Will Microsoft rip me off again?

[techbeck]

Never had a problem with ordering from MS.  I do have a problem with their nag program that asks you to reserve your copy of W10.  Removed that updated and blocked it from installing again. 

[GOD666]

Therein lies the problem.

Should not be the problem.   

 

The license allows you to install it on 1 computer.  Microsoft, assuming they are not lying... Says they can ID the hardware.   So that means installing it over and over on the same hardware is not the problem.

Make a stable PC image and just restore that. Using VMware Workstation or VirtualBox make snapshots solves the reformatting mess.

Inadequate. For testing reasons I need dedicated hardware.

Never had a problem with ordering from MS.  I do have a problem with their nag program that asks you to reserve your copy of W10.  Removed that updated and blocked it from installing again.

You're avoiding Windows 10 ... I'm looking forward to Windows 10, being a free upgrade. Something I think I've well earned (given how many copies I've bought) My issue is I don't want to have this repeat issue.

I've converted everyone to Linux. My mother, grandfather, sister, cousins, and nieces are all using either Ubuntu or OpenSuSe. Even on this computer I have OpenSuSe.

Windows 10 is something I'd like to give a go... But if I run into that activation issue... I'm done.

[TAZMINATOR]

Should not be the problem.   

 

The license allows you to install it on 1 computer.  Microsoft, assuming they are not lying... Says they can ID the hardware.   So that means installing it over and over on the same hardware is not the problem.

Inadequate. For testing reasons I need dedicated hardware.

You're avoiding Windows 10 ... I'm looking forward to Windows 10, being a free upgrade. Something I think I've well earned (given how many copies I've bought) My issue is I don't want to have this repeat issue.

I've converted everyone to Linux. My mother, grandfather, sister, cousins, and nieces are all using either Ubuntu or OpenSuSe. Even on this computer I have OpenSuSe.

Windows 10 is something I'd like to give a go... But if I run into that activation issue... I'm done.

 

If you are sick of the activation crap... then get a Mac or Linux.

[Rod Wilson]

About using the same Product key, sometimes your system get hit by a virus, or like what happened to me last year some scam artist pretended he was from Microsoft network support took over my system remotely and change my computer log on password and hijacked my comptuterus until I paid them almost $200. I contacted Microsoft and found out I had been scammed so I just reformed my hard drive and reinstalled everything operating system and all. If you have to do multiple reinstall because you have been hijacked,or hit by viruses or beta testing and things just blow up in you face, you can't help but do mutilple reintalls, or maybe you replace you hard drive are you to be expected to buy another over priced copy of the operating system I know I don't have that much extra money just hanging around.

[+virtorio MVC]

If you're going to keep installing over and over don't keep re-activating it. You don't need to. I've got several machines I reformat all the time for testing purposes and have never activated them. Or install once, activate it and make a disk image you can restore. 

 

Maybe in a perfect world you wouldn't have trouble doing what you're doing, but you are, so change what you're doing. MS certainly isn't going to change. 

 

Additionally, I've had to call them up many times over the years and have never had a problem. 

[vcfan]

maybe someone is stealing your key and activating on another machine

[tompkin]

Windows 10 is something I'd like to give a go... But if I run into that activation issue... I'm done.

One (of a number) of the things I'm considering with Windows 10 is that once you move to Windows 10, you can't go back to Windows 7 or 8. I was just discussing this today on another forum. I thought that as long as you were on the same machine if you used the same key that it would work either way but that's not the case. Once you go to Windows 10 there is no turning back with that key. Just wanted to mention that if you didn't know (as I didn't) so that it would avoid frustration in the future.

[-T- Member]

I can't understand why you wouldn't have an activated image to restore to if you reformat so often.

Your methodology is poor given your experience

[Raa]

Should not be the problem.   

 

The license allows you to install it on 1 computer.  Microsoft, assuming they are not lying... Says they can ID the hardware.   So that means installing it over and over on the same hardware is not the problem.

It is the problem.

They are not lying, but they are also not giving you the whole story either.

 

Expect it to keep happening regardless of which version of Windows you use*.

One (of a number) of the things I'm considering with Windows 10 is that once you move to Windows 10, you can't go back to Windows 7 or 8. I was just discussing this today on another forum. I thought that as long as you were on the same machine if you used the same key that it would work either way but that's not the case. Once you go to Windows 10 there is no turning back with that key. Just wanted to mention that if you didn't know (as I didn't) so that it would avoid frustration in the future.

Uhh what? That's never been the case before, nor would I expect it to be different now or in the future.

[tompkin]

Uhh what? That's never been the case before, nor would I expect it to be different now or in the future.

I am almost certain it is. The phrase I was given is that the key is "consumed". 

 

The thing is, I"m not 100% certain. But I have heard in a couple of places before that an OEM recovery partition would no longer work so seems to point to  this being the case. 

 

EDIT: Please see the link below. You might want to read at least the first 3 or 4 posts.

 

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_upgrade/upgrading-windows-from-windows-7-home-premium-64/77905387-7940-4821-a0f7-483d0520a862

[Raa]

I am almost certain it is. The phrase I was given is that the key is "consumed". 

 

The thing is, I"m not 100% certain. But I have heard in a couple of places before that an OEM recovery partition would no longer work so seems to point to  this being the case. 

It's true an OEM partition most likely wouldn't work for a number of reasons, but in the case of at least 8.x, your key is programmed into BIOS, so you can reinstall at any time...

For Win 7, your key should reactivate (phone call might be needed) on the same PC it was issued to...

[tompkin]

It's true an OEM partition most likely wouldn't work for a number of reasons, but in the case of at least 8.x, your key is programmed into BIOS, so you can reinstall at any time...

For Win 7, your key should reactivate (phone call might be needed) on the same PC it was issued to...

Raa, please see the link that I added above. If you would, read the first few posts and see what you think. Thanks.

[tompkin]

Raa, please see the link that I added above. If you would, read the first few posts and see what you think. Thanks.

EDIT: Sorry to keep re-editing.

 

After reading through it, I believe the problem is that the if you upgrade an OEM license to Windows 10, the Windows 10 license will carry the same "rights and stipulations" as an OEM license. One of the stipulations is that OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system. This is where the catch is. 

[T3X4S]

Depends on what I'm testing.  Sometimes once every few weeks and other times, such as when doing drivers that fail... Twice during the day.

 

But again, that should not have any issue since Microsoft says they can ID the hardware. 

LOL -

OK - now we know the truth

This isn't a professional beta - tester debugger.  This is someone who breaks stuff because he doesnt know what hes doing, and then makes excuses and to why his "method" doesnt work -

You are using your primary machine as your testing platform, are doing multiple clean OS installs every month - and dont see an issue ?

You ever talk to any professional tester that this issue ?  NO....... ever wonder why you're the only one.

LOL _ I love it when the truth comes out in a thread - then everything else makes sense.

[T3X4S]

TOmpkin - that link you provided is just some dude volunteering on a website - who has too much time on his hands - he isnt even close to a MS employee.

Better get your info from someone else other than some kid in Jamaica

[tompkin]

TOmpkin - that link you provided is just some dude volunteering on a website - who has too much time on his hands - he isnt even close to a MS employee.

Better get your info from someone else other than some kid in Jamaica

T3X4S, I can see your not a diplomat.

 

If you are so smart, then you provide a link that has a different or better explanation. I don't see that either. Truth from Jamaica is just as valid as truth from anywhere else. I don't see MVP's by your name. Give it a break.

[+virtorio MVC]

EDIT: Sorry to keep re-editing.

 

After reading through it, I believe the problem is that the if you upgrade an OEM license to Windows 10, the Windows 10 license will carry the same "rights and stipulations" as an OEM license. One of the stipulations is that OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system. This is where the catch is. 

What that means is you can't go and obtain an OEM copy of Windows (which you shouldn't have anyway, unless you're buying a new computer) and use it to upgrade your existing Windows OS. 

 

When upgrading FROM an OEM version, you're not allowed to go and install the old OEM version on another computer, or install it on the same system and dual-boot the two OSs. The new version inherits (consumes) the license of the previous OS and should be seen a single entity, not two copies of Windows you can use.

 

You can however downgrade to your old version of Windows (the EULA covers this), just as long as it's on the same PC (it was brought for and first installed on) and you're not running your old OS and new OS at the same time. 

[Raa]

You can however downgrade to your old version of Windows, just as long as it's on the same PC and you're not running your old OS and new OS at the same time. 

This is the correct answer.

[tompkin]

This is the correct answer.

This is what I thought originally. Then I saw this and it made me wonder.

 

After all, they want everyone to move to Windows 10. If people update their versions to Windows 10 then there are significant numbers of people that decide to revert back to their old OS, then their efforts will be for naught. Also, while they would certainly be able to track who went back, it would be a mess because people would be reverting back "willy-nilly" over time.

I trust you are correct. 

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

If your formatting and activating Windows sometimes twice a day that's likely the issue, you are probably been flagged up for unusual behaviour by Microsoft.

 

I would image your PC then you never need to re-activate, just restore the image and that is as good as any clean install. I'd also use VM's for testing, formatting so much is excessive and doing nothing except wasting your time.

[adam.mt]

Spot on. It may be 'wrong' but I think this is what is happening, it's not average behaviour to reformat hundreds of times. Make an image (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_disk_cloning_software) and restore that, it's going to save your heart ache and surely is a better way to test new software anyway? People use software, drivers etc. on a working system with lots of other things in place, not on a bare install.

 

Microsoft may be wrongly blocking you and the activation centre may not be assisting when they should, but your case is one of a very small minority so try doing things different and it shouldn't happen.

[joddie191]

If your formatting and activating Windows sometimes twice a day that's likely the issue, you are probably been flagged up for unusual behaviour by Microsoft.

 

I would image your PC then you never need to re-activate, just restore the image and that is as good as any clean install. I'd also use VM's for testing, formatting so much is excessive and doing nothing except wasting your time.

 

I think this is what is happening. Sure, Windows can identify that the same hardware is used to activate, but even so a normal key isn't supposed to be activated every few days.

 

Back in the Windows XP days we had a few keys at work that we had to call Microsoft when we were activating because we had been reinstalling the PC more than a couple of times. Every time the person I talked to just asked me to confirm it was still the same PC and if the key was in use in other machines. Then they simply did some magic and my activation worked. 

 

Your use scenario falls well outside anything I would call normal usage. Any professional tester (should) use either virtual machines, an image to reset their hard drive to a stable state after testing (very useful to be 100% sure the start conditions are the same) and/or they use trial versions that are good for 30 days or whatever. 

[MikeChipshop Member]

My best advice to you? Go and read all of Texas's posts and take them in.

I really can't stress how accurate he is, and this is coming from some one who has dealt with people like you plenty of times. It's not that you're an arse, it's that you're not entirely sure how activation works, and I'll bet the only reason MS support seems like arses to you is that you're approaching them in the same manner that you've approached this thread.

Good attitude in = good help out

Blunt attitude and refusing to listen where you've gone wrong, in = not much help out.

Upgrade your key to ten when it comes out, image the disk and never have this issue ever again.

[techbeck]

You're avoiding Windows 10 ... I'm looking forward to Windows 10, being a free upgrade. .

 

No, I just dont need these programs asking me to upgrade.

[GOD666]

If you are sick of the activation crap... then get a Mac or Linux.

That's mostly what I've been doing... Converting everyone I know to Linux. As I said, my 97 year old Grandpa is now using Linux, as is my mother (she's 57), my sister (31), and my nieces (15,12,6). Both OpenSuSe and Ubuntu seem to be the favorites.

Games are not an issue since even Steam supports Linux. I can open any Microsoft Office document, plus even Apple documents now. Hardware support is just as competitive too as there are both 3rd party and official drivers.

But I would still like 1 last Windows PC and with Windows 10 being a freebie... Which I think I've earned (well earned)... I'd like to no get screwed again.