Need to get legit licence key for Win 7

Hammer100 · 15 Jun 2011 at 11:52

Typical story, friend got a laptop online and it said it had Win 7 installed which it did (ultimate edition) but it was a dodgy copy and now it says that it is not activated. We have been trying to find out where to buy just a legit key for it and on the windows site it is showing as $319,00 (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/windows-7-ultimate.aspx) for the full version which includes the download but is there somewhere to just buy the key and is it a bit cheaper?
A google search brought up all different sites but to be honest some looked a bit suspect.
The store that the laptop came from no longer exists

Cheers

ps. or is the best bet to buy Home Premium which is cheaper and start from scratch.

paradigm · 15 Jun 2011 at 11:56

Given that you pay for the license and not the software itself, then no, buying "just the key" wouldn't be any cheaper anyway, even if you were to find somewhere legitimate doing so.

I'd start from scratch with either Home Premium or Professional.

True_Scotsman · 15 Jun 2011 at 11:57

Go for Home Premium and start from scratch would be what i would do.

Hammer100 · 15 Jun 2011 at 12:05

Cheers guys, looking at the prices that definitely sounds the best option.

DWorrall · 15 Jun 2011 at 12:13

I got a Windows 7 Ultimate key from some website through a friend for £5 lol. Works with no problems ive updated multiple times... And i have SP1.

LizardKing · 15 Jun 2011 at 12:21

DWorrall said:
I got a Windows 7 Ultimate key from some website through a friend for £5 lol. Works with no problems ive updated multiple times... And i have SP1.

You may have well of just saved yourself a fiver and installed the pirate version, it would be just as legit as your £5 key.....

arknor · 15 Jun 2011 at 12:50

LizardKing said:
You may have well of just saved yourself a fiver and installed the pirate version, it would be just as legit as your £5 key.....

its probably sold by someone with a MSDN/technet subscription so only valid for aslong as the seller keeps his subscription

paradigm · 15 Jun 2011 at 12:52

arknor said:
its probably sold by someone with a MSDN/technet subscription so only valid for aslong as the seller keeps his subscription

Or, not valid at all, because you can't resell technet or MSDN keys.

The license remains with the name holder of the account.

Deleted member 77746 · 15 Jun 2011 at 13:35

LizardKing said:
You may have well of just saved yourself a fiver and installed the pirate version, it would be just as legit as your £5 key.....

Hold the 5er up in the air n set light to it.

DWorrall · 15 Jun 2011 at 14:34

Dont care what yo usay, its genuine lol. I rang up after i bought it to make sure i wasnt being ripped off and they said its a normal key.

arknor · 15 Jun 2011 at 14:46

paradigm said:
Or, not valid at all, because you can't resell technet or MSDN keys.

The license remains with the name holder of the account.

just because you cant resell them doesnt stop the key from beeing a valid one if if the transaction is invalid

paradigm · 15 Jun 2011 at 15:27

arknor said:
just because you cant resell them doesnt stop the key from beeing a valid one if if the transaction is invalid

Well yes, it does.

Just because it activates doesn't make it "valid". It's as valid as stealing one from a shop.

Rainmaker · 15 Jun 2011 at 15:38

If you're a student, software4students is doing Win7 Ultimate upgrade licences for under £60 atm. Professional is less than £40. Aside from that you'll just have to suck it up and pay full price, or move to Linux.

stoofa · 15 Jun 2011 at 15:55

Rainmaker said:
If you're a student, software4students is doing Win7 Ultimate upgrade licences for under £60 atm. Professional is less than £40. Aside from that you'll just have to suck it up and pay full price, or move to Linux.

Doesn't really help the OP.
If this is a new laptop then there is no license to upgrade from.
So the software4students deal is no use.
Unless he goes and buys himself a legitimate license for an older OS first.

Jasonst888 · 15 Jun 2011 at 16:04

you just need windows 7 or vista installed, which he does...doesnt need to be legit. the new windows will install over no worries....go home premium, its cheaper and all the others add is networking stuff really.

stoofa · 15 Jun 2011 at 16:13

Jasonst888 said:
you just need windows 7 or vista installed, which he does...doesnt need to be legit. the new windows will install over no worries....go home premium, its cheaper and all the others add is networking stuff really.

Then why bother buying a legit license for windows if he's then going to use it license illegal?

The copy of Window 7 he already has is ILLEGAL.
The software from software4studetns is an UPGRADE.
So, he has NO OS to upgrade from as the version already installed is illegal.
So again, I say this is no use to the OP as he doesn't have anything to upgrade from.

An UPGRADE is just that, a license upgrade from a legitimate license you already own.
It isn't a cheap way of getting an OS on a machine that doesn't have one - despite what you can physically do.

Jasonst888 · 15 Jun 2011 at 16:22

Fraid not my friend as I did it? Windows 7 proffessional actually in my case installed over a windows 7 home premium that wasnt legit.

Either way you download from them an iso which you can burn to disc and boot from anyway, all you really need is the key! you can find windows 7 all over the place if need be.

Deleted member 77746 · 15 Jun 2011 at 17:29

DWorrall said:
Dont care what yo usay, its genuine lol. I rang up after i bought it to make sure i wasnt being ripped off and they said its a normal key.

If you rang up me and I told you santa was real would you believe me? Stop been so arrogant.

DWorrall · 15 Jun 2011 at 18:09

iDroid84 said:
If you rang up me and I told you santa was real would you believe me? Stop been so arrogant.

I gave you proof that it is genuine, that isnt being arrogant.

Duke · 15 Jun 2011 at 18:48

If you actually thought a company would sell legit software for a loss then... um.. :confused:

OP: Just go buy Windows 7 Home Premium and do a clean install.