Windows 10 for a new pc

Mickcas · 14 Mar 2022 at 20:28

Hi all.

I'm helping my brother in law with a PC. We've pretty much settled on the parts just awaiting a 6600xt.
He's only 14 so I'm trying tonget things as cheap as possible for him and I'm wondering how best to go about windows 10.
He's alread stretched his budget amd paying another 100 for Windows seems a lot.

I've Windows 10 on a USB stick from when inbuilt my own but I believe the key can only be used once.

Any suggestions?

tonys · 16 Mar 2022 at 08:11

Install but don't activate, you just can't personalise it.

Haze · 16 Mar 2022 at 08:44

Mickcas said:
Hi all.

I'm helping my brother in law with a PC. We've pretty much settled on the parts just awaiting a 6600xt.
He's only 14 so I'm trying tonget things as cheap as possible for him and I'm wondering how best to go about windows 10.
He's alread stretched his budget amd paying another 100 for Windows seems a lot.

I've Windows 10 on a USB stick from when inbuilt my own but I believe the key can only be used once.

Any suggestions?

Steam key websites sell windows keys

Mickcas · 16 Mar 2022 at 10:38

Thanks. I'll take a look. I've read I can instal it without activating without much restrictions but I'll have a look at those keys as well

spike2011 · 19 Mar 2022 at 17:36

Loads of cheap Windows 10 keys around, and can easy upgrade to Windows 11 for free later, done that today on ten year old PC and five year old PC with a simple Windows hack also kept Windows 10 Pro on separate SSD so can choose which O/S to use on each system.

Microsoft it not forcing me to upgrade with their stupid CPU and TPM restrictions, just check out on youtube ''Don't buy a new PC for Windows 11'' Linus Tech Tips was very easy works perfect.

dowie · 27 Mar 2022 at 17:10

I have some similar questions so thought I'd ask here rather than start a new thread - can anyone tl;dr me on the legalities/what to look for here? (Without mentioning competitors as obvs this is an overlapping business area).

I've been burned twice in the past a few years ago buying Windows 7 keys via the rainforest place - I use them once on my own PC then months later my desktop goes black and I apparently have an invalid key (this was like in 2015).

My main laptop is a MacBook Pro but I did get a refurbished Dell business laptop during lockdown too and it came with windows, however I removed that (have it on a USB) and installed Linux.

I would however like to have windows on a separate SSD on my desktop PC, which is also currently a Linux machine. I understand I can't use the USB containing the licensed version that came with my laptop as that is only licensed for the computer it shipped with. (I've not upgraded to a PS5 (or PS4 - not bothering with that now) yet and my PS3 recently died but it might be nice to occasionally play some more current PC games and I've not had windows, or played any PC games, for a few years now)

AFAIK I can, however, buy an OEM version that hasn't been used on another computer but the rule is it can't then be used on other computers in future right? Whereas a retail version could be used in perpetuity on whatever new machine I build/buy or at least for as long as Microsoft offers free upgrades?

What I'm worried about is buying some OEM version in good faith and getting burned again - some sellers presumably sell dodgy ones or ones that have been used previously etc.. What is a good way of avoiding this?

tl;dr - I want to pay for my software but I'd also like to do this as efficiently as possible and not get ripped off - happy to get a (legit) OEM licensed version of Windows 11, I presume the cheapest way is to get a windows 10 OEM key and upgrade?

Pls do let me know if any of my assumptions about what is or isn't legal here are wrong.

The_Arbiter · 1 Apr 2022 at 17:21

@dowie your original key isn't automatically an OEM if it came on a computer, it could be retail. Buying an OEM key to use yourself on a non new PC i think is kind of against their T&Cs, but the whole thing is a bit weird. You could potentially find a working key off a pc in a skip tbf.

dowie · 1 Apr 2022 at 21:47

The_Arbiter said:
@dowie your original key isn't automatically an OEM if it came on a computer, it could be retail. Buying an OEM key to use yourself on a non new PC i think is kind of against their T&Cs, but the whole thing is a bit weird. You could potentially find a working key off a pc in a skip tbf.

Ah how can I find out if it's retail - I'd assumed a key on a dell laptop (windows sold with that laptop) was only for use on that laptop? If that isn't the case the problem solved I guess, I can just use that.

Not sure what you mean re: a non-new PC - the desktop is a PC I built myself but just has linux on it at the mo - does it make any difference if an OEM version of windows is installed a few hours after building it or 2 years? Where is the cut-off there - isn't it the fact that I built it that allows an OEM license or have I got that wrong?

The_Arbiter · 2 Apr 2022 at 16:27

dowie said:
?

If you type " slmgr /dli " into command prompt as admin it'll tell you what licence type it is. But i guess you don't have it installed yet, so not much help? I had to google that as i can't remember such things

You might be able to ring MS directly and check, but that could be hard work.

It's my understanding that an OEM licence can only be sold for a new or refurbed computer, for that computer, and not the user. But i've no idea if there's constraints around it, or what's workable or allowed, as a refurb will potentially have its key and motherboard recorded by MS servers anyway. I think if a retailer sells an OEM they have to provide support for it, not MS.

But my initial point kinda was that/is, if it works and you got it from a reputable shop be it on a new computer or as a separate key then cool, you know it works and the MS servers accept it. However, there's a chance an OEM key will not work as the PC is locked to another key via the MS servers, i have had this problem. However again, this is not always the case as it can depend on the edition of windows.

This is why i mentioned about a PC in a skip. You know that licence hasn't been sold a million times, and if it's a retail licence you are now the legal owner of that single licence.

If you want to read into the full legalities of it, they are available pre install.

I know this probably hasn't answered your question again sadly.

Actually, if you wanted to be fully safe, then just buy a retail licence from MS direct

dowie · 2 Apr 2022 at 16:55

The_Arbiter said:
If you type " slmgr /dli " into command prompt as admin it'll tell you what licence type it is
[...]
But my initial point kinda was that/is, if it works and you got it from a reputable shop be it on a new computer or as a separate key then cool, you know it works and the MS servers accept it. However, there's a chance an OEM key will not work as the PC is locked to another key via the MS servers, i have had this problem. However again, this is not always the case as it can depend on the edition of windows.

This is why i mentioned about a PC in a skip. You know that licence hasn't been sold a million times, and if it's a retail licence you are now the legal owner of that single licence.

Yeah, I suspect that's the problem I had in the past with windows 7 quite a few years ago, bought what I thought was a legit license and got burned.

Thanks, if I do install from the USB I'll try that, I guess I could always put in on the desktop try that and see if it is a retail license - the laptop came directly from the manufacturer's refurb arm itself.