Windows Coa Labels - Now Torn For Your Security!

It's not really NEW news, but I only found out about it today! I found it pretty strange, but that's Microsoft for you!
 

Microsoft redesigned the COA label as a running change from Aug/2006 as a part of piracy prevention.

The new COA label has a transparent Port-Hole (as circled in red) which prevents a removed COA label from being reaffixed.

The Port-Hole area of COA is not affixed to the body of the computer and may lift slightly and get chafed during transportation. As a result there is a possibility that some customers may raise inquiries because the COA label seems to be damaged or torn due to the appearance of the Port-Hole.

Be assured that the Microsoft COA label is a genuine proof of authenticity from Microsoft regardless of the torn-look of the Port Hole.

 

Strange! That would be rather scary to setup work new computer - just to find that the COA looks torn and is almost about to fall off! And all in the name of security. It is supposed to stop people being able to take it off and swap computers - it just makes it look like its already been swapped! Imagine the amount of people that have purchased a new desktop or laptop and are thinking they have got a non-legit copy cause of the COA!

Great work Microsoft

-jimmy

Edited October 12, 2016 by OpaQue (see edit history)

Wow that is weird.I have not heard about this either.It sounds a bit weird and stupid to me, but I doubt they would care much as to what we think aye lol.

lol yeah, but just imagine the phone calls they would have received, or the retailers would have received!

That's really weird...I'm owning a Toshiba Laptop and now then I realized that its just under my laptop.

now I finaly know why the sticker is torn on my laptop . I honestly didn't care that it was damaged, my sister her laptop and a friend's laptop had the same 'problem', so I assumed it was normal.

hmmm...that seems like a strange measure to take....not to mention, i still don't get why microsoft doesn't allow you to transfer your windows copy between different computers....I mean I think we should be allowed to take windows off of one computer, and move it to another one. For instance, say I purchase a copy of windows for my computer, and then later I decide to get a new computer. Now if i am getting rid of the old computer...wiping it out, maybe putting linux or something on it...shouldn't i be allowed to take that copy of windows and put it on the new computer? That is one thing that doesn't make any sense to me...Also, might I add that the link you posted doesn't work for me....

Why was this port-hole introduced in the COA label anyways? Seems like a waste of extra resources.Also, yes you should be able to use 1 copy of Windows on 1 computer, so if you remove it from your PC, you can install on another one. You can't use the same copy of Windows simultaneously with each other/you can't install the same copy of Windows onto more than 1 PC. But I think that issue hasn't been discussed properly at Microsoft yet.

Sorry, the link wont work cause once the session I was using timed out, the link was invalid.

 

Most of the labels that people have on computers/laptops come from OEM copies of Windows, which aren't allowed to be transfered to a new computer!

 

I told my friend today about it, and he looked at his laptop to find that he also had a 'torn' COA. He was rather suprised, both because it was torn, and that he hadn't noticed it before!

 

EDIT: Found some more information about the Torn Labels, from the Microsoft Website!

The latest pre-installed Windows COAs contain a Port-Hole™ near the middle of the COA, shaped like a Windows flag with two interwoven threads that run vertically through its center. The words "Your Potential" are hidden beneath a heat-activated layer on the right thread. The left thread has red microprint of the words "Our Passion."

 

The top COA displayed on the left has been in production since February 2007 and its Port-Hole is completely filled in with paper fibers.

 

The bottom COA has been in production since September 2006 and its Port-Hole is transparent with individual paper fibers visible around the inside edges. (There may be variation to the shape due to manufacturing techniques.)

Source: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de < There is pictures of the two COA Labels on this site

 

I can tell you that the label that my friend showed me resembled nothing like a windows flag!

Edited August 7, 2007 by Jimmy89 (see edit history)

I don't really see many people being that shocked one way or the other about this, I mean, as we've demonstrated it seems most people don't even know a COA sticker exists on their laptop/desktop let alone care if it is torn or not. Personally if I had a copy of windows installed that passed WGA its legit enough for me haha.

Personally, I wasn't aware that the sticker exsisted on my laptop. The more you know I guess.

I don't really see how it would prevent the label being reaffixed. As Osacar Wilde said "The day Microsoft make something that doesn;t suck is the day they make a vacuum cleaner."

My new HP laptop does have a COA sticker and its Port-Hole technology. It looks like a Windows flag to me.xboxrulz

My new HP laptop does have a COA sticker and its Port-Hole technology. It looks like a Windows flag to me.

I think the website said that some will be more distinguishable then others, depending on how they were printed.