Building a new pc and I bought some cheap Windows software on Ebay

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 24, 2013

I bought some cheap Windows 7 software on Ebay and I won't know if it works until next week when I finish building my PC. Does anybody know where I can get Windows 7 for less than $70 if it doesn't work? I have Windows 8 on my laptop but it's mostly been a pain in the *** so I don't want that on my new computer. Please help.

USAFRet · Jul 24, 2013

If you find it significantly cheaper than Microsoft or NewEgg, it almost certainly not legit. Home Premium OEM - $99 at NewEgg, $89 at TigerDirect.

I'll bet the disk you get from eBay says Dell on it. Not a legitimate purchase.

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 24, 2013

USAFRet :

Newegg had it on sale maybe 3 weeks ago for $55 but I didn't have the cash at the time.

Dark Lord of Tech · Jul 24, 2013

http://www.ebay.com/gds/Buying-Legitimate-Microsoft-Products-on-ebay/10000000012269435/g.html

http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=msnetsafeteam

USAFRet · Jul 25, 2013

What about this http://snaggstuff.com/microsoft-windows-7-home-premium-... ? Has anybody on here ever bought something from snagg stuff?

"This product will be branded HP, Dell, etc"
You are buying someone elses Volume Licensing key.

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 26, 2013

USAFRet :

Just going by the reviews it looks like it works for other people. The RAM is on its way from Newegg and I'll order the GPU on Sunday.

Dark Lord of Tech · Jul 26, 2013

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/can-snaggstuffcom-sell-microsoft-windows-7/172a5db1-64d5-45d6-9098-bf5ecca0fb07

These are illegal because they can only be bundled with an OEM HP or Dell PC.

USAFRet · Jul 26, 2013

WhatamIdoingWrong :

Going by reviews and feedback on ebay for similar bogus items looks like it works as well.
Still doesn't mean it is a legitimate purchase.

Dark Lord of Tech · Jul 26, 2013

It's not legal to install those and after awhile they will boot up and be non-genuine.

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 26, 2013

Okay, do you know of any stores that have legal Windows 7 software on sale?

Dark Lord of Tech · Jul 26, 2013

http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Premium-64bit-System-Builder/dp/B004Q0PT3I/ref=sr_1_1?s=software&ie=UTF8&qid=1374869611&sr=1-1&keywords=windows+7+oem

Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (OEM)

USAFRet · Jul 26, 2013

WhatamIdoingWrong :

Define "on sale".
TigerDirect has it for 89.99
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5213932

Dark Lord of Tech · Jul 26, 2013

+1 ^ That is a sale

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 26, 2013

Isn't that the same thing snaggstuff has?

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 26, 2013

USAFRet :

$70 is all I have left in my budget unless I wait until the week after next. I thought $90-120 was regular price depending on the store.

USAFRet · Jul 26, 2013

WhatamIdoingWrong :

USAFRet :

$70 is all I have left in my budget unless I wait until the week after next. I thought $90-120 was regular price depending on the store.

Then I guess you gotta wait.

JDFan · Jul 27, 2013

Yep pretty much any legitimate source is going to be within $10 +\- of the same price since MS pretty much fixes the price they can sell it for any place that sells it for substantially less is selling questionable copies.

If you only have the $75 another option would be to Download the iso from Digital River (MS's approved source for digital downloads) that matches the version you will be buying -- burn a disk with it and install windows without entering a product key. It will install and give you 30 days to activate - during that time buy the thing and use the product key that comes with the purchase to Activate the install by using the "Change Product Key" option and entering the valid key.

That buys you 30 days to save the additional funds for the purchase and gets it installed now.

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 27, 2013

USAFRet :

JDFan :

The Ebay seller that I bought Windows 7 from sent me the activation key and a link to download it from digital river. So If the activation key doesn't work then I'm still good for 30 days?

Dark Lord of Tech · Jul 27, 2013

That isn't legit ^ Those are technet keys and will become non-genuine

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 27, 2013

What's legit and what's illegal with Windows is pretty confusing so forgive my ignorance. What's a technet key and why would it become non-genuine?

Dark Lord of Tech · Jul 27, 2013

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/selling-product-key-from-msdntechnet-and-or/cf40c328-67ce-49b6-bbb6-c28cda92c06e

USAFRet · Jul 27, 2013

WhatamIdoingWrong :

MS TechNet. A subscription service from Microsoft, whereby (for a fee) they give you access to LOTS of software and accompanying activation keys. This is for an IT department to test various deployments, operating systems, and applications.

You get multiple keys to just about everything MS sells.

NOT to be used for a production environment, or as a substitute for buying a retail or OEM OS version.

Say I have a small dev shop. 8 people. I can create many OS installs for testing a web application before putting it online. Things work differently from XP to Win7 to Win8. I can test in my internal environment on all those platforms.

The TechNet concept is going away August 31 this year, specifically because people would buy a $250 license, and then sell the keys repeatedly.
Eventually, the key that you, the unsuspecting buyer, may get is identified as being used far too many times, and is then deauthorized. MS can and does track by frequency and activation location.

The seller does not care, because he already has your money and has moved on to a new eBay seller account. You, the unsuspecting buyer, are out of luck and money.

USAFRet · Jul 27, 2013

As far as what is 'legit'....buy from anyone else besides MS and the major online stores, and it may well not be legit.
Even at Amazon...be sure you're not buying from a 'Amazon Reseller'. That is just some dude, not far from the ebay concept.

Dark Lord of Tech · Jul 27, 2013

Great point about Amazon ^

WhatamIdoingWrong · Jul 27, 2013

USAFRet :

WhatamIdoingWrong :

MS TechNet. A subscription service from Microsoft, whereby (for a fee) they give you access to LOTS of software and accompanying activation keys. This is for an IT department to test various deployments, operating systems, and applications.

You get multiple keys to just about everything MS sells.

NOT to be used for a production environment, or as a substitute for buying a retail or OEM OS version.

Say I have a small dev shop. 8 people. I can create many OS installs for testing a web application before putting it online. Things work differently from XP to Win7 to Win8. I can test in my internal environment on all those platforms.

The TechNet concept is going away August 31 this year, specifically because people would buy a $250 license, and then sell the keys repeatedly.
Eventually, the key that you, the unsuspecting buyer, may get is identified as being used far too many times, and is then deauthorized. MS can and does track by frequency and activation location.

The seller does not care, because he already has your money and has moved on to a new eBay seller account. You, the unsuspecting buyer, are out of luck and money.

I'll try to get a refund for the Windows 7 ultimate and save up some more $$. Is it okay for me to download Windows 7 home premium from digital river and run that until I can buy it from Amazon or Tigerdirect ?

Building a new pc and I bought some cheap Windows software on Ebay

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