LIFE-TIME GUARANTEE.
In order to upgrade your system to Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 please go here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/upgrade-product…
In order to do a clear installation of the system please use this link:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=271128
Full video guide: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki/windows8_1-w…
Legitimacy: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.gamers-outlet.net
Not if you are in vista or xp….
Only if you own a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 license.
the free version for insiders is not a real full copy. you are basically a test mule for updates
you are basically a test mule for updates
Which is different from the current regime how?
I can tell you as an MSP; as a matter of standard operating procedure I never roll-out brand new updates, service packs or roll-ups for Server 2012 R2, SBS 2008/2011, Exchange or Win7 until I test them in a sandbox or a cold replica VM and see exactly how much sh*t they break and how many workarounds are required to maintain pre-existing functionality. That is a highly common practice.
You have no idea how poorly vetted the Windows Update Catalog has been for years now. Some of the updates I've seen in the past year have had the level of QA you might have seen with the launch of Sim City or Diablo 3 or or any of those big, Triple-A gaming launch day failures. The only reason the average home user never notices is because unless Flash Player shits itself in the middle of Taylor Swift's latest music video, they can tolerate pretty much anything and brush it off as "oh it's full of porn again/my kids are downloading too many games".
John Q. "Imma Computer Whizz" has always been a guinea pig.
Context is important. Your experience with enterprise scenarios does not necessarily apply to the vast majority of PC users around.
How many of us here have had a buggy windows update brick or stuff up our computers? There'll definitely be some of us. Now, how many of us haven't? There'll probably be more, but nobody will bother to write a post saying "I installed KB309581 and had no problems!"
Likewise, how many of us here had to keep implementing workarounds to maintain pre-existing functionality? What was it?
How many of us have not had to implement any workarounds after installing Windows updates to use our computers as before?
It's easy for techs to live in a bubble and assume their experience in a specific industry applies to all 1.3 billion Windows users in the world.
My understanding is that if you upgrade a dodgy Win7 / Win8 system to Win10 that Microsoft will still class it as dodgy.
What are your thoughts on Win10?
Still using W7 also. Will you "update?"
How do you Microsoft won't secretly plan to screw you when they find out?
MS don't go after home users, most enterprise IT companies know Audits are where the big money is. NAB bank gets dobbed in for unlegit Win7, bam millions of free dollars so MS don't sue.
Warning from a guy using windows 10 for a while:
Auto update sucks big time, you can't stop that, as of the current pro 10240 built,
You can delay the update but can't stop it at some version of the thing.
On the upside, it works fine on 200 dollar tablets, 2007 era core2 with 4g ram and latest gaming rig spotting 32gb ram and 2 vga card :)
Warning from a guy using windows 10 for a while:
No offense to all of the Windows 10 users/testers … but has anyone seen this: How to temporarily prevent a Windows or driver update from reinstalling in Windows 10
And that's only on the Windows 10 Home version…
Yeh a simple reg edit can gimp the auto update I thought. I've done it on 8.1 takes ten seconds.
My hope/expectation is that that particular stupidity will be hacked out of the OS within weeks.
I fear there will be many others that make 10 a 'no touch with a 10 foot bargepole'. The curse of Ballmer remains.
That'll be a good thing for security. Hopefully they'll be extra careful about testing their updates now.
Choice is good for people who know what they're doing. I know non-tech people who are still stuck on Win 7 SP0. They're just opening themselves up to being exploited, or having their PCs turned into zombies. For them, I think forced updates is a good thing - as long as MS is extremely careful with their testing anyway.
Cheaper on Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap/
$25USD for 8.1 pro, but if you're after 10, then it's cheaper to get 7 pro.
Cheaper on Reddit:
So what, you don't neg a deal because you can find a product cheaper on a trading page.
That's where i got mine for $15 USD a couple months ago, works perfect.
Most keys sold there have a life expectancy of 3-4 months before they suddenly become non-genuine and your PC starts to lock itself down until a genuine key is then re-entered and verified online. Just have a look through the comments there.
No idea about the reddit keys, but I'm pretty sure any Microsoft OS Windows 7 and newer won't 'lock itself down' without a valid key. It bugs you to activate, but I don't think it really affects functionality.
Windows 7 & 8 continually verifies it's OS key when online. Every couple of days it will do it. The keys sold over at reddit seem to verify fine at first, then windows identifies the keys a number of months later as non-genuine & then at that stage, your verified key suddenly get's identified as "non-genuine" and then the computer locks down and your asked to re-enter a valid win7/8 key again - at which point the sellers over at Reddit will block you, refuse to re-issue you a new key and the https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap/ mod will delete comments complaining about this, too. It's the exact same reason the previous iteration of that subreddit was closed down.
@infinite:
I don't know anything about the keys sold at reddit so I'll take your word on that. My point is that not having a valid key won't lock your computer down, just cause annoyance. You get pop-ups a few times a day telling you to activate, there's a message in the corner of the desktop background saying it's not genuine which you can't change, and I think you can't download optional updates (you can still download critical/security updates) but it won't lock it down.
I had to reinstall windows on my laptop but the sticker with the product key was damaged. I'd recorded it somewhere when I first bought it, but couldn't remember where, so it was almost half a year before I actually activated it. After the trial period finished (a month I think) I got popups which, while annoying, didn't affect the functionality.
If you're prepared to deal with the popups, you can pretty much use Windows OS indefinitely without activating it.
I don't really know what my point is, just that your computer won't lock itself down.
Is this true?
Any proof?
Check out the current running mega-thread over at https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/3ez714/psa_do…
Literally 100's of affected and scammed users now with redundant and non-genuine keys (many almost exactly 90 days after activation had the keys revert to non-genuine after microsoft blacklisted the keys).
I just bought 2 licences from there (win 7 keys) from 's5ean'. Cheap and quick transaction. And you know that they are legit because of the user feedback.
Any website on the net with 'cheap' keys, could easily be a ripoff. And that's after running the website name, with the word scam, through google.
True, but there are plenty of legit people doing them for $3-5 too.
Then post the bargain!
Legit people selling legit keys cheaply?
No … but people who will not rip you off and are selling keys that will work…i.e. 100% the same as those $15 ones but for less $$$.
They are all Bizspark, MSDN, Action Pack sourced keys. They mostly show as 'retail' though if you check the license type… so how different they are to the OP's ones it's kind of hard to say.
I think it works out better to get one of the Pro N versions (generally 5-10 bucks cheaper). They don't have media player etc installed but you can install it yourself anyway. They'll update to windows pro 10 as well
Silly question here from someone who has lost track of all the windows versions. I currently have a legit Win 7 with Media Centre, I want a legit Win 8 with Media Center I'm not a student whats my cheapest place to get it from? also I would assume that I would need to stick with 8 and not update to 10 because 10 does not have media center(right???)
Didn't the mod deleted the link to https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap/
last time due to illegal reasons?
Microsoft is fairly well known for aggressively shutting down and/or suing sites that are complicit in distributing illegitimate keys. The whole /r/microsoftsoftwareswap was created by individuals who used to sell illegitimate Microsoft products in /r/softwareswap, but after Microsoft threatened the moderators of that subreddit with legal actions they banned the sale of Microsoft goods. The sellers there who generated MSDNAA/Dreamspark/GM Volume keys got pissed that they lost their free source of money, and created their own subreddit - that's how /r/microsoftsoftwareswap was born.
I would think that situations like that is why the link was removed. This post will be most likely also be deleted soon though, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the OP get store-banned (as he/she rightfully should) off ozbargain. Scotty isn't going to risk the Microsoft legal team coming down because some scamming key reselling website posted their "deal" here.
PSA: There is no such thing as a genuine "digital" Windows key without accompanying physical media unless you buy directly from Digital River, Microsoft or Dell.
Why are we getting so many up votes?
PSA: There is no such thing as a genuine "digital" Windows key without accompanying physical media unless you buy directly from Digital River, Microsoft or Dell.
Yes there is. It's called a Volume License key resold through middlemen who got it from Microsoft via a Volume License agreement (which I'm sure has a clause that tells them to not resell them, but they do it anyway). It's not a retail key, and it's different to the MSDN trial keys. They are genuine keys and will be accepted for activation, not supposed to be sold though.
For example
There are no "Retail" keys for Pro Plus 2013 Office. Pro Plus 2013 Office is a volume license edition exclusive. The only way they exist (you can see their type as "retail" in Microsoft's Volume Activation Management Tool) is via microsofthup, with which you can buy multiple keys if you are the point of contact for the volume licensing agreement (I saw the link to do so a while ago, when the myspace microsoft office hup deal was posted).
Microsofthup's price is $15 a key direct from Microsoft. The price on microsoftsofwareswap is $30. That's a 100% markup, most likely the reddit sellers aren't the wholesalers of the microsofthup keys. This leaves $15 to split between the wholesaler, the reddit seller and any other middlemen involved.
Their source of keys will come from Digital River (got renamed to something else last time i checked), or from Microsoft. They are just middlemen.
To check the legitimacy of a key, you can find instructions to install VAMT from microsoft here https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh825184.aspx
Add the key and check what type of key it is.
Incorrect. Organisations are explicitly told that they are not supposed to resell VLK keys as this is against the terms of the VLK agreements. The license you gain with the key is considered illegitimate and/or non-genuine if you purchase a VLK key for personal use. Technet keys, MSDNAA/Dreamspark keys, academic keys and volume keys all fall under this banner. It's no different from piracy except for the fact you're paying money for an illegitimate product.
That VAMT tool that you linked isn't very useful too. It's fairly typical for other not-for-sale keys such as MSDN licenses appear as VLK keys, making the tool redundant for the purpose you're thinking of.
Sigh.
Organisations are explicitly told that they are not supposed to resell VLK keys as this is against the terms of the VLK agreements. The license you gain with the key is considered illegitimate and/or non-genuine if you purchase a VLK key for personal user.
I don't think you've used VAMT before have you? In the Description field, it will say MSDN if its a MSDN key, Retail if its a "retail" key, Office15_(ProductHere)VL_MAK for Volume License Multiple Activation keys. I'm not disputing it's against the agreement, or if it is considered illegitimate. But they are still "genuine" keys that will be recognised by the microsoft activation server.. obtained through an illegitimate method.
P.S., the keys that have been blocked come up as "The activation server reported that the product key has been blocked" in VAMT, this usually happens to Volume License MAK type keys leaked on the internet. If you activate a copy of your office with one BEFORE it is blocked, your copy of Office (Volume License edition) stays activated.
The Retail Office Pro Plus 2013 keys are obtained via MicrosoftHUP or buying in bulk via MicrosoftHUP.
It's no different from piracy except for the fact you're paying money for an illegitimate product.
Well, I guess you can prosecute the people who took advantage of this "deal" then, the ones who used a hotmail account anyway
Here too
Also, it is slightly different from piracy. You get automatic updates from Microsoft because their server recognises your product as genuine :D
I'm sure their lawyers don't and you won't either.
Have a read through the comments in there.
Heaps of people being scammed by verified sellers & their comments about it are being deleted by the only active mod - who happens to be the biggest seller. A mod-post went up (& then got pulled down) about a day or so telling people to quit harassing sellers about not receiving keys - even though they were waiting for up to a week or never getting them at all. The posts came flooding in about keys only lasting 90 days before windows updates rendering them non-genuine and all sorts of other problems, then the sellers were refusing to refund or re-issue legit keys. Complaint posts are being persistently deleted in all verified seller threads, too.
Stacks of the user comments complimenting the main seller and only active mod (/u/s5ean) have post histories of like 5 random comments and no history, either. People have even started pointing the comments out.
TL/DR - avoid the place like the plague.
I wouldn't give a redditor a single cent of mine.
I'd rather pay $100 more somewhere else than to deal with that "community". Worst website of all time.
Second that, I bought a Windows 8.1 legit key for USD 25 few weeks ago and now it's ready to upgrade to 10
P.S. Even cheaper is the stickers under old laptops with windows 7 OEM key stickers on it. They all have windows 7, but the ones they pre-install in the factory are NOT the same key as the one on the sticker.
For windows 7 laptops, they install a "SLP" key, that can only activate if the BIOS has a certificate in it. Interesting fact, the virtual certificate in the BIOS can activate ANY SLP key. Why do they do this? You think the factory workers type in a different key for every laptop built? Ain't nobody got time fo that!
So if you have a factory image of Windows 7 Home premium (OEM), you can enter a Windows 7 Ultimate SLP key into Windows Anytime upgrade and it will accept and upgrade it!
P.s. You can only do this with pre-built computers that have the certificate installed in the BIOS. Apparently there is a way to spoof a certificate, but I've never tried it. Successfully upgraded every laptop I've laid my hands on, from Windows 7 home premium OEM to Windows 7 Ultimate for free.
Don't know if the trick works or not on pre-built windows 8 computers.
TLDR: Windows 7 keys on stickers located the bottom Windows 7 laptop are UNUSED OEM keys that could potentially be installed and used to obtain a windows 10 upgrade :)
Does this installation give you the option to pick a language such as Chinese?
Available Languages for the product: Russian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Czech, Polish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and dr.Russian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Czech, Polish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and others.
Thanks. So during installation you can select the language to install?
Or is this a language pack that you install afterwards?
The license keys are not language specific. Just download the iso for whichever language you wish to install.
windows 8.1? no thanks. I'll take my windows 10 tomorrow. :^)
Why neg the deal?
You will still need a Windows7/8.1 license to upgrade to Windows 10. If you have Windows 8.1 Core you are going to get Windows 10 Core. If you want to get Windows 10 Pro you will need Windows 8.1 Pro.
Is this even a legit version? If too good to be true, it usually is…
I bought the Media Centre crossgrade of Win 8.1, a screwed up version that won't activate.
Hi Phunky,
This is a legit version of the 8.1 OS. We are buying a big stock and the bigger qty, the lower the price :)
You can see our reviews here: http://trustpilot.com/review/www.gamers-outlet.net and decide yourself if you feel comfortable with us.
So they are not msdn licences?
Exactly. These are retail cdkeys, non OEM/MSDN.
No way that these are legit retail Windows 8.1 Pro cd keys for $38.60.
Legit Windows 8.1 Pro retail goes for about $240.
So this license comes with Microsoft support since it is retail? Are you sure about that.
For these prices, they have to be MSDN. And there's no way to be certain MS will recognize these keys as legit for the purpose up Win 10 upgrades.
I think I'm going to wait a week to see if anyone successfully got the upgrade.
This is bullshit. Computer stores buy in large quantity too. You're full it.
I did a dumb thing, can anyone help? Last month i upgraded my licenses windows 7 to an unlicensed 8.1. The 7 key is on a sticker under my laptop. Is there any way I can upgrade to 10 by just registering on a web site and then upgrading? My HP did not come with the windows 7 media. how can i get to 10 using my 7 license?
here - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery
You can create a Windows 7 DVD or USB and reinstall it.
when you download win7 from this site, does it include SP1 or just the basic win7 software?
Does it have a recovery partition? If so you should be able to revert to a clean Windows 7.
With these codes we can download the full ISO to a DVD or USB Thumb drive from those links provided correct???
Exactly :)
says out of stock
We will restock in an approximately 1 hour. Seems like many people here needed a license so it sold too fast :(
Back in stock ;)
Is this upgradeable to Windows 10 when it is available?
I assume it is the full version of Windows 8.1
Correct! You can use it to upgrade to WIN10 when its available!
If anybody is trying to add a key in to a 'special' Windows 7 to make it a little more legal and can't because their special version is missing the place where you would normally activate Windows you can try using command prompt to install the license.
Open admin rights command prompt and use:
slmgr.vbs -ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
If that fails because it does not know what slmgr.vbs is, hacked versions can be missing this, then try good old:
sfc /scannow
To repair then try and run the slmgr.vbs command again to install your new license. Gone through that process a few times with people recently…
Don't know if this works for Windows 8 too… but I am sure there is an equivalent if not.
Great post! I was wondering, if I've got a 'special' version of W7 installed and I want to get a proper key, will it accept any of the other ones (home premium, home basic)? Trying to figure out the most effective way to get to 10 legit.
You can often go up a level with your key, see the next post down about that… But you generally can't go down. So if you had Ultimate installed you would have to get an Ultimate key as you could not knock it back down to home.
Run "slui 3" in the start menu as admin to get to entering the key.
I'm using Win 8.1 at the moment. Can I use this key to upgrade it to 8.1 Pro in place of buying a Pro Pack for $99? Or, does anyone know where I can buy a cheap Pro Pack key?
Run command prompt in admin with command:
dism.exe /online /Get-TargetEditions
This will tell you which, if any, your version can be upgraded to.
You can then use dism command with the /Set-Edition tag and new product key to upgrade to any of those editions.
For Example:
dism.exe /online /Set-Edition:ProfessionalWMC /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula
Is this OEM or Retail version???
Retail.
I want to buy a key BUT before I do… Some guy on reddit said he was able to use his Windows 8.1 Pro key on a Windows 10 clean install. Does anyone know if this key will work on a Windows 10 final RTM product? I much prefer doing a clean install of Win10, then upgrade from Win 8.1.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/39kert/psa_you_c…
yes, would also like to know. Don't want anything to do with W8.
Hi guys, I've tested it and it's not a valid Windows 10 key, and appears to be blocked for activation.
See below images.
http://i.imgur.com/Ajf6Uas.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/Vsglvjx.jpg
It upgraded fine to Windows 8.1, but seems to have problems with Windows 10.
I'm having similar problems to that mentioned in this article… http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/07/how-to-do-a-clean-ins…
Any help OP?
I am confused by the type of license this is.. and have likely fallen behind the times on types of licenses nowadays as this is the first I am hearing of MSDN.
So, which are these? Full retail? OEM? MSDN?
Also, am I correct in assuming that for a home user, a MSDN licence would be technically a little shady to use across 2 rigs, and it's intention is to be used by professionals to test systems/not for home and personal use?
aren't there free upgrades to windows 10 around?
No, unless you want to be a permanent tester.
Assuming you don't have a legit Win 7 or Win 8, which is why you're looking at this deal now, right?
Actually I have legit Win 7. I was just looking, as any good ozbargainer should, too see whether I could save myself or anybody I know some dollars. :)
Don't understand the downvote though. Maybe they didn't like the tone of your last line.
![[PC] Windows 8.1 Pro 32/64bit for US$28.2 / A$38.6 @ Gamers Outlet](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/06/204806.jpg?h=9dbfbf39)
Msdn licenses? If not would be a good time to buy for the upgrade to Windows 10 pro as you can turn off auto updates