Was looking for a license key and found this deal!
All comments (236)
richie999
13 Sep 17#1
Seen similar for Office too, am a bit dubious, anybody bought a key off Ebay before?
lucyferror to richie999
13 Sep 17#3
I got office 2016 and 2017. Also windows 8 couple of years ago. All working fine
pidgin to richie999
13 Sep 17#8
Office yes when it was ~£3, still working.
AndyRoyd to richie999
13 Sep 17#13
W10 only needs a key if the user has an uncontrollable infatuation to change the default desktop background to some silly image of the user's choice.
robot1000
13 Sep 17#2
Surely this can't be legitimate
LocoMoFo9999 to robot1000
13 Sep 17#33
Bill Gates endorsement all over this for sure :party:
othen
13 Sep 17#4
I bought an Office Profrssional 2016 key (from eBay for £5.99) for my son's PC as an experiment, it has worked just fine. There are plenty of people that say it will not work, or that it is illegal and the police will smash down our door one night - but neither has happened so far!
Turret
13 Sep 17#5
These keys usually last a year or so then are blocked. Your system will stay activated but when it comes to a reinstall the key will be invalid.
reg66 to Turret
13 Sep 17#9
when/if your key won't validate after install, just phone the automated validation/mobile activation after reinstall. Done this several times (with serials bought from eBay), even after CPU and mobo change, seems as long as it's registered to your name/account still, it will be fine.
also, for others, these are (haven't looked at this deal admittedly) generally oem keys. bought in bulk to be sold with pc's. only you don't actually buy the pc or component the serial was bought for. it's legit, apparently, just a bit of a loop hole
adam.mt to reg66
13 Sep 17#28
OEM keys are far more expensive than this.
These are most likely expired OEM keys taken from machines now using volume licences. Assuming you are sent the CoA (licence sticker/registration) this means that the company that released them is no longer legitimately licensed. Neither are you, the buyer. So it's lose-lose bar the very large fact that the middle-man's made an easy profit and generally the keys still work! It's in no way 'legit' but Microsoft don't seem too concerned about cracking down on it.
Alvie to Turret
13 Sep 17#10
Still worth it though
dfunked to Turret
13 Sep 17#20
You don't actually need a key to reinstall Windows 10 btw, if you've activated on that hardware before it'll activate a clean install for you as soon as you're online. Agree that these keys are pretty shady though... Got a Office 2016 one that's working fine, but YMMV...
Disco.Dave
13 Sep 17#6
You can still upgrade for free
Wongduk to Disco.Dave
13 Sep 17#11
How? Ta
CrazyBob to Wongduk
13 Sep 17#14
Google 'windows 10 upgrade assisted' I did it a couple of weeks ago
Flora82 to CrazyBob
13 Sep 17#16
You do still need a valid license of windows 7 or 8 to do this - but well worth it if you do.
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Opening post
All comments (236)
also, for others, these are (haven't looked at this deal admittedly) generally oem keys. bought in bulk to be sold with pc's. only you don't actually buy the pc or component the serial was bought for. it's legit, apparently, just a bit of a loop hole
These are most likely expired OEM keys taken from machines now using volume licences. Assuming you are sent the CoA (licence sticker/registration) this means that the company that released them is no longer legitimately licensed. Neither are you, the buyer. So it's lose-lose bar the very large fact that the middle-man's made an easy profit and generally the keys still work! It's in no way 'legit' but Microsoft don't seem too concerned about cracking down on it.
Agree that these keys are pretty shady though... Got a Office 2016 one that's working fine, but YMMV...
I did it a couple of weeks ago
pcauthority.com.au/new…095
For people with basic queries, have a look through some of the MANY threads on these keys.