Windows COA

trashcanbin10 · 24 May 2016

Long story short,

I have this Laptop preinstalled Windows 8 PRO

A microsoft employee is inquiring (for license compliance) about this machine's COA and asking repeatedly about COA sticker. I can't find it anywhere. It says in BIOS it has Windows 8 preinstalled, but I can't find COA sticker. And yeah, I upgraded this to Windows 10 Pro without hassle a few months ago.

I'm sure this machine has genuine license, but if I can't find the GODDAMNED STICKER EVERYWHERE!

Before I lose my patience to him (already explained but he is insisting), tell me what should I do?

Kari · 24 May 2016

Not knowing the make of your laptop, have you checked under the battery? Some laptop makers hide the COA sticker there, visible only when removing battery.

trashcanbin10 · 24 May 2016

I even opened the body of the laptop (not just Battery). No such sticker everywhere unless they stamp it on the motherboard directly.

It's HP Pavilion model.

Kari · 24 May 2016

OK, it was worth checking. Have you contacted HP support?

Superfly · 24 May 2016

trashcanbin10 said:

Long story short,

I have this Laptop preinstalled Windows 8 PRO

A microsoft employee is inquiring (for license compliance) about this machine's COA and asking repeatedly about COA sticker. I can't find it anywhere. It says in BIOS it has Windows 8 preinstalled, but I can't find COA sticker. And yeah, I upgraded this to Windows 10 Pro without hassle a few months ago.

I'm sure this machine has genuine license, but if I can't find the GODDAMNED STICKER EVERYWHERE!

Before I lose my patience to him (already explained but he is insisting), tell me what should I do?

The microsoft employee should know better than inquiring about a COA key on a Win 8 OEM machine - they do not exist.
The only OEM key is embedded in the firmware.
Anyway it's a bit strange for MS to vet OEM licences, they do not sell nor support them.

Barman58 · 24 May 2016

I'm wondering if this is a call from the "Microsoft licence department" or one of the many other scam scum crowd out there. These people employ staff with an IQ smaller than their shoe size to read a script, they have no, or very little knowledge of anything computer related, or anything in general, and will often just keep repeating their script ad nausium.

If you did not initiate this contact with "Microsoft" I would suggest you ignore it - If you did initiate the contact ask to escalate the issue to a supervisor

NavyLCDR · 24 May 2016

trashcanbin10 said:

A microsoft employee is inquiring (for license compliance) about this machine's COA and asking repeatedly about COA sticker.

Did "Microsoft" contact you, or did you call them for support? If "Microsoft" called you - it ain't Microsoft.

Porthos · 24 May 2016

NavyLCDR said:

Did "Microsoft" contact you, or did you call them for support? If "Microsoft" called you - it ain't Microsoft.

And if you called them from a number on a screen that just "appeared" it is also a scam.

trashcanbin10 · 25 May 2016

NavyLCDR said:

Did "Microsoft" contact you, or did you call them for support? If "Microsoft" called you - it ain't Microsoft.

Microsoft.com email contacted me directly. I even called Microsoft hotline in my country and they verified the email I told them and gave the line to the representative that called me.

It's genuine and directly from Microsoft. Unless that Microsoft hotline number listed in Microsoft website is fake, then I'm being blackmailed.

Edit: the said employee sent me another email and said he'll check with his superior (manager or supervisor, I couldn't hear him clearly at that very moment) regarding the CoA that I couldn't provide.

Kari said:

OK, it was worth checking. Have you contacted HP support?

Thanks for the idea. I'll give it a go.

NavyLCDR · 25 May 2016

Well, you would be the first that any of us has ever heard of Microsoft contacting anyone like that. Simple solution, tell them that you don't have a COA sticker, quit harassing you and hang up. You are under no obligation to answer any of their questions.