Windows 10: Windows 10 Pro COA or Product Key

I purchased a laptop from a Microsoft Reseller. It has Windows 10 installed. I can find a 20 alpha numeric product key on the system page but there is no COA sticker anywhere on the unit. I want to upgrade the hard drive to a larger size but am afraid that the Windows 10 Pro software may not re-install without a 25 digit COA. Is my concern vaild? Is the Product Key the same as the COA???

:)

 

windows 10 key

Thanks but I don't want to do any decrypting. I want to download a Win 10 ISO from Microsoft and install it using my Win 8 key. No other steps required. Is that possible?

 

Windows 10 Pro Product Key

When you upgrade to the free upgrade, there is no product key to keep.

When you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or receive a new computer preinstalled with Windows 10, what happened is the hardware (your PC) will get a digital entitlement, where a unique signature of the computer will be stored on Microsoft
Activation Servers. The Windows 7 or Windows 8 genuine license you were previously running will be exchanged for a diagnostics key.

Anytime you need to reinstall Windows 10 on that machine, just proceed to reinstall Windows 10. It will automatically reactivate.
You will prompted to enter a product key a couple times through the installation, click I don't have a key and Do this later.

There is no need to know or get a new key, but if you have issues with Digital Licensing or the Activation Troubleshooter, you can utilize an existing Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key
you already ownto reactivate if necessary. or use the reset function in Windows 10.



The only product key value is really your original Windows 7 key.

Windows 7 came preinstalled on my computer, how do I find the product key?

The product key is usually located on the COA sticker attached to the bottom of your laptop or in the battery compartment. In some rare cases it can also be found in the memory compartment. For tower systems, look at the top or the side of the system unit. It
looks like the following:





If the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) sticker is damaged or letters or not legible, you will have to consider the following options:

• Use a digital camera to capture a picture of the COA then enlarge it on your computer.
  

• If the COA sticker is damaged, then you would need to use the recovery partition to reinstall Windows 7, this will exempt the need to use the product key to activate your Windows 7 installation.

• If your recovery partition is not available or damaged, you should
  contact the manufacturer of your computer and request a recovery disc set you can use to reinstall Windows 7. They might charge a small shipping and handling fee. This will exempt the need to use the product key also.

• If none of the above options work or is not available, then its best you purchase a new Windows 10 license:
  

Buy Windows 10 Home/Pro

I bought a retail box copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 or Windows 8.1; where do I find the product key?


For Windows 7, the product key can be located on a pamphlet in inside the Windows 7 box.

 

my windows 10 oem didn't come with a product key

Yes it has a COA label but that's not it. Product key is 25 characters. Also it the disc came in a card board sleeve with nothing else. What to do with the COA