Can I cheap out on Windows?

[Steiger2010]

Hello, I have a gaming laptop that came with a windows key. I am going to build a pc and was wondering if I could maybe cheap out on windows and use the product key that came with the laptop to save some money (Its a windows 10 key I upgraded to windows 11). Does anyone know how I could do this? I was also going to sell the laptop to a friend and if I do that will I still be able to use that key. It says in the activation menu in settings it says that the product key is saved to my Microsoft account. I don't want to have to pay over 100 dollars on a windows key because I only have a budget of 1,000 dollars for my pc with peripherals.

[Seb_1]

I just ran mine without a license key, theres a thing you can do to remove the watermark and its pretty much the same.

[SignatureSigner]

11 minutes ago, Seb_1 said:

I just ran mine without a license key, theres a thing you can do to remove the watermark and its pretty much the same.

p i r a t e e r i n g

[Steiger2010]

2 minutes ago, SignatureSigner said:

p i r a t e e r i n g

That is why I don't want to use it without a license.....

[Applefreak]

36 minutes ago, Steiger2010 said:

Hello, I have a gaming laptop that came with a windows key. I am going to build a pc and was wondering if I could maybe cheap out on windows and use the product key that came with the laptop to save some money (Its a windows 10 key I upgraded to windows 11). Does anyone know how I could do this? I was also going to sell the laptop to a friend and if I do that will I still be able to use that key. It says in the activation menu in settings it says that the product key is saved to my Microsoft account. I don't want to have to pay over 100 dollars on a windows key because I only have a budget of 1,000 dollars for my pc with peripherals.

Usually the old key is linked to your MS account so you cannot transfer it over to a different user. However you can buy working keys for far less than that.

[TylerD321]

3 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

However you can buy working keys for far less than that.

The best way to do this is a gray-market area with buyer protections. I usually use G2A but you can probably find cheaper deals if you are open to risk.

[My_Computer_Is_Trash]

You can buy it from 3rd party retailers that are located in different countries, where Windows is cheaper. You can get it for like 10 bucks. This is not illegal or pirating. 

[Steiger2010]

1 hour ago, Applefreak said:

Usually the old key is linked to your MS account so you cannot transfer it over to a different user. However you can buy working keys for far less than that.

what if I sign into my ms account on the new pc? Will it use that code?

[kirashi]

2 hours ago, Steiger2010 said:

Hello, I have a gaming laptop that came with a windows key. I am going to build a pc and was wondering if I could maybe cheap out on windows and use the product key that came with the laptop to save some money (Its a windows 10 key I upgraded to windows 11). Does anyone know how I could do this? I was also going to sell the laptop to a friend and if I do that will I still be able to use that key. It says in the activation menu in settings it says that the product key is saved to my Microsoft account. I don't want to have to pay over 100 dollars on a windows key because I only have a budget of 1,000 dollars for my pc with peripherals.

If your laptop came with Windows, it's almost certain it's using an OEM key. OEM keys are good for activation on a single computer, as defined by Microsoft. If the laptop instead has a Retail Windows License, you should be able to "transfer" it by signing into the same Microsoft account on your new computer.

 

Grey market keys sold through unauthorized resellers may or may not come from legitimate sources, and thus may or may not violate Microsoft's EULA. Because I have no way of knowing whether a grey market key was legitimately acquired from an authorized reseller, I cannot recommend anyone buy one.

[Steiger2010]

Yea I was looking and I have OEM on my laptop. probably going to just heck and breck the budget and buy a legit retail windows key.

[Seb_1]

On 9/15/2023 at 6:56 PM, Steiger2010 said:

That is why I don't want to use it without a license.....

whos gonna stop you...

[Steiger2010]

On 9/18/2023 at 7:23 AM, Seb_1 said:

whos gonna stop you...

well Maby Microsoft ( with my luck I'm telling you rn I will get scammed or something).

[homeap5]

For all that people who recommends buying cheap Windows key from grey market...

 

I remember once some of Microsoft emoloyee said that is even better (still bad, but better) to download pirated version of Windows than buying from black/grey market key. Why? Well, at least you don't pay thieves and schemers money for product that they are not allowed to sell. So basically you don't "only" used pirated version of Windows, but also pay for it and support grey market.

 

There are only two valid solutions - be a man and decide - are you pirate or not. If yes - do not pay for it (like real pirate do not pay for his wooden leg or parrot). If not - buy your copy of Microsoft Windows from official reseller.

 

Remember - info that product is activated doesn't mean is legal. Is just activated, Microsoft doesn't care so much about it. If they want to check is your copy legal, they for sure will not check info from your control panel.  That info in control panel only means that Windows is activated (whatever that means). It may help you to be sure that legal key is installed proper. Microsoft some time ago stops block users from activating and updating Windows because it's safer that way for everyone - more people have updates installed means less infected internet. But activated don't means legal.

 

It's like a car - you can buy it from some shady person, register it and even get official confirmation, but if police discovers later that your car was stolen, you will lost it. No matter how good papers do you have - it's simply not your car.

 

So buying grey market key, even if it works, is worse than downloading pirated activator. Your Windows will work, for sure (the same as when you're using activator), everything will work except... it will not be legal. So if you want your watermark gone - buy legal version or not buy anything at all and use dark path of being scarry pirate. Your choice.

 

[TylerD321]

1 minute ago, homeap5 said:

For all that people who recommends buying cheap Windows key from grey market...

 

I remember once some of Microsoft emoloyee said that is even better (still bad, but better) to download pirated version of Windows than buying from black/grey market key. Why? Well, at least you don't pay thieves and schemers money for product that they are not allowed to sell. So basically you don't "only" used pirated version of Windows, but also pay for it and support grey market.

 

There are only two valid solutions - be a man and decide - are you pirate or not. If yes - do not pay for it (like real pirate do not pay for his wooden leg or parrot). If not - buy your copy of Microsoft Windows from official reseller.

 

Remember - info that product is activated doesn't mean is legal. Is just activated, Microsoft doesn't care so much about it. If they want to check is your copy legal, they for sure will not check info from your control panel.  That info in control panel only means that Windows is activated (whatever that means). It may help you to be sure that legal key is installed proper. Microsoft some time ago stops block users from activating and updating Windows because it's safer that way for everyone - more people have updates installed means less infected internet. But activated don't means legal.

 

It's like a car - you can buy it from some shady person, register it and even get official confirmation, but if police discovers later that your car was stolen, you will lost it. No matter how good papers do you have - it's simply not your car.

 

So buying grey market key, even if it works, is worse than downloading pirated activator. Your Windows will work, for sure (the same as when you're using activator), everything will work except... it will not be legal. So if you want your watermark gone - buy legal version or not buy anything at all and use dark path of being scarry pirate. Your choice.

 

I replaced my motherboard the other day in one of my PCs and the license wouldn't reactive. I called windows support, and they asked where I bought my code. I told them it was a grey market code and they were like oh cool and reactivated my windows for me.

[homeap5]

On 10/3/2023 at 8:12 PM, TylerD321 said:

I replaced my motherboard the other day in one of my PCs and the license wouldn't reactive. I called windows support, and they asked where I bought my code. I told them it was a grey market code and they were like oh cool and reactivated my windows for me.

That's very cool. They probably don't care so much. It's like "hey, it's much easier for us to activate system for this poor guy that arguing, which would waste of our time". It still doesn't mean that your Windows is legal, it just means that is activated. It's like you stole candy bar from shop and go to police after 5 years - they'll probably say something like "it's ok man, no one reported it to us, so it's yours, enjoy your meal". You're still a thief - just one who isn't worth someone else time, because an hour of a policeman's work is worth more than a candy bar.

In case someone will really check your key and system, good luck with arguing "hey, someone from Microsoft says it's ok and actiates my system!" ("Who? Do you have any proof?").