Are any Windows 7 keys on auction sites legit?

Goose · 6 Nov 2016 at 17:08

I'm after a Win 7 key but i've no idea which ones are legit and which ones are MSDN keys that'll end up getting deactivated. There are quite a few that say they have the COA but the price they're asking seems so low that they cant be legit.

Is it best stay away entirely?

hornetstinger · 6 Nov 2016 at 17:25

I'll sell you a key for 1 billion dollars. Paid via Western Union, as proof the key starts with 1-2-3-4-5.

Trust me.

Goose · 6 Nov 2016 at 17:31

hornetstinger said:
I'll sell you a key for 1 billion dollars. Paid via Western Union, as proof the key starts with 1-2-3-4-5.

Trust me.

That's.........funny?

llamadal · 6 Nov 2016 at 17:39

a friend got one from a rainforest market seller, he contacted microsoft to check the key was legit...etc which it was, i suppose you could do the same route, if they say it isn't, save the chat and keep as proof for a refund.

Goose · 6 Nov 2016 at 17:43

llamadal said:
a friend got one from a rainforest market seller, he contacted microsoft to check the key was legit...etc which it was, i suppose you could do the same route, if they say it isn't, save the chat and keep as proof for a refund.

Thats not a bad idea. Thanks.

c1tro · 7 Nov 2016 at 16:24

Never had an issue but always bought from sellers with high feedback.

Blackjack Davy · 7 Nov 2016 at 23:57

Goose said:
i've no idea which ones are legit and which ones are MSDN keys that'll end up getting deactivated.

That is the issue isn't it, if they don't come with a COA they're usually MSDN and will expire sooner or later. Just so long as they do activate COA's seem to be fine at least in my experience they're usually pulled off old machine's they're breaking up.

jpaul · 8 Nov 2016 at 07:43

What is a MSDN key (google did not answer me) some kind of developer license. ?

You could ask vendor for product ID associated with license, would that not confirm 'type'.
But unless you have the COA sent to you presumably they could subsequently re-sell it to someone else ? (although if you had COA and they also re-sold it, how do you confirm to MS yours is legitimate - send it by post ?)
(I wanted to purchase an older license for office eg 2010 as an alternative to buying 365.)

UPDATE : educated myself on microsoft development network keys - basically illegal for original owner to sell them.
Issue is how you identify you have purchased a legitimate/non MSDN key - this microsoft forum
article suggests you just need to confirm product id details

Suspect: 065, 066, 067, 068 for Windows 7 Ultimate edition, 220 area for Professional, and the 230, 231 area for Home Premium. There are probably others but they should be close to those posted.

[EDIT] Newer MSDN Keys for Ultimate seem to be appearing - in the -700- to -705 area- [/EDIT]