Using Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v2.0 http://www.magicaljellybean.com/
, I get a Vista product key that's completely different than the one
on the sticker on the Toshiba L505D-S5965 laptop.

It's very unlikely Windows was reinstalled, but I am not the first
owner. Is that the only explanation?

~ Nehmo

Big manufacturers (called OEM's) have a single key for each model they make.
Such Windows are preactivated and the end user does not need to activate
again. However, if the machine fails in such a way that the replacement of
motherboard is required and a different (newer) motherboard is delivered,
the Windows will become deactivated due to substantial hardware change. In
that case, customer will have to change the product key and activate
Windows. That's why you get the sticker. Besides that, OEM's must affix the
sticker (called COA - Certificate Of Authenticity) to each unit with
preinstalled WIndows.

In any case, I would recommend you note that key because it can get worn
pretty soon out if it's on the bottom of your laptop. Better still, take a
photo of the bottom of your laptop. In case it gets missing, you can prove
it's yours etc.




"Nehmo" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:098e8e74-7c93-4341-97de-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Using Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v2.0 http://www.magicaljellybean.com/
> , I get a Vista product key that's completely different than the one
> on the sticker on the Toshiba L505D-S5965 laptop.
>
> It's very unlikely Windows was reinstalled, but I am not the first
> owner. Is that the only explanation?
>
> ~ Nehmo

On Jan 26, 3:49*pm, "Dusko Savatovic" <savato...@nospam.gmail.com>
wrote:
> Big manufacturers (called OEM's) have a single key for each model they make.
> Such Windows are preactivated and the end user does not need to activate
> again. However, if the machine fails in such a way that the replacement of
> motherboard is required and a different (newer) motherboard is delivered,
> the Windows will become deactivated due to substantial hardware change. In
> that case, customer will have to change the product key and activate
> Windows. That's why you get the sticker. Besides that, OEM's must affix the
> sticker (called COA - Certificate Of Authenticity) to each unit with
> preinstalled WIndows.
>
> In any case, I would recommend you note that key because it can get worn
> pretty soon out if it's on the bottom of your laptop. Better still, take a
> photo of the bottom of your laptop. In case it gets missing, you can prove
> it's yours etc.
>
> "Nehmo" <nehm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:098e8e74-7c93-4341-97de-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> > Using Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v2.0 *http://www.magicaljellybean.com/
> > , I get a Vista product key that's completely different than the one
> > on the sticker on the Toshiba L505D-S5965 laptop.
>
> > It's very unlikely Windows was reinstalled, but I am not the first
> > owner. Is that the only explanation?
>
> > ~ Nehmo

Actually, the sticker is already worn. I think I got the correct
reading, but I'm not sure if a 6 is a G and an R is an H. But anyway,
why doesn't the sticker match the Jelly Bean result?
~ Nehmo

"Nehmo" wrote:

> Using Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v2.0 http://www.magicaljellybean.com/
> , I get a Vista product key that's completely different than the one
> on the sticker on the Toshiba L505D-S5965 laptop.
>
> It's very unlikely Windows was reinstalled, but I am not the first
> owner. Is that the only explanation?
>
> ~ Nehmo
> .
>

No. The install from the factory was done from an image with it's own
Product Key. The key on the sticker is the "license" that was purchased when
the computer was first sold. If the hard drive fails and takes the recovery
partition with it, or if a factory install or factory recovery disk is not
available; you can make an install from an unbranded Microsoft Vista OEM
install disk and use the product key on the sticker.

On Jan 26, 4:21*pm, Mark Adams <MarkAd...@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> "Nehmo" wrote:
> > Using Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v2.0 *http://www.magicaljellybean.com/
> > , I get a Vista product key that's completely different than the one
> > on the sticker on the Toshiba L505D-S5965 laptop.
>
> > It's very unlikely Windows was reinstalled, but I am not the first
> > owner. Is that the only explanation?
>
> > ~ Nehmo
> > .
>
> No. The install from the factory was done from an image with it's own
> Product Key. The key on the sticker is the "license" that was purchased when
> the computer was first sold. If the hard drive fails and takes the recovery
> partition with it, or if a factory install or factory recovery disk is not
> available; you can make an install from an unbranded Microsoft Vista OEM
> install disk and use the product key on the sticker.

Would I _also_ be able to install Vista anew using "an unbranded
Microsoft Vista OEM install disk" using the product key from Jelly
Bean, that is, the original product key from the factory install? And
how would I get such a install disk? Is there a way of making one now?
I didn't get an install disk with this lap. But I didn't get one with
my previous one either, and I got that lap from a retail store.
~ Nehmo

Nehmo wrote:
<snipped>
>
> Actually, the sticker is already worn. I think I got the correct
> reading, but I'm not sure if a 6 is a G and an R is an H. But anyway,
> why doesn't the sticker match the Jelly Bean result?
> ~ Nehmo

Possibly because the current Windows installation isn't the original
version that came with the notebook, despite your "very unlikely" comment.

Are you having an activation problem or are you just curious?
If the latter don't worry about it. If the former you should be able to
activate by phone.

Bill

"Nehmo" wrote:

> On Jan 26, 4:21 pm, Mark Adams <MarkAd...@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote:
> > "Nehmo" wrote:
> > > Using Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v2.0 http://www.magicaljellybean.com/
> > > , I get a Vista product key that's completely different than the one
> > > on the sticker on the Toshiba L505D-S5965 laptop.
> >
> > > It's very unlikely Windows was reinstalled, but I am not the first
> > > owner. Is that the only explanation?
> >
> > > ~ Nehmo
> > > .
> >
> > No. The install from the factory was done from an image with it's own
> > Product Key. The key on the sticker is the "license" that was purchased when
> > the computer was first sold. If the hard drive fails and takes the recovery
> > partition with it, or if a factory install or factory recovery disk is not
> > available; you can make an install from an unbranded Microsoft Vista OEM
> > install disk and use the product key on the sticker.
>
> Would I _also_ be able to install Vista anew using "an unbranded
> Microsoft Vista OEM install disk" using the product key from Jelly
> Bean, that is, the original product key from the factory install? And
> how would I get such a install disk? Is there a way of making one now?
> I didn't get an install disk with this lap. But I didn't get one with
> my previous one either, and I got that lap from a retail store.
> ~ Nehmo
> .
>

No, the product key found by the keyfinder won't work with the unbranded
install disk. You would have to borow a disk from someone you know and make a
copy of it. Vista is on a DVD and you would have to copy to blank DVD media.
You could buy a new disk from a retailer and also get a new key (expensive).
Your laptop probably comes with a recovery partition on the hard drive. Go to
the Toshiba website and download the instruction manual for your model
laptop. The machine can be recovered from the recovery partition (follow the
instructions) if the original hard drive is still in the machine and it
hasn't been wiped by a previous owner. You should also be able to make a set
of recovery disks from the recovery partition. This can be done only once; if
a previous owner has already made a set, you won't be able to. (read the
instruction manual) You can probably purchase a set of recovery disks from
Toshiba for a lot less than you could buy a new unbranded Microsoft Vista OEM
DVD, because you are not paying for a new license.

On Jan 26, 5:38*pm, Bill Sharpe <wfsno...@adelphia.net> wrote:
> Nehmo wrote:
>
> <snipped>
>
>
>
> > Actually, the sticker is already worn. I think I got the correct
> > reading, but I'm not sure if a 6 is a G and an R is an H. But anyway,
> > why doesn't the sticker match the Jelly Bean result?
> > ~ Nehmo
>
> Possibly because the current Windows installation isn't the original
> version that came with the notebook, despite your "very unlikely" comment..
>
> Are you having an activation problem or are you just curious?
> If the latter don't worry about it. If the former you should be able to
> activate by phone.
>
> Bill

I'm not having an activation problem, but I'd like to be prepared if I
need to reinstall Vista. I have to read up on installing from the
recovery partition.
And yes, I'm curious.
~ Nehmo

Nehmo wrote:
> Using Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v2.0 http://www.magicaljellybean.com/
> , I get a Vista product key that's completely different than the one
> on the sticker on the Toshiba L505D-S5965 laptop.
>
> It's very unlikely Windows was reinstalled, but I am not the first
> owner. Is that the only explanation?
>
> ~ Nehmo




If you had a factory-installed OEM license, and hadn't since
reinstalled the OS, the revealed Product Key is that of the drive image
used at the factory and not the specific Product Key for that OEM
license; therefore, it probably cannot be -- and definitely should not
be -- used for a re-installation or activation.


--

Bruce Chambers

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~ Denis Diderot

Nehmo wrote: > Using Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v2.0 http://www.magicaljellybean.com/
> , I get a Vista product key that's completely different than the one
> on the sticker on the Toshiba L505D-S5965 laptop. > > It's very
unlikely Windows was reinstalled, but I am not the first > owner. Is
that the only explanation? > > ~ Nehmo