by icecube » Tue Nov 15, 2005 6:38 am
You still might have problems. The COA is your proof of ownership.
The key you are going to pull off the Dell is a a Volume License Key. They build an image with a vlk and clone a couple of million machines. At the same time, they buy COA's from Microsoft and put them on the machines. Both numbers will work on a new install with the vendors cd.
You can also install a bootleged copy of XP Pro and put the"Geniune Advantage Validation Tool" on it and tell it to run as a windows 2000 program, and make it think that it is legit. This sounds like what you've got.
The only reason I can think that someone would remove the COA is because they want the OS on a new system--The software is transferable.
Here is an excellent program for finding your product key
It also works on MS Office as well.