So far as I understand it, the COA is the license to use Windows 2K Pro on 
that machine.  If the seller lost the original disks, but you can obtain a 
set elsewhere, I'd say you're good to go.  If they aren't including them in 
hopes of using them on some other machine, that's between them and 
Microsoft's lawyers.
  If you want to run some other OS on the laptop, that's your choice too.

David Gillett


On 18 Apr 2006 at 14:02, Bob Lendrim wrote:

> I am considering purchase of a laptop computer on Ebay. This question
> concerns the OS. The ad states that the OS is not included and the
> computer boots to the bios. But it also says a COA for 2000 Pro is
> attached to the machine. This is what it says under Specifications: 
> 
> "Certificate of Authenticity COA: Windows 2000 Professional (Operating
> System not included, only the COA affixed to the machine.)" 
> 
> If I buy that COA with the machine, and buy or borrow a 2000 Pro CD
> somewhere, will I have the ability and the right to install, use and
> update 2000 Pro on that machine? I'm not trying to cheat Microsoft,
> just trying to understand what I can/cannot do from a practical and
> legal standpoint. Thanks, Bob 

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