Help! with Product Key.

Is there anyway I can verify that a Product Key for Vista Ultimate has not
activated before I install the software? Also, isn't two DVDs included
when you purchase Vista Ultimate? One DVD for 32-bit and the other one for
64-bit? Should these DVDs have an edge-to-edge hologram? Last but not
least, could the Product Key that should be on the COA be used to activate
the 32-bit on one system and also be used to activate the 64-bit on another
system?

Thanks in advance for any help with these questions,
Bill

--

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience


"Bill & Debbie" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Is there anyway I can verify that a Product Key for Vista Ultimate has not
> activated before I install the software?

NO!

Also, isn't two DVDs included
> when you purchase Vista Ultimate? One DVD for 32-bit and the other one
> for 64-bit?


YES - in the retail version. I don't know about an OEM version.

Should these DVDs have an edge-to-edge hologram? Last but not
> least, could the Product Key that should be on the COA be used to activate
> the 32-bit on one system and also be used to activate the 64-bit on
> another system?

The key is good for one or the other! You really think you are going to get
2 operating systems for the price of one?


>
> Thanks in advance for any help with these questions,
> Bill
>

Richard,
Thanks for the help. It is as I suspected. One question you didn't answer
is should the DVDs have the edge-to-edge hologram? I think they should and
the color should be bronze? The reason I am asking is because I purchased
over the internet what I thought was the new sealed MS Vista Ultimate Retail
and the seller just sent me one DVD and it has 32-bit written on it. The
person did not send me any packaging, a COA or a Product Key. Just one disk
in a plastic case. The artwork on the DVD looks official, however, there is
no hologram in the layout.

Thanks again for any help,
Bill

"Richard Urban" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
>
> --
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience
>
>
> "Bill & Debbie" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Is there anyway I can verify that a Product Key for Vista Ultimate has
>> not activated before I install the software?
>
> NO!
>
> Also, isn't two DVDs included
>> when you purchase Vista Ultimate? One DVD for 32-bit and the other one
>> for 64-bit?
>
>
> YES - in the retail version. I don't know about an OEM version.
>
> Should these DVDs have an edge-to-edge hologram? Last but not
>> least, could the Product Key that should be on the COA be used to
>> activate the 32-bit on one system and also be used to activate the 64-bit
>> on another system?
>
> The key is good for one or the other! You really think you are going to
> get 2 operating systems for the price of one?
>
>
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any help with these questions,
>> Bill
>>
>

"Bill & Debbie" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Richard,
> Thanks for the help. It is as I suspected. One question you didn't
> answer is should the DVDs have the edge-to-edge hologram? I think they
> should and the color should be bronze? The reason I am asking is because
> I purchased over the internet what I thought was the new sealed MS Vista
> Ultimate Retail and the seller just sent me one DVD and it has 32-bit
> written on it. The person did not send me any packaging, a COA or a
> Product Key. Just one disk in a plastic case. The artwork on the DVD
> looks official, however, there is no hologram in the layout.
>
> Thanks again for any help,
> Bill
>
My Vista Ultimate Upgrade DVDs have a grey centre surrounded by
a 1.5 cm wide copper colored holographic ring with a scalloped edge.
The 32 bit disk says, "This disc contains 32-bit software only."
The retail Ultimate version comes with both 32 and 64 bit DVDs,
and should have the COA and Product Key. It's useless without
the product key. The COA is attached to the original plastic case
in a way it can't be removed without being destroyed. It seems to
me that you've been ripped off.

no hologram = not original but rather a copy or worse

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"Bill & Debbie" <> wrote in message news:...
> Richard,
> Thanks for the help. It is as I suspected. One question you didn't answer
> is should the DVDs have the edge-to-edge hologram? I think they should and
> the color should be bronze? The reason I am asking is because I purchased
> over the internet what I thought was the new sealed MS Vista Ultimate Retail
> and the seller just sent me one DVD and it has 32-bit written on it. The
> person did not send me any packaging, a COA or a Product Key. Just one disk
> in a plastic case. The artwork on the DVD looks official, however, there is
> no hologram in the layout.
>
> Thanks again for any help,
> Bill
>
> "Richard Urban" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Desktop Experience
>>
>>
>> "Bill & Debbie" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Is there anyway I can verify that a Product Key for Vista Ultimate has
>>> not activated before I install the software?
>>
>> NO!
>>
>> Also, isn't two DVDs included
>>> when you purchase Vista Ultimate? One DVD for 32-bit and the other one
>>> for 64-bit?
>>
>>
>> YES - in the retail version. I don't know about an OEM version.
>>
>> Should these DVDs have an edge-to-edge hologram? Last but not
>>> least, could the Product Key that should be on the COA be used to
>>> activate the 32-bit on one system and also be used to activate the 64-bit
>>> on another system?
>>
>> The key is good for one or the other! You really think you are going to
>> get 2 operating systems for the price of one?
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance for any help with these questions,
>>> Bill
>>>
>>
>
>

Better get started here:

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

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User]
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/


"Bill & Debbie" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Richard,
> Thanks for the help. It is as I suspected. One question you didn't
> answer is should the DVDs have the edge-to-edge hologram? I think they
> should and the color should be bronze? The reason I am asking is because
> I purchased over the internet what I thought was the new sealed MS Vista
> Ultimate Retail and the seller just sent me one DVD and it has 32-bit
> written on it. The person did not send me any packaging, a COA or a
> Product Key. Just one disk in a plastic case. The artwork on the DVD
> looks official, however, there is no hologram in the layout.
>
> Thanks again for any help,
> Bill
>
> "Richard Urban" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Desktop Experience
>>
>>
>> "Bill & Debbie" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Is there anyway I can verify that a Product Key for Vista Ultimate has
>>> not activated before I install the software?
>>
>> NO!
>>
>> Also, isn't two DVDs included
>>> when you purchase Vista Ultimate? One DVD for 32-bit and the other one
>>> for 64-bit?
>>
>>
>> YES - in the retail version. I don't know about an OEM version.
>>
>> Should these DVDs have an edge-to-edge hologram? Last but not
>>> least, could the Product Key that should be on the COA be used to
>>> activate the 32-bit on one system and also be used to activate the
>>> 64-bit on another system?
>>
>> The key is good for one or the other! You really think you are going to
>> get 2 operating systems for the price of one?
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance for any help with these questions,
>>> Bill
>>>
>>
>
>

Thanks to everyone for all the help,
Bill

"Richard Urban" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
>
> --
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience
>
>
> "Bill & Debbie" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Is there anyway I can verify that a Product Key for Vista Ultimate has
>> not activated before I install the software?
>
> NO!
>
> Also, isn't two DVDs included
>> when you purchase Vista Ultimate? One DVD for 32-bit and the other one
>> for 64-bit?
>
>
> YES - in the retail version. I don't know about an OEM version.
>
> Should these DVDs have an edge-to-edge hologram? Last but not
>> least, could the Product Key that should be on the COA be used to
>> activate the 32-bit on one system and also be used to activate the 64-bit
>> on another system?
>
> The key is good for one or the other! You really think you are going to
> get 2 operating systems for the price of one?
>
>
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any help with these questions,
>> Bill
>>
>