Cheese Man Chris 
Member 
 
Registered: 25th Sep 07
 Location: Leeds                      Drives:1.2 Merit 
User status: Offline 
 
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Hello, 
 
I have a Acer laptop im repairing for a customer which had Windows Xp Media Center 2005 on it. 
The laptop got a virus and spacked out, but i managed to save most of his personal data. As i was recording the office 2003 product key i also noticed the windows product key wasnt the same as the COA Label. strange.... 
 
I type the product key that was being used by the laptop in google and got a few hits. Its called an Acer royalty key.  
 
When i install windows it wont accpet the product key on the COA label or this royalty key.  
 
My question is: What is a royalty key? 
 
Thanks Chris
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John 
Member 
 
Registered: 30th Jun 03
 
User status: Offline 
 
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Are you using an oem disc or a disc you normally use? 
 
They key on the bottom will only work with a certain type of disc. 
 
The key on the COA label also won't have been used to install windows originally, the oem discs install without a key when they detect the bios, it'll just come up with the standard acer key which will be the royalty one.
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Cheese Man Chris 
Member 
 
Registered: 25th Sep 07
 Location: Leeds                      Drives:1.2 Merit 
User status: Offline 
 
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This is first time I've ever had a media center system. 
 
I saw the words royalty key and was like WHHHAAAT! 
Website i found had a list of them for all pc manurfactures, so confused me. 
 
Makes sence what you say John, so i'll have to find a retail edition that works with this COA or change the pid number on my disk. 
 
Cheers
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John 
Member 
 
Registered: 30th Jun 03
 
User status: Offline 
 
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A retail edition won't work with the COA, only an OEM one, probably from acer, possibly generic oem.
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