Sorry don't know your name but,
Go back to stupid Best Buy. Not applicable to yell @ Microsoft. How much did you pay for the disc you bought from them? An Upgrade disc retail box is $70. The System Builder version is I think, if they are even on shelves now is well over $100. Price is an indication; what did you pay for it. Plus should have Upgrade written on its box OR on the disc; if it's an Upgrade... @ least that was the case in the past. I'll admit I've not had a box copy in my hand.. we've been using burn DVDs after downloading the .ISO This is an Upgrade & we've been doing cleans from there. See if you would answer the questions I ask, please. Read on...
Plus, I'm having a hard time making sense out of this because we've been doing clean installs w/ Upgrades 'all day long'. The Key is usually on the disc case or inside the case that is in the box.
And David is quite right. You are not buying the disc, you are buying the License. The Key represents that license.
If you are sure you have what you paid for either get BB to sort it out or call MS. I'll give you the #...
Did you put it on a new/blank HDD?
The number is 1-877-426-6010 Wait for the prompts.
Please, tell me more (details) about what you were putting it on & how you were doing it. Describe the PC & its history
All the OS SKUs are on the discs... the KEY denotes what license has been purchased.
Cheers,
Drew