Was looking to see if there was a deal of any games and came across this.
Purchased plenty of keys from this site in the past and never had an issue.
If the pro version isn't for you, the home edition is also available ($17.92AUD):
http://www.gamesdeal.com/windows-10-home.html
Mod Edit: Affiliate links are not permitted
i think that goes without saying
No need to wait everyone knows already…
and yet people keep posting them as bargains…
i think the rule is that if your wallet isnt hurting to the tune of $100 for home and $160 for Pro AND its from a legit source like HN or JN etc. or digital river or a synnex ingram micro reseller then its not legit.
You're paying money to achieve the same level of legitimacy as a pirated copy of Windows… How smart.
proof?
If you use a pirated Windows you are breaking TOS. OEM licences are for new machines only and must be purchased with and installed on the machine. So if you intend to install it on another machine, like your current PC (like most considering this deal), you are breaking TOS. Therefore you are simply paying money to effectively achieve the same thing as a pirated copy.
The difference is, a pirated copy requires a hack or otherwise MS knows it's not legit.
An OEM license installed on a non-qualifying system is not detected by MS as illegitimate, and therefore does not require any hacks. Your OEM license even though it breaks TOS will never get disabled because you didn't install it on a new machine. They can't tell. As far as MS can see, it is legit. Their TOS does not override civil/criminal law. i.e. you can't be prosecuted in court for illegal activity, if you installed a legit OEM key on a PC that MS doesn't want you installing it on. But it would never get to that stage because MS can't tell what machine you installed it on and have too much on their plate to even care.
When you use a pirated copy of Windows, you're not just breaking TOS, you're breaking the law (not that the government will go after you, but MS can, albeit unlikely).
@lostn: There's no such law as copyright infringement is a civil offense (if it's not for profit or commercial volumes). While breaching the TOS is also a civil offense they have very limited recourse.
Buying a copy through "the wrong channels" is nothing like piracy rather it's (usually) simply taking advantage of the global marketplace which is exactly what companies like Microsoft do with manufacturing or tech support and so on…well except that consumers generally don't funnel the money through dodgy channels to minimise their tax so really you're not just on par with them by doing it you're on the moral high ground. F' 'em.
@lostn: PayPal -may- offer some relief, eg, if what you get+install ever (ie, within PayPal's buyer-protection period of… How Long?) stops working.
(IF I were MicroSoft, I'd let it work UNTIL just AFTER PayPal's protection ended + a week, for good measure.)
PS If these "Hot Random Keys" -aren't- REMOVED from Microsoft's list (ie, when you buy them), there's a chance "your Key" may stop working when a duplicate shows up, eg, at a future boot-up (after you have lotsa software+data installed)… costing you Time + maybe the (then) purchase-price of "genuine" MS product to replace it with.
OTOH, you're ALSO -likely- "rewarding" someone's (low-paid? employee or team) for learning how to examine machine code, in order to write a generator of "Hot Random Keys" that will unlock OEM Win 10.
PS How large is the "Digital Download" you'd need to do? And… how can you be SURE it's not been tampered with, eg, to grab Login-Details EACH TIME you do Online Banking?
I'm NOT sayin' DON'T… I'm saying: "Know the Risks"
& maybe consider some of the Cooperative alternatives; eg:
Why not visit DistroWatch.com & pickup an EQUALLY FREE Open Source licensed flavor of Linux, FreeBSD, etc. & join a Community of Helpful & Talented People, who charge you ZILCH to help you solve any problems you may face?
PS 2: Do any our fav servers - eg, HP MicroServers (-36, -40, &/or newer versions) include:
"DirectX 9 compatible video card with:
- WDDM 1.0 driver and
- Screen resolution of at least 800 x 600"…?
IF Not, where can we get Graphics "plug-ins" for uSerers, that are compatible with Win 10…?
Microsoft isn't going to do shit. So who cares?
@IVI: The digital download can be dowloaded from microsoft - this is just a key. While I use Linux on my desktop, I still need windows to run adobe products (yes I've tried many Open Source alternatives but find the workflow terrible). Since I use my laptop for a lot of casual use, and windows on my desktop for editing, I don't find that I use Linux on my desktop very often.
Same logic works for
The shopkeeper isn't going to do shit. So who cares?
or
Her mother isn't going to do shit. So who cares?
It is about whether people choose to do the right thing or just do (or not do) things that other people "cares".
@lostn: Is installing it on a VM (e.g., on a Mac) considered an OEM install? I no longer run Windows on VMs, but curious if this is considered a legitimate use of the licence.
@itbargainhunter:
The difference is that there is nothing wrong with this, its not like you are stealing. It's only against the TOS not the law.
Eeeh nah. TOS breaking, chance of some day being revoked? Yes. But not stolen or illegally generated. And importantly, not a potentially modified ISO from a pirate site loaded with god knows what.
This is indeed a smart way to buy Windows, especially if you're maintaining several machines. Been doing it for years, easily a dozen keys bought from Win7 through to now. No issues. Just bargains.
same …. download the ISO from Microsoft so it's clean and activate with cheap OEM key.
OEM is for system builders, and idea is that you go back to who built the system for support, e.g dumb questions, etc.
So all you loose with OEM is support from the Microsoft help line …… and I don't think I'd pay extra for that level of support.
They are real keys though? Not keygen made/other hack so a bit more legitimate than pirating
No keygens that produce a serial and will activate successfully exist afaik. There wouldn't be cracks to bypass activation if there was…
I've been wondering for 20 years ever since CD keys were introduced for games why a keygen can't generate a legit key. They generate keys that allow the game to be installed but not play online.
Is it because each legit key has to be put on a white list on the back end? Or is it because the keygens just aren't smart enough to make a key that not only installs but can play online? Theoretically, could a keygen generate a key that coincidentally happens to be the same key as a genuine key that happens to be on the shelf (or purchased by someone else already)?
Well yeah, as you generate keys you put them on a whitelist. Or, batches of keys are "known genuine". In one case, a famous (real) key beginning with FCKGW was leaked for XP, and subsequently blacklisted.
And as for "accidentally" generating a real key - possible, just mathematically very very very unlikely.
You've got no idea what a keygen is.
dont kids get this software for free at school?
Not Windows, but Office yes. For free Windows, need to be in approved tertiary education institution.
That's correct….
For schools, students normally get Office 365 and it's a subscription based license.
For Uni students, they can have the option to choose various versions of Windows through DreamSpark - this is the old name and it changed to something else…
It's onthehub now.
OnTheHub is a different system to DreamSpark. DreamSpark was renamed to Microsoft Imagine and is for students for development and learning purposes. OnTheHub is the system that gives students of education institutions that have Microsoft Volume Licensing, access to some software through the Home Use Program (HUP).
Source: Worked in education IT for many years.
Yes. This. You just need a public school email address.
I bought my copy of Windowws 10 Pro for about $65 thanks to my tertiary education e-mail. Definitely not free! That being said, I received a free laptop when I was in high school and we got access to something similar to DreamSpark which gives you keys for most of their software. I got a free key for Win 7 Ultimate and was able to upgrade to Win 10 Pro for free from that.
I actually had to rebuild an old pc and I just downloaded the free WIN 10 image from Microsoft and used my original windows 7 serial number to validate it. This was back in November 2016 but I can only hope that method is still working even though it supposedly stopped back around July 2016.
@danielh is correct. Two days ago, I did the same thing on a machine that had Win7 installed - I installed Win10 Pro and activated it using the Win7 key that was printed on the sticker on the PC's case. No problems at all.
How does this work? Does that mean all windows 7 keys can be used to activate windows 10? What about windows 8 keys?
I assume that this will also be ok. Officially before July 2016 you could simply upgrade to windows 10 for free. The same for any install of the WIN 10 ISO provided you had a windows 7/8 serial number.
This was supposedly stopped in July 2016 (with a few exceptions like the one for disabled people) but in practice you can still activate your win 10 installations using the older version keys.
@Autonomic:
Anyway, to all those negging, why would that comment be so negged?
That's just my opinion, and one with well founded reasons supported by many others.
Windows 8 is stable, yet Win 10 is extremely intrusive, utilising hundreds of ways in which to steal your data.
I'm not a serious or hardcore user and I think windows 8 is the worst windows ever released.
. It's torturous
"Windows 10 is spying on almost everything you do" http://bgr.com/2015/07/31/windows-10-upgrade-spying-how-to-o…
"Microsoft Admits Windows 10 Automatic Spying Cannot Be Stopped" http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/11/02/microsoft…
What have you got on your computer that you dont want Microsoft (or maybe the Federal Police) to see?
@Cheap Charlie:
Lol. That Old chestnut, the tin foil hat.
Would you suppose private business information would have advantages of being suddenly silently whisked off company computers to who knows where and under what security?
@chyawala: Win 8 sucks donkeys balls. And anyone who says 8.1 fixed everything and is the same as 10 clearly hasn't used it.
I'm fairly sure it's all fearmongering. One vague line in the ToS for their online services (not their OS it seems) isn't evidence. If there's evidence I'll change my mind and switch OSes entirely, but until then I'm not gonna buy into it.
If you are technical enough to disable some defaults, windows 10 isn't intrusive.
If you aren't technical enough, then go with the defaults.
Windows 10 defaults are probably keeping a lot of machines up to date with a virus checker (Defender) that the owners would probably neglect other wise.
@garage sale:
Quote, "Unfortunately, not all tracking options can be turned off and Microsoft can't do anything about it even if it wanted to"
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/102542/20151103/microsoft-…
To try disable telemmetry you may need to use Win10 specific anti spyware, and or a blocked hosts/router level rules.
Comparison of 17 different Windows 10 Privacy tools http://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/14/comparison-of-windows-10-pr…
@hellohello123: Funny, I'm a pretty hardcore user and am choosing to buy another copy of win 8.1 over win 10 as it's simply better.
You must be put off by the whole 'metro' interface, I just boot to desktop mode, never use a metro app, be provided with a stable os (never once BSOD), faster than win 7, can turn off updates (unlike 10), am not being spied on (unlike 10).
Win 8 is great imo.
I never got a BSOD or anything like that, but Ibought a win 8 laptop and a tablet and I actually avoided using both of them,
the app store was terrible
the layout initially I thought was the best thing since sliced bread, but the practicality was no good,
I came from XP , and treid to go back to it so but unfortunately it didnt work anymore ,so I used win 10 and its really good
in fact one of my laptops is win 8 but I installed a win10 shell, and its perfect
@hellohello123: Sounds to me like you got bummed out overly on the app store. Yes metro is fail, yes the app store is garbage, but in the end it's just a FEATURE of win 8, not the be all and end all. So many ppl define win 8 with the app store, that's crazy. It's still a lighting fast and highly customisable desktop OS (with less restrictions than 10).
These days I use Metro as a nice quick launch for desktop apps and folders.
I too came from XP to 8, and I have many friends who have 10 who constantly moan about this thing or that thing about it. I'll stick to 8.
PS they even gave the complainers win 8.1 that gave the start button back, not that I really missed it…
You can disable updates in Windows 10.
While there are people who liked 8, it received "mixed reviews" and performed poorly on many measures relative to 7 and 10.
@surethang: Keen to know more, not being a dick but can u site your references?
So far (and I read just last week) that win 10 updates are still forced. YES you CAN disable them, but it has mixed success depending upon user and system. I have a friend who has to kill the process manually :|
This from just a few days ago so leads me to believe its still an issue; http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/12/microsoft-might-finally-ki…
And I was under the impression if you have a SSD then Win 8 is far superior to 7 as it was built around this tech than win 7 was not.
I was led to believe 8 was more secure and far more stable, faster and less BSOD than 7, so once again if u could site your sources to back up the claim that 8 is the weakest between 7-10 I would like to read that.
Most web articles on disabling Windows 10 Update will tell you to shut down the Update Service. Unfortunately, that's not enough because there are scheduled tasks that'll just restart it and do the PITA forced automatic reboot. So you have to disable those schedules as well… and possibly do other things depending on your set-up and needs.
For most people, if you're just looking to stop forced automatic updates (i.e., still do updates, but at your preferred time), this is all you need:
https://techjourney.net/permanently-disable-prevent-automati…
performed poorly on many measures
Ahhh apologies for the ambiguity, but I wasn't referring to technical performance. I was talking about user satisfaction and related measures like licences sold, sales revenue, returns, roll-backs, etc. The general consensus is that Windows 7 was received with "critical acclaim," Windows 10 was "mostly positive," and Windows 8 was "mixed" at best (as I mentioned).
While many pundits go further and label Windows 8 a flop (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=windows+8+failure), it actually sold relatively well (http://www.forbes.com/sites/tonybradley/2014/03/28/dont-beli…)
@surethang: Yeh, the reception Win 8 got was poor and really soley to do with 2 things;
1) Metro (and the app store sucking)
2) Removal of the Start Button
Regular joe public could not see windows 8 beyond these two things, because they were incredibly visual and therefore ignored much of the 'regular desktop' win 8 aspect.
As i said, they're just a couple of features of Win 8 (and 8.1 even put the Start Button back, albeit too late… the damage was done, the public too institutionalized).
I actually liked what MS tried to do, merge a desktop AND tablet interface in one OS, they almost managed it too if it weren't for (profanity) up the app store. They needed to be very aggressive and move fast on this, make it super attractive for developers, but they didn't and it cost them big time.
Still… metro isn't just about apps, I hit the windows key and start typing for what i want, or use as a simple quick launch, it's not all bad.
Win 8 is worst case scenario a better desktop environment than win 7. Win 10 is only getting well received BECAUSE metro is gone, so stupid. Win 10 (to me) is like win 8 with big brother watching and forcing the user more and more into a close 'Apple like' ecosystem.
A few moments just activated a fresh W10 with a W7 key off a defunct box after researching the comment above. I had to install without a key and then go to settings and activate. From the interwebs it seems MS is quietly allowing this though they could turn it off anytime with a metaphorical click of a button.
Thanks @danielh!
Brought a laptop off gumtree and think the owner gave me a fake windows and the stupid window 8 activation kept popping up. Buying this and downloading the window image, would be a solution?
you would need to install Win10 Pro and hope this key doesnt get caught out a few months down the track.
Almost certainly not a legal one! (and you would quite possibly have issues down the track anyway)
the plus side is that you could possibly get a refund if it doesnt work
the website can choose to ignore you outside of paypal refund periods though
Windows 10 is available for different prices in different markets. A 3rd world country cannot afford the prices that we pay, so Microsoft adjust the price accordingly. Therefore the sellers of these cheap Keys have purchased them at the cheaper price and are on-selling them to make a profit. Nothing Pirated, nothing illegal, just a cheap copy of windows.
You can say that but its not an argument that they themselves even make….
Hmm. Microsoft Kenya sells Win 10 Pro for KSh 24,999.00 or AUD $337. That's even more expensive than we pay.
Years ago I used to have access to lots of XP licences because the company was buying PC's with XP licences, then building them with the corporate SOE - so never activating the XP licence. It wouldn't surprise me if some enterprising person was doing something similar with these.
This might be the case but I would think a MSDN, Visual Studio Professional will make a much higher margin for those kind of business…It's just simply more practical. You can find a lot of sellers on reddit website.
PS: I paid myself VS Professional for around $750 each year and I can get 5 Windows CD-KEYs for each version of the windows (but not including the MS Office due to the level of my subscription). MS mentioned the subscriber can get additional keys if they really need to.
There are sooooo many different version of Windows 10 - I had a quick look and it seems I can get the total number of 71 keys just for Windows 10. If someone can sell all of them for even $10 each, they will cover all of the cost for MSDN.
There are a lot more product that is valuable, for example, the latest version of Windows Server 2016 (Standard and Datacentre).
I have access to pretty much everything on the MSDN system
the perks of being a managed IT Vendor :)
Its great having over 500 keys for Server 2012 / 2016 (various flavours)
Activation is a real cinch too
it may not necessarily be a fake windows install. just not an activated one. from windows 7 to 10. you can install any of them without serial numbers. then you are given 30 days to activate it.
Where did they acquire these non activated keys from?
It wil let you install without a serial number. You can try it for yourself. You dont have to take my word for it. All it will say is that the copy of windows you have is not activated.
they are OEM keys, if you are a manufacturer of PCs you get them cheap as there is no fancy packaging, and Microsoft expects you to support users questions.
You can install windows from the Microsoft site where they provide the ISO, but later it will start prompting you for activation, and you probably want to be receiving patches and updates with no prompting to activate.
bought*
How old is the laptop? If it is newish the key's could be installed in the UEFI. IIRC newer computers have this installed in the UEFI so you can reinstall without a key.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
So the question is, should I get this to install in a new PC or should I get the real deal?
Don't you have a windows 7 or 8 license?
Negative. Bought a barebone PC so will have to do a clean install
So what have you decided to do? Am I reading it right that you can't install this on a barbones PC or one that is not activated? I have an old Windows 7 PC in the shed with the latter.
@OldBugger: I think I'll get this or if this deal expires I still will get an OEM version. I think it can be installed on a barebone PC.
@Taifur: all good, except for this odd occurance https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/285417?page=1#comment-4330…
@OldBugger: I did mine 2 days ago and it seemed to work ok. I didn't encounter the odd occurance you came across. Anyway, in a roundabout way it seemed to work for both of us!. Thanks OP
I would go with this. I don't think you have to re-install if it turns out bad, just have to purchase another legitimate key. Best case scenario you only pay $25. Worst case you pay full price + $25. Alternate case is that you have to pay $25 every few months as the keys get disabled (so you could probably get 5 years of re-licencing for the price of one key from MS). Sounds like a fair gamble to me.
Anyone else getting this error after paying with paypal?
We would like to inform you that your order has been blocked by our security system and your transaction is“pending payment verification.”To unblock your purchase, please do the following phone verification steps:
Step 1: Please input your phone no. (only digits / no special characters) and click the "Call me" button.
Step 2: You will receive a call shortly with your Verification Code.
Step 3: Input the VerificationCode that you received.
Our Verification Phone NO.: +15167145101 or +4940401198954
How can order be blocked, yet they still debited my account…wtf
Yeah, they still emailed it straight away though; verification wasnt necessary.
IE: I put in my phone number but was one digit out and it didnt phone me. Then after 5m got an email with the two serial numbers.
Both activated fine; were fresh installs of Win10 on new machines (MacbookPro bootcamp + gaming machine).
Cool thanks, got the email :)
I didnt even do that, I just waited a tad longer and an email came. My email with my code came in a different language.. German I think O.o
Ditto.
As MorriJ noted, license email.
well if you're really gonna buy there seems to be a 3% off code : GD3%off
so $23.84
Almost makes up for the paypal fee…
bought before seeing this :(
You can still get windows for free with a legitimate key using the build 10130 trick.
Download build 10130, sign up for fast ring status and get a legitimate key.
Obviously, this is a loophole but the loophole still exists. You don't even need windows xp/vista/7/8.x
You simply install a beta build of windows 10, and upgrade to the final release.
http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/windows-xpvista-to…
is this "final release" that you are referring to still enrolled as part of the fast ring?
Doesn't have to be. Your choice.
install 10130 with bios date changed amd network disabled, apply slui command. enable network. Change preferences. Done.
Thanks for that. I will try this out.
Now trying to find build 10130 to download is harder than i thought…most links do not work anymore. Any ideas anyone?
awaits the inevitable "grey market / MSDN / unofficial channel / not valid OEM" comments and arguments…