How dodgy are these key selling sites?

[h4rm0ny]

So I run a bunch of VMs for software development purposes and it would be useful to have Windows installed on a couple of them. The problem is that each install requires its own licence and these are expensive. You can sort of work around that by installing Windows and just resetting it over and over when the lack of licence becomes an issue. But it's not ideal.

I've several times seen sites advertised selling licence keys for Windows much cheaper than retail like this one. I'm instinctively distrustful of anything that seems too good to be true, but I'm checking anyway.

What's the deal here? Are they pirated keys? Reselling the same key multiple times? Or are they actually able to sell legitimate keys super cheap, somehow. If I buy a couple of Windows keys, are they going to work and not be revoked by Microsoft a few months down the line?

 

[h4rm0ny]

Well, Windows 10 does absolutely nothing about not being licensed in terms of actually being able to use it.

Surely it must make some difference. If I just install Windows in a VM and don't give it a licence wont it stop working?

 

[h4rm0ny]

Well now don't I look like a fool? All this time, I never even bothered trying. Downloading W10 installation media now and will give it a try.

But out of curiosity and back to the original question, what is the deal with sites like the above. Would these keys actually work?

 

[h4rm0ny]

They will work for a time but you have no guarantee how long before you'll get it revoked and back to unlicensed.

That's what I suspected. Where do they get them? Are they legitimate keys that are leaked-stolen someone in the chain and eventually MS notice and cancel them? Keys that are legit but associated with genuine sales that simply haven't been activated yet but when they are these ones will be revoked? I'm just wondering how this works.

I've installed Windows on a VM and so far working quite well. Still be nice to have it legit, though. Wish MS did some sort of deal for software developers who just wanted to run VMs in an already licenced home system.

 

[h4rm0ny]

I'm not 100% on the details but if it is just for experimenting, etc. IIRC you can register for the insider program and install Windows 10 inside many of the popular VMs and it will auto activate with a generic key - you might have to deal with the occasional buggy release though but then so do people on the main ring...

???

But I'm already ON the Insider Preview!

Today is a day for learning things I should have already known!

 

[h4rm0ny]

This is always the risk. I bought a couple of of Win 10 Keys for £20 from a Dutch firm last year. All OK for the moment. At that cost it isn't a big deal *if* MS were to revoke the keys. Way cheaper than they quoted me over the phone. Some say MS isn't too bothered now so long as you are using their OS I know of a an unactivated win 10 install and apart from the occasional nag screen everything works fine - or so the owner says. Seems it's not just the OS these days. I use Eset and always renewed direct thinking it the only option. By accident did a search and bought a 3 machine/1 year license of Eset Smart Security Premium for £7. It too works fine activating and updating correctly. I was using the Anti Virus version previously.

Thanks. I'll probably hold off for now just because I think they must be illegal. But good to know.