Steve Jobs\’s blog

Types of Vista Product Key
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Vista Product Keys are split into 3 major groups, Retail, OEM(SLP, NONSLP, COA) and VLK (MAK, GVLK, CSVLK)

Retail - What can be purchased in shops or online
Suported by Microsoft. Needs activation by phone or online.

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer (more info here)
(i.e., shipped with a new computer). OEM editions are distributed and supported by an OEM (not Microsoft)

OEM:SLP - (System Locked Pre-installation) These keys are preinstalled by the OEM. Data embedded in the BIOS (SLIC), is used to validate the key. SLP keys will work with any OEM SLP system, regardless of the OEM system’s brand. This are the only keys that are able to bypass activation that is, perform offline activation without contacting Microsoft.

OEM:NONSLP - (Non System Locked Pre-installation) Similar to Retail, but distributed and supported by an OEM. Needs activation by phone or online.

OEM:COA - (Certificate of Authentication) (more info here) The OEM:COA (for Vista that comes with a OEM:SLP key pre-installed by OEM) key would be required if a reinstallation is needed, the COA should be affixed to the body of the computer. Needs activation by phone or online.

VLK - Volume Licensing Key (more info here)
Activation done online via KMS server.

VLK:MAK - Multiple Activation Key

VLK:GVLK - Group Volume License Key

VLK:CSVLK - Microsoft Customer Support Volume License Key

Product Key Group IDs thanks to UnfocusedOne
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Each key is associated with a GroupId. Each edition of Vista belongs to one of these 3 groups (142, 144, or 146). (more info here)

Group ID 142:

Ultimate (Retail)
Business (Retail)
Business N (Retail)
Home Basic (Retail)
Home Basic N (Retail)
Home Premium (Retail)
ALL Volume SKUs (Volume CSVLK)
ALL Volume SKUs (Volume MAK)
Business N (Volume GVLK)
Business (Volume GVLK)
Enterprise (Volume GVLK)
Enterprise (Retail)
OCUR add-on (Retail)
CODEC add-on (Retail)

Group ID 144:

Business (OEM COA)
Business N (OEM COA)
Home Basic N (OEM COA)
Home Basic (OEM COA)
Home Premium (OEM COA)
Starter (OEM COA)
Ultimate (OEM COA)

Group ID 146:

Business (OEM SLP)
Business (OEM non-SLP)
Business - D-OEM CHS & RU (OEM non-SLP)
Business N (OEM SLP)
Business N (OEM non-SLP)
Home Basic N (OEM SLP)
Home Basic N (OEM non-SLP)
Home Basic (OEM SLP)
Home Basic (OEM non-SLP)
Home Basic D-OEM CHS & RU (OEM non-SLP)
Home Premium (OEM SLP)
Home Premium (OEM non-SLP)
Home Premium D-OEM CHS & RU (OEM non-SLP)
Home Starter (OEM SLP)
Home Starter (OEM non-SLP)
Home Ultimate (OEM SLP)
Home Ultimate (OEM non-SLP)
Enterprise (OEM SLP)

Usefull Tools
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All in One: VOATK Tools

Vista Product Keyfinder: Windows PK Finder

Vista Product Key Edition Checker: Pidxchk

Related Articles
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Vista License and Product Key Terminology Part 1 - Types of Vista Product Keys and Product Key Group IDs
Vista License and Product Key Terminology Part 2 - All about Vista OEM Product Keys
Vista License and Product Key Terminology Part 3 - Vista Certificate of Authenticity (COA)
Vista License and Product Key Terminology Part 4 - Microsoft Product Activation (MPA), OEM and RETAIL Activation and Volume Activation
Vista Pre-Release Time Bomb Set To Explode - The end of Frankenbuild

source: Microsoft and my blog