Windows 10 Pro Refurbisher Install

Irrespective of the manner it's distributed, it's still a System Builder (OEM-nonSLP) licence

Certificate of Authenticity (COA)There is a specially designed COA for MAR PCs. Each COA has the refurbisher name, unique product key, product name, and statement “For Use on Refurbished PC Only – No Commercial Value – For Authentication Purposes Only.” COAs are obtained through established distribution processes.

mado said:

Ok - good to know, but what does that mean in terms of installing and activation with this license?

Should of came with a printed copy of the key provided by the Refurbisher. If you did not receive that paperwork than you are out of luck. You might give MS a ring and plead your case. @Superfly These COA's (no actual key)come from small "registered" refurbishers.(the small mom and pop shops that sign up for the refurb program.) The big Refurbishers have COA's with the 25 digit key code.

MS calls a computer sold by shops to be counterfeit OS's unless they provide the original disk(when is the last time a computer came with one) or the original factory recovery partition. If you have do no have those, You must purchase a refurbisher license to replace the COA that originally came with the machine. (MS double dipping) That is why many shops that actually play by MS's rules became registered refurbishers, not to be confused with Authorised Refurbishers that sell 1000's of computers a year and they get the COA's with the actual key on them.

mado said:

Hi,
I have a laptop that had Windows 8 and i bough refurbished with Windows 10 Pro - COA sticker attached, but not a traditional sticker with 25 Characters.
When I reinstall with the system isn't activated and i cant change the product key as there is no 25 character Key.
I believe I need to create a special install for refurbisher licenses - how do I do this to reinstall my system.
Thanks

You will most likely have to install 10 home and let Home activate from the bios key.

mado said:

So how do they produce the 25 character key from these stickers? There must be away for them to get the code?
I’m in a different country to where I got the laptops but have everything from shop including the refurbisher dvd’s And everything,

They are supposed to go to thier portal and produce the keys and receive them to print out. You do not have that so you are going to be stuck reinstalling Home from scratch and let it activate with the built-in BIOS key that is embedded in the motherboard of Win 8/10 machines.

RickC said:

With the MAR scheme the onus is on the MAR to provide documentation (which must include the MAR#s contact details), a recovery method (media or recovery partition) and include a MAR sticker (showing a new code to activate Windows).

The MAR sticker is usually affixed to the device in addition to the original COA/Product Key sticker (not as a replacement for the original sticker nor stuck on top of the original).

The original Product Key used to activate the original Windows installation is voided and cannot be used for activation, hence the provision of a new 25-character Product Key.



In the UK the MAR sticker appears to always include the name of the MAR company.

Like OEM installs, MAR installs of Windows are supported by the MAR, not Microsoft.

If you do not have the MAR sticker then the MAR will be able to tell you what MAR Product Key to use. You may need to prompt the MAR by providing the Win 8 product key embedded in the BIOS/UEFI firmware but their records should be able to marry up the original with the MAR replacement.

Hope this helps...

MAR and MRR are two different programs.