Looking on Ebay for the most cost effective way to get this Compaq Presario running and legit I see where many sell Product keys along with a useless dead hard drive or some other piece of hardware. It looks like the product key came off of a computer now trashed but the key itself they say has never been used. Apparently these sellers are abiding by Ebay (and apparently Microsoft) policy and there is no shortage of watchers and bidders, so it looks like it is on the up and up. I now have a version of Windows 7 working on this pc but not activated, according to the Ebay claims these product key numbers work? To say the least I'm puzzled, yet curious as how this all works. Microsoft says the way for me to go is purchase Windows 7 for $118 whereas these tech guys on Ebay says a $40 investment in a product key gives me the same thing. appreciate if someone can shed some light on all this, thanks
windows 7 product key question
- Thread starter jimtr6
- Start date
The people selling product keys from OEM manufacturers are doing so illegally, as those keys are tied to those machines and cannot be transferred.
In the past, OEM copies of Windows (such as the ones you could buy from Newegg) could only be sold with a piece of equipment, which is why a dead hard drive or old stick of RAM would be included in the sale.
In the past, OEM copies of Windows (such as the ones you could buy from Newegg) could only be sold with a piece of equipment, which is why a dead hard drive or old stick of RAM would be included in the sale.
so what do they do, they acquire some desk tops from a company upgrading? How would they know whether a key has or has not ever been used, is there a way they go online and enter a product key number and it tells you if the particular number is or is not active? It does look illegal but Ebay wouldn't allow it I would think, also the feedback has plenty of satisfied customers
They literally steal or rip them off PCs or they maybe buy up OEM copies of Windows and sell the licenses without supplying the hardware or installation media - those are the only ways of getting them I think!
As stated above, OEM copies of Windows can only be sold with hardware and a loophole for getting around that the big retailers and some private sellers use to sell their OEM 'System Builder' licenses is to sell them with a piece of hardware such as a SATA cable or a fan or something like that. That is legal, though it is kind of taking the mickey since you are strictly-speaking supposed to sell the OEM license with a whole PC.
I wouldn't buy software off eBay due to the risk of paying the RRP (or more!) for pirated software. When buying software you are best off buying it directly from the manufacturer or buying from a reputable retailer.
When you see those sales for Windows or other Microsoft products product keys on eBay without the installation media or a piece of hardware being supplied, that is illegal, and what's especially illegal is when you see a COA (the sticker with the Windows product key on it) from a PC for sale on eBay because you cannot legally remove those COA stickers from the original PC it was stuck on and use it on another PC.
Will the keys work? Maybe - if they haven't been used for a while or if you're not buying a counterfeit COA with a known pirated key printed on it that's been blacklisted by Microsoft. Is the key guaranteed to work and pass genuine checks? No, not necessarily. You don't know who else is using that key or where it has come from. For all you know it could be fake or a popular pirated key or a software-generated key (an illicit one).
As stated above, OEM copies of Windows can only be sold with hardware and a loophole for getting around that the big retailers and some private sellers use to sell their OEM 'System Builder' licenses is to sell them with a piece of hardware such as a SATA cable or a fan or something like that. That is legal, though it is kind of taking the mickey since you are strictly-speaking supposed to sell the OEM license with a whole PC.
I wouldn't buy software off eBay due to the risk of paying the RRP (or more!) for pirated software. When buying software you are best off buying it directly from the manufacturer or buying from a reputable retailer.
When you see those sales for Windows or other Microsoft products product keys on eBay without the installation media or a piece of hardware being supplied, that is illegal, and what's especially illegal is when you see a COA (the sticker with the Windows product key on it) from a PC for sale on eBay because you cannot legally remove those COA stickers from the original PC it was stuck on and use it on another PC.
Will the keys work? Maybe - if they haven't been used for a while or if you're not buying a counterfeit COA with a known pirated key printed on it that's been blacklisted by Microsoft. Is the key guaranteed to work and pass genuine checks? No, not necessarily. You don't know who else is using that key or where it has come from. For all you know it could be fake or a popular pirated key or a software-generated key (an illicit one).
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I've had multiple bad experiences in the past buying software on eBay. My boss bought three copies of Office 2003 (back when that was a thing) and it had a weird way to install it. Once I looked at it, I realized the CD Was a copy with a hologram sticker on it (the real discs have the holograms burned into the disc).
He also bought 30+ copies of OEM Windows XP Pro (also back when that was a thing) and those were also all pirated (I could tell by the discs again) and not all the keys worked.
He also bought 30+ copies of OEM Windows XP Pro (also back when that was a thing) and those were also all pirated (I could tell by the discs again) and not all the keys worked.
Yeah we've heard of businesses who have purchased copies of Office 2007 from car-boot sales. Let's just say that they weren't genuine and now Microsoft is investigating them...
Seriously, when buying software you have got to be careful where you buy it and either buy it directly from the manufacturer or one of the retailers list above.
m3incorp
New Member
If you are a student, you may be able to acquire it through your school. Or at least buy it at discount from Microsoft.
Origin Saint
Well-Known Member
You haven't mentioned anything about it, and your profile has no age on it, but if you happen to be in university, many universities sell students copies of Windows for ridiculously low prices.
Obviously, if you aren't a student in university, this means nothing to you, but thought I'd throw it out there just in case.
m3incorp
New Member
Ahh now the question is, is your grand daughter a student? If no student works, I suggest buying it from one of the reputable places that was mentioned already.
She might need to be a bit older than that.
You're just going to have to buy it from somewhere like Newegg I think.