My problem is that l can't find it and the COA on the bottom of my laptop is there for decoration.

As long as my laptop runs l could care less if there was a picture of Mickey Mouse there!

Sometimes we get a little too anal, but when Gates stops by for dinner l will discuss this with him.

Alan

dsvochak · #6 Post by **dsvochak** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:23 am

See the sticky at the top of this forum for a discussion of this issue:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=35967

kingman99 · #7 Post by **kingman99** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:29 pm

Hi

On my COA there are two sets of numbers;

On the top it's labeled
product key

on the bottom it's labeled
microsoft windows NT Wkstn 4.0 product key

Which is the important one when l reinstall my O/S?

Thanks

Alan

COA ???????

COA ???????

??????????????????

Another COA?????

Who is online