PC shipped without licence key for winsows

AlSto

Andy_L wrote: »

probably because the extra features of pro vs home aren't worth the cost & the licensing doesn't stop you using home for commercial use

The ability to defer updates is an important feature. Especially to someone using it for business.

The OP had the opportunity to dodge a bullet, but instead ran right into it....

steviebuk

Most laptops don't ship with a Windows 10 key sticker anymore. The key is burnt into the BIOS. If PC World are refusing to fix then could try to report them to trading standards if they are claiming they nothing about it. They should at least be able to explain to you how the key works in Windows 10.

The people on the forum claiming they are buying keys off ebay on the cheap are knowingly or unknowingly buying stolen keys. Those will eventually be black listed by MS activation servers.

Its possible you have been hit by the activation bug that hit MS servers recently but I was sure this was only for 1809 and the insider builds so probably not that.

AndyPix

steviebuk wrote: »

The people on the forum claiming they are buying keys off ebay on the cheap are knowingly or unknowingly buying stolen keys. Those will eventually be black listed by MS activation servers.

Not necessarily - You clearly don't know much about this so stop scaremongering / get off your high horse

steviebuk

AndyPix wrote: »

Not necessarily - You clearly don't know much about this so stop scaremongering / get off your high horse

Believe what you will but I know everything about the field, its my job. Keys sold on ebay are stolen keys. When sold for £119.99 at Microsoft yet then sold for £5 on ebay, the clue is in the price. Yes, items can be discounted but not by that much.

The reason you don't see the stickers on laptops anymore is because these keys were being stolen. The key on the underside of a laptop was supposed ro be just for that laptop. But you'd get people who either work in a company or remove PCs/laptops for companies and then they'd try to sell on the keys stuck on the machine.

bengalknights

Are we confusing things here?

You mentioned it has popped up a message saying activation required, you are connected to the web to activate it right?

AndyPix

steviebuk wrote: »

Believe what you will but I know everything about the field, its my job. Keys sold on ebay are stolen keys. When sold for £119.99 at Microsoft yet then sold for £5 on ebay, the clue is in the price. Yes, items can be discounted but not by that much.

The reason you don't see the stickers on laptops anymore is because these keys were being stolen. The key on the underside of a laptop was supposed ro be just for that laptop. But you'd get people who either work in a company or remove PCs/laptops for companies and then they'd try to sell on the keys stuck on the machine.

You very clearly dont know everything about this field because you are talking rubbish.


Im not going to sell myself to you, or even explain why you are wrong - I will let you fill that gap in your knowledge on your own - especially whilst its your job :beer:


In the meantime - dont sell your opinion as fact, because it isnt

steviebuk

So I'm explaining why I think you're wrong in a constructive way but you're not explaining why you believe I'm wrong. I'll say again. All keys sold at rock bottom prices for the likes of Windows 10 and Office on eBay are stolen. I'm not saying every single key on ebay is stolen. As you can have legit businesses on there who buy OEM licenses in bulk and could be selling those. But not at £5. And for them to sell OEM license they technically, as its part of the EULA, need to only sell them to systems builders. But there are legit ways to get round that, legally. Such as simply purchasing a small part of a PC a long with the license. But no one that I know of has been pulled up on selling OEM licenses without such a work around, as its not such a big issue. As long as you sell the OEM license once and don't keep reselling it to others.

Its clear you don't want to have a constructive discussion on why you believe I'm worng. So despite telling me to get off my high horse, we're supposed to believe you that all those super cheap keys aren't stolen.

A discussion would be good. I've explained why I believe you're wrong with constructive arguments. You've given nothing back.

Another example of where the keys come from is the technet system. Home users used to be able to purchase technet subs, so the crooks did to. They then would get loads of keys that they'd then sell. The money they'd make covered the cost of the technet sub. Sadly, because this was so wide spread, MS finally killed technet for home users. However companies still have Volume License subs. If you have a rogue tech, they can grab all those keys and sells those. Or if the Volume License account is compromised, then they just get stolen.

AndyPix

Sigh you were not being constructive one little bit.
You were blanketly saying that all keys sold on ebay were stolen


Read up if you dont believe me.


There are many many ways in which legit keys can end up on ebay - here is one example that i am personally responsible for.


So we buy 100 laptops, each bundled with a boxed office 2013 retail pack as that offer was cheaper than buying them without (go figure)
Now we use volume license here so have no need for the licenses. We have no approved way to sell these retail so instead of throwing them in the skip I put them on ebay for a tenner each and put the proceeds in the christmas party fund.


Tell me how those keys are stolen and how you are right

steviebuk

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/cheap-windows-10-pro-via-digital-licence/ef05f895-3bc3-4fcf-9eb8-863c646f5980

steviebuk

And another link regarding Office 2013


https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02/20/office_2013_license_no_transfers/


I'm now step back abit and admit, what you're doing is fine and I doubt you'll ever get pulled up on it, but I bet, in their draconian licence agreements, even what you're doing probably breaches their EULA. But for no reason. Because if you are selling one copy to one person & its never installed on the 100 laptops (its obvious you don't do that) so I wouldn't see a problem with your reselling them on.


Saves the environment. They'd probably never enforce it but I bet you it stupidly goes against MS EULA. They'll probably claim its only to be installed on the laptop it was purchased with, which would be a stupid rule.


The point being, what you're doing seems legit, what a large number of others are selling aren't.