Windows 10 Questions

[NotBryson]

Hey yall! so im about to construct a new computer and i realized that windows 10 is like over 100 bucks on amazon and so i was wondering if anyone knows where i could buy a cheap windows key or if those are legit or just scams. Also if you already have a windows  computer then you can just copy the OS onto a flash drive somehow right? How would i go about doing that?

[Oshino Shinobu]

There's plenty of key sites that you can buy Windows licenses from. For the most part, the keys themselves are legitimate but the way they're obtained is sometimes questionable. If you'd rather not give money to someone who potentially gained the key in non-legitimate means, you can just run Windows without activating it. You lose the ability to do things like change the desktop background and colour theme, but you otherwise have full functionality. 

 

You can clone a drive that already has Windows on it (not copying it, that wouldn't work), but I wouldn't really recommend it. You can end up with driver and performance issues when doing that. I'd recommend a clean install on a new system. 

[minibois]

1. Login to your Microsoft account on your current PC

2. Download the Windows 10 bootable, place it on a USB drive

3. Build new PC

4. Boot from the USB on that PC

5. Install Windows on the correct drive

6. Login with your Microsoft account

7. Say you have changed hardware (it will ask a yes/no question if you did)

8. Your license has now been transferred.

 

That has worked for me in the past.

The 10-20 USD key resellers are basically 'grey market' stuff. It's usually volume licenses like those meant for schools/businesses, which people resell, or it's keys from countries with lower value currencies.

Not illegal, but Microsoft would rather not have that and could in theory revoke the license.

 

The 100 USD key is the only fully proper way to get a Windows license, but the suggested method has worked for me too and ensures you have a valid license (assuming you license on your current device is alright).

 

[NotBryson]

47 minutes ago, minibois said:

1. Login to your Microsoft account on your current PC

2. Download the Windows 10 bootable, place it on a USB drive

3. Build new PC

4. Boot from the USB on that PC

5. Install Windows on the correct drive

6. Login with your Microsoft account

7. Say you have changed hardware (it will ask a yes/no question if you did)

8. Your license has now been transferred.

 

That has worked for me in the past.

The 10-20 USD key resellers are basically 'grey market' stuff. It's usually volume licenses like those meant for schools/businesses, which people resell, or it's keys from countries with lower value currencies.

Not illegal, but Microsoft would rather not have that and could in theory revoke the license.

 

The 100 USD key is the only fully proper way to get a Windows license, but the suggested method has worked for me too and ensures you have a valid license (assuming you license on your current device is alright).

 

will transferring the license have any effect on the old PC, like will it still work and do you happen to have a link to a key reseller that seems kind of legit just in case i decide to go that route 

[minibois]

23 minutes ago, NotBryson said:

will transferring the license have any effect on the old PC, like will it still work and do you happen to have a link to a key reseller that seems kind of legit just in case i decide to go that route 

Honestly, I have not used that old PC since upgrading, so I don't know.. I would assume the license unlinks and you get that "Activate Windows" watermark.. But as always, make a backup of your files before making such changes.

 

I don't have experience with key resellers, so can't recommend any single one.

I have heard of scdkey, G2A, Kinguin and people often buy 'from eBay' (that's of course not a single seller on there), but couldn't tell you which one is the best (if any).