Similar to the Win 8.1 deal where it's pointed out this is not a legal way to buy an OEM licence and Microsoft have been known to revoke these keys. In that scenario it's up to you to try and get your money back from the seller http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/windows-8-1-pro-can-upgrade-windows-10-pro-16-07-play-asia-2421597?p=27722275

Does not come with free direct support from Microsoft.

Better still ...

http://www.play-asia.com/microsoft-windows-7-pro-oem-key-only/13/709gc7

Upgrade it to win 10 for free...

It's not illegal. It is against Microsoft's EULA (end-user license agreement) which contains clauses about how it must be bought as a fully-boxed version with installation media, and installed on an OEM machine. Microsoft can request these are removed from sale and refuse to supply companies in breach, for example if you try and sell a key only on eBay they will pull it as eBay and Microsoft work together to stop keys being sold this way, but it is not illegal. The police will not turn up and arrest you for it. Being in breach of the EULA however, means you have breached a legal contract between the end-user and Microsoft, and therefore Microsoft have every right to revoke the key if they find out.

It appears however that several companies work out of China/Singapore to sell keys only and Microsoft, as others, can't really do anything about it. G2Play are another big company who do it with keys for steam, and people have been buying from there for years with no issue.

Does not come with free direct support from Microsoft ???

Thanks for clearing this for me :smiley:

Better still ...

http://www.play-asia.com/microsoft-windows-7-pro-oem-key-only/13/709gc7

Upgrade it to win 10 for free...

Similar to the Win 8.1 deal where it's pointed out this is not a legal way to buy an OEM licence and Microsoft have been known to revoke these keys. In that scenario it's up to you to try and get your money back from the seller http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/windows-8-1-pro-can-upgrade-windows-10-pro-16-07-play-asia-2421597?p=27722275

Is the upgrade instant?

I know on one of my laptops (Win8.1) I get the pop-up every (sodding) time I turn it on... But if I did ever say "Yes" does it basically do it there and then?

Or does it give me a Downloadable Set-up/EXE with a Key?

Will I have the option to reset/wipe the laptop too?

No big surprise though with this type of seller. Windows licence prices are fairly fixed, anything that looks too good to be true usually is.

I'm actually surprised Hotdeals have allowed these threads given its blatantly not legal. I posted a deal about a year ago for a China based company who have an office in the UK and many others globally and trade within the law but the thread was pulled as it was a China company they didn't know

Yes,youcsn nativley use a w7 pro key inside w10. No need to have to do the upgrade malarcky. Just install w10 pro and activate with the w7 pro key.

How long after you purchase this does it have to be activated? I.e. can I buy this for a build I am going to do at Christmas?

i just bought this.. £21.77

Why even bother to upgrade to Windows 10?

got my code with in 1 min.. seems all good to me..

​I tried that way and didn't work. Called MS and they said the key is fine to use. Tried a clean install as well and also didn't work. The previous key I got from them worked fine. Went from win 7 to win 10 pro easily.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

Just download the ISO to a USB drive, but from drive and do a free fresh install of Windows 7, at activation page, should personal and not business use and it activates for free. No need to buy it all, certainly no need to buy an older version just to upgrade to Windows 10.

I used the key directly on Windows 10 and it worked straight away, no need to upgrade with the previous offer

can anyone help with a link to download the iso? i dont want to use the free tool to update my current version of windows.. thanks

It's not illegal. It is against Microsoft's EULA (end-user license agreement) which contains clauses about how it must be bought as a fully-boxed version with installation media, and installed on an OEM machine. Microsoft can request these are removed from sale and refuse to supply companies in breach, for example if you try and sell a key only on eBay they will pull it as eBay and Microsoft work together to stop keys being sold this way, but it is not illegal. The police will not turn up and arrest you for it. Being in breach of the EULA however, means you have breached a legal contract between the end-user and Microsoft, and therefore Microsoft have every right to revoke the key if they find out.

It appears however that several companies work out of China/Singapore to sell keys only and Microsoft, as others, can't really do anything about it. G2Play are another big company who do it with keys for steam, and people have been buying from there for years with no issue.

Voted hot!
Key arrived in less than 10mins, I then contacted MS to check it's a valid key.
One happy bunny :_)

Considering this breaches the software license, you might as well just pirate it - you're in no better standing by buying an illegally distributed key like this.

Dodgy has hell, but I bought 2

why?????

But...it's cheaper on key sites. And yes, fully legit.

I did the test. I bought key installed windows 10 logged into Microsoft account, then I format the hard drive and installed windows again without a key. after completion of the installation logged on Microsoft account and system recover the license
So far so good

This is OEM key for Microsoft partners one's been installed cannot be changed like on laptops

How much for windows 7 ultimate key?

So if I grab that ISO (I can burn it to a disc too right?) put it to USB (does the USB have to be blank or formatted a particular way - or just the raw ISO file sitting in there?)

Plug it in, turn computer/laptop on - it will detect Windows 10 ISO, fresh install, wipe everything and have Win10 ready to go?

(But then requiring a Serial Key to activate/validate once installed - to which I can enter one of the £7 Win7 Keys?)

Is that about the long and short of it?

PS Thanks for your help on this!

is a pirated version worse/ better than a non legitimate installation? I know which I'd prefer if I was to go one of those two routes, but I'd rather have a legitimate licenced installation.

Buy this on the understanding that MScould revoke the key at some future time. 'could'

Agree, that's explaining it in more detail. I'd argue it's still illegal, if it wasn't what value does any contract have.

Yep that correct except there is no need to acquire a serial key before hand (so no need to purchase anything) Microsoft are giving away Windows 10 free. Just install from the created memory stick or disk and at the license page choose personal use and Microsoft will auto populate the key and activate windows totally free of charge.

Not sure why people keep posting these "apparently cheap ways to get Windows 10" when it is completely free anyway, whether you have a previous version of Windows or not.

Has anyone managed to order from these guys? I have tried via paypal and with a credit card directly and both times the order has been cancelled :disappointed:

I'm agree with you
I have free upgrade on my MSI laptop but not on my custom build new pc

cant change motherboard?? WTF?

biggest big brother on the planet now win 10
just have a good look how it records your every move even down to what you print on a printer

yea and i know your gonna say if nothing to hide etc
but why should we get spied on?

These are most likely MSDN keys.

It's not an upgrade on Windows 7, which still suffices to today's demands.

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209
This downloads the Media Creation Tool - which will format a USB and do everything it needs to do to make it bootable. You can install this without a key but you'll get onscreen reminders that you haven't activated it - until you do (activate it)

Well disregarding the 200 or more other people who will have the same key when you decide to update one day you might find the license revoked

Surely this is no different from the $6 keys available on ali express, That's what I've been buying and activating for years. never had a problem.

Hi also you need to change the boot order, in the bios to usb, hard drive, cd etc
good luck

Bought a Windows 10 Pro key off Ebay for £8. Plenty available with very good feedback.

never thought it would be a problem.. hope not...

erm, it should be free

​Completely free on a clean install that isn't an upgrade from 7 or 8?

I had a Lenovo laptop today which was on Windows 8.1 and activated, upgraded it to 10 and it said it wasn't activated and that the product key was in use. There isn't a key on Windows 8 laptops printed on a sticker, so I used RW Everything to read the key from the MSDM table in the BIOS, again it wouldn't activate, tried the phone Microsoft activation didn't work and then got passed through to an Indian sounding lady, she couldn't get it to work, put me through to technical support, I waited for 15 mins then they said I've come through to USA support, I said look I phoned a UK number and they've put me through incorrectly, Indian bloke gave me an 0344 number, and by that time I thought fck this and took a Windows 7 Home Premium key off another laptop and used that to activate it.

So Windows 10 broke my activation and Microsoft couldn't help. No wonder people use loaders to activate, the only people that get screwed over at the people with a legitimate licence!

Well that wasn't overly welcome. I had it flash up that my current version wasn't activated (it's been fine for the past 5 months) and then when I rebooted the system, it installed Windows 10 home from scratch so I've lost all my settings and even the ability to use system restore.

I upgraded from win7 which was running fine with a loader. So it seems that windows are clamping down on dodgy keys, so this could well be £20 wasted as opposed to saving money on a genuine version.

Windows 10 will activate using a Windows 7 licence from a clean install, this wasn't the case with the original build 10240 that was the first release, this came in to effect on build 10586 known as the November 2015 update. Also if you have a Windows 8 machine the key is usually in the MSDM table in the BIOS, so Windows 10 doesn't even ask for the key on a clean install, it just finds the key from the motherboard and uses that to activate automatically. How do I know this? I install about 20-30 laptops a week as part of my job.

People still pay for a windows license?

I updated from win7, otherwise I wouldn't be able to activate win10 - you can't just input the key from your old install, well not unless things have changed since I did the install.

"Should"? It "did", but now for some reason, it doesn't. That's what I don;t understand. I tried going back to the win7 install that's still on my pc and that was showing up as non genuine at that point - I'd uninstalled the offending update and all had been fine.

I've since gone in and used to command prompt SLMGR /REARM and it's up and running. If I remember correctly, this was the method I used to keep it showing as activated, I don't remember about the loader.

The thing is, I've not logged onto win7 for ages, and hadnt today.

still a pretty good price for a new os

​yes, I've installed it on 4 laptops, not as an upgrade, just fresh install from ISO in my link and windows activated on each one automatically for free

Ironically using a well known (whiter than white) loader, to activate windows 7 & then upgrading to windows 10 will give you a genuine digital key that means you could then install Windows 10 from an iso or usb stick etc as many times as you wanted, & have full end user support, whereas with this there is a question mark over end user support.

The point was Windows 10 still has issues as far as I am concerned.

You absolutely can use a Windows 7 key to install Windows 10 in the Windows 10 setup, this is using the November 2015 10586 build of Windows 10, there's no doubt in this, I install 20-30 laptops every week, I know exactly what I'm telling you is correct. You more than likely are using an out of date Windows 10 installation.

Voted cold as not genuine as breaking terms.

Where do you work?

Installed successfully. You need to select windows 10. Initially I selected windows 10N and it said invalid key.

slmgr/ rearm ? Sounds like you have been using that old trick to continuously renew a Windows 7 trial.

Anyone tried this?

You may get a temporary Windows 10 till Microsoft decides to pull the plug on you. No thank you

As people mentioned not illegal as no crime has been comitted, perhaps unlawful as contract law could be potentially broken but Ms would have to take you to court and it would be a civil offence.....which they never would.

"Play Asia" has a nice ring to it don't you think ?

If you think W10 is more secure than W7 you are either taking the mick or genuinely mental. And since you mentioned "more security options" on an OS that has so many backdoors built-in (and enabled by default) with literally zero options for the user besides the one default option of "you'll install exactly what the gods at Microsoft want you to install or GTFO", it makes me think you are in the latter category...

A marvellously subjective, vague, and emotionally driven response there, well done. *claps*

If you don't like it go install Ubuntu and whine about the sponsored search results in that instead. Or wait for 16.04 where they're disabled by default!

Were you talking to me? Because, it's kinda hard to tell from when you quoted me, but started mentioning unrelated things, i.e. "complainy," "don't be offended," etc.

I meant sponsored sites like Kinguin. It is a legit way of finding keys for the Windows 10 upgrade. Heck, you can get Windows 10 keys for slightly less than this deal.

Eh, if I was replying it definitely wasn't as an "attack" or anything so worry not :smile: Probably started as a reply then added more to round it out. Does start sounding a bit personal if you want to read it like that but not the intention at all.

Isn't this the regular price (there are a number of vendors that sell around the £20 mark)?

Why is this a good deal?? You can buy a disc copy of windows 7 and 8.1 with license keys off ebay for £15.50 and upgrade to windows 10, Thats all i did when i built my pc.

I can't believe they still charge for it

​That's a good philosophy. And another one is you don't get anything for free. There's usually a cost even if it's only for going your privacy. if more people subscribed to both these then there would be a much more safe and secure place ( less fraud, scams & scammers )

Does anyone know if this key and download is suitable for installation onto a Macbook pro?

Most of what you said is irrelevant to desktop users... Windows 7 will continue to be updated till 2020.

I did install Windows 10 to my Thinkpad and I had to resize the system partition to do this. Why was that not part of the upgrade package? There was a load of crud has been installed that I never asked for: Lenovo Assist? Clear off!
The laptop was steadily getting slower as more crud arrived. Candy crush? I'm not a child....

Why can't I get rid of stuff like the Xbox thing? Why do I need to verify my identity? To whom? This is my laptop.

The start menu is like old web pages when people went mad with flash and sounds or like a child's PowerPoint with every swoosh activated. It's irritating not innovative.

And stop calling things apps. An app is a novelty weather widget. I run programs. Stop trying to be folksy with a chatty style. It's not fun or hip it's annoying.

It makes sense to use "Classic Shell" but in the end Windows 7 is great and better than Windows 10.

I liked Microsoft. I have always preferred it and used it since Windows 3.

The only thing I can say that I have liked is the return to Windows 7 button (but that failed to work and I had to reformat again).

Another lamb who got sucked into the Microsoft data mining machine. You mention security, yet Microsoft are snooping on everything you do by default. Yes, they give you options to turn things off, but do they give you it all? Doubt it. Would not trust. Makes me wonder why MS are so desperate more than ever to get everyone onto W10, even to the point of offering keys to illegitimate copies of W7.

Don't need my desktop PC with a tablet interface - It's not a tablet. Xbox integration? No thanks. PC > all.

As for the updates, I've installed many hotfixes in the past for Windows 7 which has had a detrimental effect on certain apps/games. Forcing updates onto people is just the beginning of a future with no control over your own devices.

The only people using 10 are people who bought new computers with it installed, or people who installed it and simply use Start10 to use the older shell.

Is windows 10 still not free? Serious question. When does the free period end?

£20.01 here http://www.g2play.net/catalogsearch/result/index/?q=windows+10

Anybody think this is ridiculous? Computer breaks suddenly, gotta buy a new OS licence!

I moved to Linux a couple of years ago and haven't looked back.

No you run application programs, whether they are novelty widgets or fully featured behemoths like Photoshop they are all application programs, so perhaps you should stop trying to be folksy with a chatty style calling them programs. It's annoying.

8 paragraphs, 3 of which are flat out wrong, 2 are subjective opinion and 3 irrelevant. A reasoned argument is fine, but if you don't possess knowledge to make such an argument, then don't post. An impassioned rant full of inaccuracies and mistruths is best posted to the conspiracy theorists forums, not hukd.

Oh dear, I annoy you!? Bless...

a good price but people should Google win10 telemetry in which some tracking and data collection cannot be turned off. The amount of tracking is truly shocking and ms finally admitted it cannot all be turned off but they will add that feature in a future update to allow users to disable it completely. win7/8 and many good Linux distros about so no urgency for win10 really.

If you're after questionable keys, search for "windows 7 key" on ebay and sort by price. You can get a Windows 7 Ultimate key which will activate Windows 10 Pro for under a tenner.

You can't be serious I get a regular call from "Microsoft windows " every other month to tell me my "Computer is Broken", you can't get better service than that surely :wink:

just to get it right I need to reinstal windows 10 on my laptop as it switched off while updating and corrupted, but I have lost the windows 8.1 disc I go with it can I buy this and what do I need to do please|?

That is If you can be bothered with the long winded approach to first installing Win 7 then updating to Win 10. Never been a fan of the upgrade route, as i bet there will be "rubbish" left behind from the previous OS (still remembering the windows.old folders from years ago).

Ive always been a firm believer of a fresh, clean installation of the OS you will be using is the way to go.

its stupid rules like that that prevent me from paying any money to Microsoft over their activation policy. When MS ditch the policy that activation is tied to the first machine it is installed on, i will go back to paying for OSs. Until then i will obtain it from "other" sources.

Any less than rrp retail prices at the mo? I'm looking for an upgradable option

Calling and asking MS if the key is valid won't help you one bit. Of course it's valid right now otherwise your Windows won't activate and everybody would be asking for their money back.

Some time down the track if that same key has been sold multiple times or MS gets wind what this company is doing that's when they will invalidate the key.

Source:- it happened to me. Luckily I was still in the window when I could make a PayPal claim otherwise I would have lost my money.

When I bought my copy of XP OEM I had to buy a cheap mouse or they could not sell it. I had no issues activating it at the time via automated tool or calling them via the number provided. The only think you need to to a clean install was a genuine Windows disk. I had my old genuine copy of windows 98se.

Nothing emotionally driven there, bud. Just pointing out the facts for you.

And no thanks to your Ubuntu suggestion -- haven't needed to go anywhere near most Linux distros since owning Windows 7 and when Microsoft finally decide on shooting themselves in the head by ending W7 support, I will move to SteamOS instead. The only selling point W10 had for me was DirectX 12 and Gears of War Ultimate Edition on PC proved what a huge joke that turned out to be -- MS can keep their cancerous OS to themselves.

As for you, by all means enjoy your day 1 updates that brick your PC at their whim (link)...

To be honest I don't want windows 10 anyway just pointing out it was cheaper... And if you kept up to date you able to do it without the upgrade route know.

lifehacker report...

You don't need to buy anything since you already have a windows 8.1 key. It is probably in your motherboard's BIOS so would get filled in automatically while doing a fresh install from an ISO on a usb key.

Wish I hadn't! F****** AWFUL.
My colleague has a new pc with 10, not having quite the same problems I am. It seems upgrading from 7 or 8 to 10 is not the way to go.
I feel like I'm back in the 80s. I'd prefer an Amstrad.
F......Windows 10.

I am getting a bit more used to it, but it's like crossing the road ...you only want to get to the other side, but this takes you on a f. tour of the area first! No wonder MS were giving it free at one point.

Take it from me, if you're using W7 or W8 and you're happy (I was) ...DON'T UPGRADE to 10. You'll regret it.
Not that you'll have much choice in the end though...

What's wrong with it?

Extended support for MS Win7 goes onto 2020, so factually you are wrong in saying they have ended support for it. http://www.pcworld.com/article/2462643/what-happens-when-microsoft-ends-windows-7-mainstream-support-next-year.html

You can install and use windows 10 without a product key, just click the "I don't have a product key" when it asks. You'll get an almost fully functioning unactivated version, I've been using it since it was released. It updates normally and doesn't even complain about it not being activated. No doubt you'll have to cough up at some point down the line but it's free until then, so why bother with a dodgy key now? I think the idea is Microsoft just want 10 out there using their Store so for now they're allowing folk to install it for free.

Hi, the upgrade from Windows 7 / 8 is free until 29th July this year, if you have a self-build PC without an O/S at the moment or you're using Vista or earlier you have to pay for it.

Yet more posturing :smiley: That's not only the 'insiders' beta program, but the 'fast track' ring. It's been more stable and more compatible than any other Windows before it for me - on the half dozen or so PC's I use and the 140 + machines I've upgraded at work. I've also had nothing but positive feedback from staff and students, they find it easier and faster to do what they want to do on their PC. It's got a thumbs up from me, and you have again failed to say anything objective... at all.. except complain that a fast track beta build had a bug?

If you like Win 7 that's fine, stick with it, but it seems that the 'every other one is a goodun' is holding true with Win 10 :smiley:

Can you upgrade this to Windows 7 for free

​This has always been the case. You can change other components but if you change the motherboard it is considered by microsoft to be a new computer.

With previous windows versions you had to reactivate. Is that still the case?

​I wish I hadn't

I recommended this to a friend the other day and his was revoked after 24 hours or so.

sorry, don't know bud.

I believe you still need to reactivate your copy with a change of components from what I read last... Either ring them up or done over chat I believe..

I did a little reading and you can't do this with OEM copies. The license takes note of your hardware and if a motherboard/cpu changes, it's regarded as being a different machine. However, you may be able to reactivate if you call them.

Retail copies allow you to remove the license from the hardware and take it to another machine, though. Some food for thought, I guess.

I think Microsoft should stop this OEM and lower the price of OS, sorry to say they should take a look at Mac, they sell their OS for like £15 (El Capitan being the latest), they would get more users that way. All I ever run was windows systems although I could do a hackintosh but it that little bit too fiddly to do.

Hmm. Tried this, and there is no option for 'personal use' Just a page which says enter you key, or allows a 'I don't have a key'. Clicking that Starts the install, then fails

Does this approach still work?

Since i started reading this thread at around 8pm, i downloaded 10 from microsoft link shown earlier. Freed up a pendrive and found a small program to make a usb boot drive. Installed from drive, when prompted declared i had no key. Continued to install the Home version. Chose to format my disc drive (genuine XP pro) everything installed very quickly. Put AVG free, office 2007, set up email and Chrome. Im online, all drivers updated. The only drawback is I cant activate, so i cant change my personal display account setting but to thats no worry. Will research tomorrow but as far as im concerned I have a fully functioning Windows 10 desktop using microsoft supplied software.
Currently updating dropbox. Which is taking longer than the w10 install

Hmm. Maybe installing home rather than Pro would make the difference

Thank you OP

Bought the Win7Pro key. Clean installed on an old Dell Vostro laptop. Activated successfully via automated smart-phone ("Number of computers installed on" = 1). Upgrading to 10 now. Bargain.

just phoned microsoft and they said it was legal and you get a free cookies with every one you buy

I purchased a key tonight. It didn't work, windows said it was invalid. I've just emailed play-asia. I'll let you all know how it pans out. It's not very inspiring right now.

Any news?

My w10 key didn't work either

Finally got it sorted out. Play-asia palmed me off to Microsoft support. Took MS 1.5 hours to sort it. The key was invalid. MS gave me a new key.
Play-asia are extremely dodgy.

Ouch.
Glad you it sorted.

I'll contact MS first then. Do I just need my invalid key for reference?

How did you contact MS?

Cheers

Be aware that you may struggle - they'll see the key as already in use and you'll need to persuade them that you have a legitimate licence, which an OEM licence wouldn't usually be in these circumstances. Any support for OEM licences, including in relation to invalidity, is supposed to come from the OEM rather than Microsoft.

Thanks for the advice

I opted to try for a Paypal refund instead

Is this the only cheap route to "legally" get w10?

I got my copy from here and it works no issue: https://softwaregeeks.co.uk/product/windows-10-pro/

Ok. Website looks legit. But full license vs OEM is the big issue in this thread. Any further comment?

I ended up getting a new key from eBay for £13.99

Worked fine

I just went to the MS website. They took remote control of my pc and fixed it up.

I know this is an old thread but just happened to be needing the Windows 10 pro key. Purchased online today and got the key in minutes @ £19.70. Tried entering the product key on an existing Win 10 install which didn't work. Tried fresh install and worked first time. Hope that helps anyone still looking