Sign in
Microsoft.com
 
Microsoft
 
 
 

locked
Buying COA license RRS feed

 > 

  • Question

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

     

    Hello everyone,

     

    I would like to know if it is legal to purchase just the COA of Xp Pro.

    I have an old 3.2ghz system and would like to upgrade it to Pro, currently using Home.

    A friend told me to just buy the license instead of spending all the money on the retail pack.

     

    After speaking with the guy at the store, he told me that these COA's are 100% legit.

    They are from off lease systems that are no longer functional. They recouperate the license and sell them for 79$CAD

    He showed me a bunch and had the DELL, IBM, TOSHIBA name on some of them.

     

    So my question is, Is it safe for me to purchase this or will I get in trouble? Is this store allowed to sell the license like this?

     

    I hope someone can clarify this for me...but if it too complicated, then I'll just stick with my home edition

     

    thanks guys

    Saturday, July 5, 2008 3:20 AM

Answers

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Windows XP Professional COA labels distributed or sold without the software programs that the COA labels were intended to authenticate are a violation of the U.S. Federal Anti-Counterfeiting Amendments Act.

     

    If you encounter someone selling COA's, please report their illegal activity:

    http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.aspx

     

    Learn the Facts:

    http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/default.aspx

     

    Answers to your Questions:

     

    Q. I would like to know if it is legal to purchase just the COA of Xp Pro?

     

    A. No!

     

    Q. A friend told me to just buy the license instead of spending all the money on the retail pack.

     

    A. Your "friend" is misinformed with matters related to proper software licensing agreements.

     

    Q. After speaking with the guy at the store, he told me that these COA's are 100% legit.

     

    A. Not if he is attempting to sell them!

     

    Q. They recouperate the license and sell them for 79$CAD.

     

    A. What he's really saying is he stole the COA's and is trying to make a 79$CAD profit illegally!

     

    Once again:

     

    If you encounter someone selling COA's, please report their illegal activity:

    http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.aspx

    Saturday, July 5, 2008 4:49 AM
    Moderator

All replies

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Windows XP Professional COA labels distributed or sold without the software programs that the COA labels were intended to authenticate are a violation of the U.S. Federal Anti-Counterfeiting Amendments Act.

     

    If you encounter someone selling COA's, please report their illegal activity:

    http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.aspx

     

    Learn the Facts:

    http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/default.aspx

     

    Answers to your Questions:

     

    Q. I would like to know if it is legal to purchase just the COA of Xp Pro?

     

    A. No!

     

    Q. A friend told me to just buy the license instead of spending all the money on the retail pack.

     

    A. Your "friend" is misinformed with matters related to proper software licensing agreements.

     

    Q. After speaking with the guy at the store, he told me that these COA's are 100% legit.

     

    A. Not if he is attempting to sell them!

     

    Q. They recouperate the license and sell them for 79$CAD.

     

    A. What he's really saying is he stole the COA's and is trying to make a 79$CAD profit illegally!

     

    Once again:

     

    If you encounter someone selling COA's, please report their illegal activity:

    http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.aspx

    Saturday, July 5, 2008 4:49 AM
    Moderator
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    thanks for the info.

    But I am in Canada, not the US.

    After verifying with multiple stores and agents (MS rep)

    they assured me that this is ok. It is illegal in the US but not in Canada

     

    thanks for the info Carey...

     

    Friday, July 18, 2008 6:25 PM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Kyrotech,

     

    Curious you indicated, "After verifying with multiple stores and agents (MS rep)"?  Please provide me with the stores who provided you with this information. What Microsoft Representative do you mean? Are you meaning a representative who works @ the store or do you mean a representative who works for Microsoft Corporation? Please provide me with the agents/representatives names and phone numbers @ the Microsoft Corporation in Canada who provided you with this information. 

     

    Thank you,

     

    Stephen Holm, MS
    WGA and OGA Forum Manager

     

    Friday, July 18, 2008 6:45 PM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Hello Stephen,

     

    after verifying more on the internet, (http://www.microsoft.com/canada/media/piracy/releases/2007_05_07_4.mspxI) I decided to send an email directly to microsoft.

     

    The last thing that I want to have is problems when updating my software.

    Hopefully I will be able to get a straight and proper reply from someone at MS.

     

    If my COA turns out to be a fake or illegal, I will defintely send the information directly to MS.

     

    For the moment, I will wait before posting all the stores that I visited and had COA for sale.

    Once MS replies, I will see which action I will take following their reply.

     

    thanks again for your support

     

     

    Sunday, July 20, 2008 10:26 PM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Counterfeiting_Trade_Agreement

     

    Don't fall victim to stand-alone COAs

    http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/content.aspx?displaylang=en-gb&pg=coa

     

    Quote:

     

    "If you receive offers for COAs as stand-alone items, be aware that these offers are highly suspect and can put you at risk. To fall victim to stand-alone COAs offers means that you may have wasted valuable money and you will not have a legal license to run the software. The best way for you to protect yourself is to purchase software from a familiar, reputable reseller. The Anti-Counterfeiting Act of 2003 makes it a criminal offense for dishonest resellers to distribute stand-alone COA labels."

    Sunday, July 20, 2008 10:42 PM
    Moderator
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Kyrotech,

     

    You may feel free to work directly with me. Next I will FORWARD all information to the appropriate channels DIRECTLY. Please know I am here to provide you with assistance.  COAs are not sold. Previously I presented detailed questions in an attempt to receive answers. 

     

    Again I can provide you with assistance but I will need for you to provide me with answers I previously asked. For now I am going to mark this post as answered because you have emailed another area within Microsoft. Should you want additional help please do feel free to visit us here again where I will do my utmost best as previously mentioned.

     

     

    Take care Kryotech and thank you,

     

     

     

    Stephen Holm, MS

    WGA and OGA Forum Manager

    Monday, July 21, 2008 1:24 AM