New Dell has no Cert of Authenticity (COA)

Hi,

I had my new dell delivered last week and on going through some of the documentation I came across the Win 7 reinstallation DVD on the back of which it says, and I quote, "The Microsoft operating system Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is a multicoloured label located on the side or bottom of your computer. The COA contains the product key code, which might be required to complete the operating system setup".

My new machine DOES NOT have such a sticker. Is this right or is this mistake. As it stands now I do not have a product key and therefore might not be able to reinstall the OS.

Could someone advise whether this is expected from Dell or should I get on the phone and demand answers?

Thanks in advance,

Dan

 

on most of the new dell models the COA is located under the battery. Remove the battery and check first

 

thanks mate, you're dead right. How did you learn that? I've trawled through all the documentation that dell supplied and nowhere does it mention that the COA is under the battery.

 

I found mine when I got my laptop just by looking it over and taking out the battery. My thought is Dell is putting it there as it will get less wear & tear so the CoA will be reusable in the event of reinstallation.

 

To be fair, you'll never actually need the code anyway; Dell's Windows reinstallation disks read the license information right off the BIOS, so it's automatically activated and you never have to enter the code.

 

I had to activate my win7 manually, it didn't automatically activate.

 

What if you reflash the BIOS?

 

Was it a Dell copy of Windows 7? When you reinstall an OS with a Dell-branded Windows CD on a Dell machine you don't need to activate it or put in a product key. I purchased a retail copy of Windows 7 Professional, so I installed that on my new machine and put the 7 Home Premium that came with it on the older Inspiron E1505. Even though it came with Vista originally, both installing XP on it and installing 7 requires no keys or activation.

 

>> and put the 7 Home Premium that came with it on the older Inspiron E1505.

How old was the Inspiron e1505? I ask because I have a two year old Dell XPS M1330 which shipped with Vista (upgraded to the latest bios from January 2009) and was going to do the same thing ... install Win7 from a newly purchased Inspiron 1440. I was hoping the bios had the necessary information which would automatically activate without a call to MSFT.

I have a Technet subscription so I used a valid Technet key to install Win7 Professional on the newly purchased Inspiron 1440 so legally I should be able to use the Win7 Home Premium DVD on another machine.

 

it happened after dell decided to go all apple-like and go to war with any regulatory stickers etc being visible. on my precision M4400 you have to OPEN the base cover of the chasis to find the regulatory stickers!!!!

and yes- if you use the CD that came with your computer, it wont ask for a key