Windows 10 activation hardware changes

[time]

Does anyone know what the state of play is for this, particularly if Windows 10 is an upgrade from Windows 7?

My impression is that you need to register the installation with Microsoft first, before changing either motherboard or boot drive. But some people say that if it's a 'digital' license, such as what happens with an upgrade, it is extinguished regardless as soon as you change any significant hardware.

I do have original Win 7 DVDs and license keys, if that makes a difference.

 

[Stereodude]

Was it a retail or OEM license? OEM is tied to the motherboard. Retail isn't. I'm not sure how tightly they're enforcing things these days.

 

[sechs]

It doesn't matter where your keys come from. Their mystery system will decide based on how big the change is as to whether it's still the same computer. Motherboard change is likely to cause a problem if you've made any other changes.

You can install and see if it works with your existing key. If it doesn't, keys are cheap.

 

[time]

I didn't know that keys are cheap. Can you point me to where I can get them cheap?

 

[Chewy509]

@time, cheap in the US... As you and I know, expensive in the land of Oz... (The cheapest I could find was AU$149 for Windows 10 Home x64 OEM DVD, MS official pricing is AU$225.)

I did find cheaper licenses, but all appeared "too cheap"...

 

[Stereodude]

@time, cheap in the US... As you and I know, expensive in the land of Oz... (The cheapest I could find was AU$149 for Windows 10 Home x64 OEM DVD, MS official pricing is AU$225.)

I did find cheaper licenses, but all appeared "too cheap"...

They won't take your money? https://www.goodoffer24.com/windows-10-pro-professional-cd-key-32-64-bit.html

 

[time]

"This version of Windows works only on new installed Windows. If you purchase this version, you will need to re-install your Windows."

 

[Chewy509]

The problem with those "cheap" licenses, is that you may not be sure exactly what license you are getting? Is it OEM (digital), retail (digital), a volume license key, a technet/MSDN key...

Further reading: https://www.howtogeek.com/392080/cheap-windows-10-keys-do-they-work/

 

[Stereodude]

The problem with those "cheap" licenses, is that you may not be sure exactly what license you are getting? Is it OEM (digital), retail (digital), a volume license key, a technet/MSDN key...

Further reading: https://www.howtogeek.com/392080/cheap-windows-10-keys-do-they-work/

And yet, by all accounts they work just fine. That article reads like Microsoft written FUD.

 

[sedrosken]

Well, I can't say much, because my LTSC key is one of those "too cheap" keys -- it worked just fine, and I refuse to pay hundreds of dollars for something that should be settings in the control panel, but exactly how legal is it? Were these purchased with stolen credit cards or charged back once the key was obtained? There's only a few ways someone can be selling these keys this cheaply and still making a profit margin, and none of them seem overly legitimate to me.

Hint hint, Microsoft. I'd be more than willing to pay retail for a copy of LTSC if you'd sell it for a reasonable price (i.e. maybe a little more than Pro) in actual retail channels.

 

[Stereodude]

How do you figure they're bought using stolen credit cards? That seems like quite the assumption and the facts don't seem to support that. Some private party selling keys on a forum, I could see that (maybe). They have an established online store that's been in business for some time. They would have gotten shut down by now if that was their business model.

 

[LunarMist]

I assumed they were some volume keys that are not licensed to be resold.

 

[sedrosken]

How do you figure they're bought using stolen credit cards? That seems like quite the assumption and the facts don't seem to support that. Some private party selling keys on a forum, I could see that (maybe). They have an established online store that's been in business for some time. They would have gotten shut down by now if that was their business model.

It's fairly common knowledge that's how most of the game keys are acquired for sites like G2A and Kinguin, and they've been running for years. I guess I just assumed that could be the case for this as well. Note that I also did not say that must be what's happening. It was a question and quite a legitimate one at that. One doesn't procure these keys without wondering if only for a minute or two as to their legality.

 

[sechs]

This sounds like some tin hat stuff, not "common knowledge."

The worst case scenario that I can foresee for most of these volume key sellers is that they are selling the keys in contravention of the agreement under which they acquired them. The keys themselves, however, are legitimate.

As far as Windows 10 keys... at ~US$10 a pop, if I were to get a bad one, I'd just replace it. I and several other folks here have used them without issue.

 

[LunarMist]

How do you figure they're bought using stolen credit cards? That seems like quite the assumption and the facts don't seem to support that. Some private party selling keys on a forum, I could see that (maybe). They have an established online store that's been in business for some time. They would have gotten shut down by now if that was their business model.

So if you buy diverted or stolen merchandise that's your excuse?

 

[Stereodude]

So if you buy diverted or stolen merchandise that's your excuse?

You have some evidence that it's stolen or are you just making baseless accusations?

 

[LunarMist]

I think most likely it is a volume license scam (diversion) since the price is so low.
If somebody sells you a 15K watch for 1000, it doesn't take a genius to know that something is amiss in the supply chain.

 

[Stereodude]

I think most likely it is a volume license scam (diversion) since the price is so low.
If somebody sells you a 15K watch for 1000, it doesn't take a genius to know that something is amiss in the supply chain.

So that's a no. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[LunarMist]

Everyone has different ethics.

 

[Stereodude]

Everyone has different ethics.

This has nothing to do with Ethics. They're not stolen. It's not even a physical product so your analogy makes no sense. Apparently you don't want to pay a similar amount for a Windows key that Dell or the other large computer companies pay. You'd rather pay more.