One of my clients returned to me a Dell Latitude laptop that runs Windows 7 Pro with an OEM product key (bad motherboard).
Now, I have a laptop that is the same model (it is already set up with Windows and all, but that doesn't matter), so I took the HDD from the old machine and put it in the one I have so that all the user's data and settings will be there and I don't have to move any files.
My problem is that now I need to change the product key to match the COA on the new machine. But Windows says it is activated (with the COA from the old machine) and does not provide me with the "Change Product Key" link that is usually in the System Properties panel.
I am afraid that, given time, Windows will realize that it's OEM key doesn't match the motherboard it is in and then starts complaining that it isn't genuine.
Funny thing is that the Product ID is correct! That is, if I use NirSoft's Produkey application, the Product ID it reports matches the one in the System Information. System Information doesn't tell me the Product Key, however, and doesn't offer me the link so I can change it to match the one on the COA sticker for that machine.
How can I change the product key - or do I need to? Or can I mix and match product keys for Dell Latitude e5520 laptops?
[update]
I just discovered that the product key of the old laptop does not match it's own OEM sticker. That's weird. It's like Windows makes up it's own product key or something.
[update]
I confirm that the Product Key that was used by the old computer is the same as the one used on the new computer.
Also, I have a third identical machine and it shares the exact same Windows PID as the other two in question, and neither does this machine show the "Change Product Key" link; and it is factory.