Windows Product Key Owner

[Ben Singleton]

I work in a computer store and we have copies of windows
stuck on case sides and no idea if they have been
registered/activated. Is there a facility on microsofts
web site to check if the product key has been used before?

 

[Nicholas]

No. If the packages are not sealed or have been tampered with,
they should not be offered to the public. Check with your supplier.

--
Nicholas

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| I work in a computer store and we have copies of windows
| stuck on case sides and no idea if they have been
| registered/activated. Is there a facility on microsofts
| web site to check if the product key has been used before?

 

[Ben Singleton]

What I'm saying is our supplier install windows on the
machines and send them up to us. If the customer doesnt
want windows we take the numbers off and format the
machine. Some numbers have no note with them so i dont
know if they have been out and brang back in.

 

[D.Currie]

You might want to check with Microsoft's licensing on this. OEM software is
supposed to live and die on the first computer it was installed on. If it
was never sold to an end user and it is generic OEM software (as opposed to
Dell or Compaq or whatever) you might be able to do something with it.

If you do resell it and it was activated on another computer and a customer
reports you to Microsoft, you might find that it's not worth it to try to
salvage those copies of Windows.

Assuming it's generic OEM software... Just about the only way to find out if
they've been activated is to install them on a computer you intend on
selling with Windows, and activate for the customer. If it works, you're
okay, if it doesn't work, that copy's been used.