are ebay windows 10 any good?

[mark2999]

hey

im wondering if keys on ebay are legit.

i have windows on pendrive from Microsoft website and just need a key. Are those legit? 

[fuzz0r]

Legit? Probably not.

Will they work? Probably yes.

 

AFAIK the license you'd be getting wouldn't be transferrable to a new system if say the account you're using is tied to your microsoft account (IE not a local one).

[aisle9]

Usually yes, sometimes no. If you have a Windows 7 key, those will activate Windows 10. If not, you're probably fine with an eBay key.

[aisle9]

1 minute ago, fuzz0r said:

AFAIK the license you'd be getting wouldn't be transferrable to a new system if say the account you're using is tied to your microsoft account (IE not a local one).

In theory, yes, but I can't remember the last time Windows 10 refused to activate because I'd changed system hardware. I just had to go into the "I changed hardware recently" prompt to take care of it.

[TomChaai]

If they appear to be way cheaper than system builder OEM envelope, they're MSDN or other prorgam keys, definitely not legit but work.

The seller will probably multiple-sell MSDN keys so they fail to work after a while.

[LogicalDrm]

On 8/6/2022 at 8:44 AM, fuzz0r said:

Legit? Probably not.

Will they work? Probably yes.

18 hours ago, TomChaai said:

If they appear to be way cheaper than system builder OEM envelope, they're MSDN or other prorgam keys, definitely not legit but work.

The seller will probably multiple-sell MSDN keys so they fail to work after a while.

 

You both seem to have very odd definition to word "legit". Which means that key originates from Microsoft. All keys that work are also legit. If key doesn't work its not legit, either its generated or is single-activation type. But if it activates without having to use KMS server or something like that, its legit.

 

The source might not be ethical etc. but thats another thing. Most of the cheap keys are from OEM or volume packs, some are from enterprise editions. Both types are in violation of MS licensing terms. Then there's the seller. As its impossible to know how seller has inquired keys, they can be squired pretty much anyway. Be it illegally using stolen credit cards or other ways of money laundering. Or "second-hand", coming from dead pre-builds, laptops and such. Or bought as part of volume pack which is intended for small business or system builders.

 

[TomChaai]

1 hour ago, LogicalDrm said:

 

You both seem to have very odd definition to word "legit". Which means that key originates from Microsoft. All keys that work are also legit. If key doesn't work its not legit, either its generated or is single-activation type. But if it activates without having to use KMS server or something like that, its legit.

 

The source might not be ethical etc. but thats another thing. Most of the cheap keys are from OEM or volume packs, some are from enterprise editions. Both types are in violation of MS licensing terms. Then there's the seller. As its impossible to know how seller has inquired keys, they can be squired pretty much anyway. Be it illegally using stolen credit cards or other ways of money laundering. Or "second-hand", coming from dead pre-builds, laptops and such. Or bought as part of volume pack which is intended for small business or system builders.

 

I worked for Microsoft for five years and actually had access to related information. I think I’m slightly more qualified to answer this topic. 

MSDN keys won’t ever be legit unless you are also a subscriber, in which case it’s pointless anyway. On MSDN you can request for “retail” or “multiple activation” keys. 

“Retail” keys work EXACTLY like real retail keys, however the product key part name and distribution channel will include MSDN. They can be activated, reactivated and transferred just like real retail keys, activation parameters are the same or mostly the same as real retail keys, which are designed for consumer fair use. 

MAKs don’t have the transfer option since you just activate it against the total MA limit. MSDN MA limit is very low, only slightly above MSDN retail, unlike MAKs from real VL programs where you can get MAKs with hundreds of activations. 
The problem with MSDN-sourced keys is that they get blocked much quicker. Microsoft limits and detects MSDN abuse, if they believe the subscription is being used to obtain keys for resale, they ban the whole thing. 
Due to this limitation, seller will definitely multi-sell the keys and run off once the subscription gets banned, leaving you without a working key. 

Reselling real VL MAKs is also violating license terms, but will generally be found much later due to those keys having much higher activation count limits. Sometimes the original owner won't even notice for years.

 

This is not a problem at alll for OEM envelope keys. The seller may not be selling them right and we may be violating EULA for using them this way, but you get the sealed keys not leaked anywhere else. MS’s activation servers can’t distinguish legit use cases or not since these envelope keys are sold to system builders who build PCs using the same generic parts that behaves JUST LIKE any PCs. 
 

In conclusion make sure you get real OEM keys and not MSDN ones, which can be hard to tell on eBay.