Unsolved
This post is more than 5 years old
25 Posts
0
210815
Dell lost my Windows COA
I wonder if somebody can help me. My Inspiron 17-3721 laptop with Windows 7 Professional was sent to the Dell Repair Depot because its touchpad broke. The repair went fine, but my laptop was returned to me without the labels which were on the top and reverse sides of the palm rest (i.e. in the battery compartment). The Windows Certificate of Authenticity, "Windows 7" sticker, Intel sticker, etc., are all missing. My best guess is that they were thrown out at the Depot along with the palm rest which they were attached to.
I have now spent over two months in discussions with Dell Technical Support, trying to get at least my Windows Certificate of Authenticity back - or have it replaced with a new one. I believe it is important to have this certificate, for many reasons. Dell insists that I can get the COA numbers through a program like NirSoft ProduKey. I don't believe that to be true, since my operating system was installed by Dell. The key finder software would only detect the generic Dell product key, wouldn't it? Dell is offering to send me a blank "replacement COA" with the key found by the software written on it. Am I correct in thinking that this would be the wrong product key? Their only other option, they say, is to replace my laptop, but, according to Dell, the replacement Windows 7 system would probably have no COA on it. Replacing a laptop without a COA with another Windows 7 laptop without a COA sounds silly to me. Then there is the matter of having to do an awful lot of work transferring all my stuff to a different computer, possibly losing the warranty which I have paid for, and potentially getting a second-hand laptop. I simply have no idea what kind of computer I would be sent. They can't tell me what model it would be, for example. Under those circumstances, I can't agree to return my current laptop to Dell. I haven't been able to convince Dell that the key finder software is coming up with the wrong key, despite sending them links to articles, examples, and so on. I have sent Technical Support links to Microsoft's OEM Partner Center, where there is advice on replacing COA's. Still, Technical Support tells me that there is nothing more they can do.
This is an open case, so I have been hesitant to involve others, until now. I felt that the Dell technical support team deserved the chance to do their very best. Now it seems we have reached the end of the road. Am I understanding the issue correctly? What can I advise Dell's Technical Support to do if they want to replace my COA with a new one? Perhaps they would do it if they knew exactly what steps to take. Your ideas and advice are much appreciated.
Philip_Yip
7 Technologist
7 Technologist
•
16K Posts
0
October 24th, 2015 15:00
RWEverything scans the hardware for the MSDM tab and if there is one it would show if you had secureboot disabled. p.s. if you enable it Windows 7 won't boot.
computerheart
25 Posts
0
October 25th, 2015 09:00
That's good to know. I can be sure, now, that I don't have an invisible product key hidden away. Thank you!
I suppose the way to test it would be to run RWEverything on a Windows 8-licensed computer with a downgrade to Windows 7. The MSDM tab should show up even though SecureBoot would be disabled.
Philip_Yip
7 Technologist
7 Technologist
•
16K Posts
0
October 25th, 2015 13:00
Others have done this test and reported back to me so we know it works.
computerheart
25 Posts
0
October 26th, 2015 10:00
That's good! I believe you on this anyway. I'm still being told, once in a while, to consider upgrading to Windows 10. Just out of curiosity, what happens if the motherboard breaks and has to be replaced? We'll lose our Windows 10 product key. Would Dell replace it?
Philip_Yip
7 Technologist
7 Technologist
•
16K Posts
0
October 26th, 2015 14:00
The upgrade from Windows 7 Professional OEM to Windows 10 TH1 will make your system a Windows 10 Device. This Windows 10 activation will be tied to the old Windows 10 Device i.e. the old motherboard.
If the motherboard breaks and you are in warranty. If Dell replaces it they should give you a motherboard with a new UEFI BIOS Embedded Windows 8.1 Pro OEM product key. In that time Windows 10 TH2 or later will be out. These newer versions of Windows 10 will accept Windows 8.1 OEM product keys directly allowing for direct clean installation.
computerheart
25 Posts
0
October 27th, 2015 07:00
If we have Windows 10 installed and the motherboard breaks when Windows 10 is no longer a free upgrade, are we out luck? Will we have to go back to Windows 7 because Windows 10 will become de-activated?
Dell told me today that if we install Windows 10 and Dell has to reinstall the operating system for a technical reason, they will reinstall the original OS, meaning Windows 7. I'm not fond of the idea of adjusting to Windows 10, maybe even beginning to love it, and suddenly finding myself back using Windows 7.
Dell says that my computer did not come as a Windows 7 system downgraded from Windows 8/8.1. It makes sense, since my laptop had a "Genuine Microsoft" Windows 7 (not 8) sticker. Also, I think that only a few Dell laptop models come with the downgrade to Windows 7, and Inspiron doesn't seem to be one of them. When I bought this laptop, I was under the strongest impression that I had upgrade rights to Windows 8, though. I still have my order page from the Dell website. It seems to say this. Maybe it was a mistake on the site?
Without COA labels, I no longer have proof of a license for Windows 7 or 8, according to Microsoft. I haven't heard yet, from Dell, whether they would consider giving me a Windows 8 license with a UEFI product key for this computer.
Philip_Yip
7 Technologist
7 Technologist
•
16K Posts
0
October 27th, 2015 10:00
The Dell OEM license is tied to the motherboard as mentioned. A Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 OEM license will have a free upgrade to Windows 10 and the free upgrade to Windows 10 remains tied to the systems hardware profile essentially the motherboard.
Microsoft initially stated Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for 1 year for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users. There have been changes since however, Windows 10 TH2 now accepts windows 7 OEM keys from the COA and automatically inputs Windows 8.1 UEFI BIOS OEM SLP keys. Since this is now going to be embedded in the installation media I therefore suspect that the Free Upgrade Offer to be available during the full lifecycle of Windows 10... I can't say for sure however.
You can check the system configuration of your system by inputting your service tag on the support site.
Note its rare for motherboards to fail unless they are significantly aged (>5 years) so you shouldn't need to worry about Dell's replacement motherboard failing (again). If it does you are very unlikely.
computerheart
25 Posts
0
October 27th, 2015 11:00
Hi, Philip! I just read here http://www.howtogeek.com/226510/how-to-use-your-free-windows-10-license-after-changing-your-pc%E2%80%99s-hardware/ that the free Windows 10 upgrade doesn't install a product key at all, but that we can contact Microsoft if we've changed the motherboard, and they will reactivate Windows 10 for us. EDIT: Oh, oh! Not everybody at Microsoft is saying this. Some of their staff members say that if the motherboard dies after the free upgrade period, we will need to purchase a new Windows 10 key.
I thought I didn't need the Dell COA numbers to upgrade to Win 10? I don't have them because Dell threw them out.
I've checked my original system configuration on the Dell site. All it says about a COA label is W7P3/6. Is that what you meant that I should look for? At least we know that it was a COA for Windows 7 Professional.
Philip, I had 3 defective motherboards within the first year of my computer's life! Now I'm on number four, and it has been fine...so far. I suspect that the first and second replacement motherboards were, in reality, other Dell customers' used, defective boards. My dad jokes that if Dell keeps switching my motherboards around like this, I'll eventually end up with my original one again!
computerheart
25 Posts
0
October 28th, 2015 15:00
When I contact Microsoft, they say, "It's outrageous for Dell to throw away customers' Certificates of Authenticity. In this situation, Dell must at least give you a new product key." Dell insists that it cannot replace my COA label or product key.
Dell further states that it is correct for their company to remove Windows Certificates of Authenticity from devices at their repair or refurbishing facilities because "Dell and 'the industry' no longer uses them." I have seen no evidence yet that this policy is correct. According to Dell's Resolution Experts in Texas, all computers, of any age, now have a unique UEFI BIOS embedded system locked preinstallation key. Therefore, they supposedly no longer need their Certificate of Authenticity labels. I wonder how Dell thinks this key gets into a pre-Windows 8 computer on its own. By magic? Hocus pocus!
As I edit this, it is almost December. In over half a year of trying to get some assistance with this problem, barely anyone I talked to at Dell (except on this site) had a clue about how Dell's operating systems are installed. I was given truckloads of wrong information, right up to the last day of the case. These false leads had to do with Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows downloaded from the Internet, retail versions of Windows, and so on. None of them worked on my Dell Windows 7 computer. Dell does not seem to be familiar with its own products!
Unfortunately, Dell refuses to consider any of my suggestions. I have not been able to obtain a replacement for my COA label or product key, which Dell intentionally threw out. Dell could have made me a happy customer again even without replacing my COA label or product key, but they never asked me how they could do that. Nor did their Resolution Team ever apologize for Dell's serious mistake. In fact, Dell says they are going to continue doing exactly the same to their other customers. If you are reading this, be warned!
I do appreciate the fantastic help from Philip - and from all of you here at the Dell Community! You were great. You helped me understand much more. I'll put my new knowledge to good use by sharing it and by building further on it. Thank you!
"The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand." - Frank Herbert (1920-1986)