Buy Windows 10 Pro for $2 in Microsoft store?

By +Warwagon
in The Fast Ring (Insider Previews)

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Grand Master

adrynalyne

Posted
Posted

Just call MSFT and act dumb.

 

"I bough thes keyz for me Win 10 computer and I aren't got way to activat. Would u plz hlp mi?"

 

Since MSFT call center is in India, the tech there would totally understand what you said.

How naive.

 

They are going to know what OS it is and they can check what kind of key it is.  I know; I helped train some of them back in the XP and Vista days.

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted

Just call MSFT and act dumb.

 

"I bough thes keyz for me Win 10 computer and I aren't got way to activat. Would u plz hlp mi?"

 

Since MSFT call center is in India, the tech there would totally understand what you said.

 

I did talk with one of the support staff, via chat. They were like you were scammed, then I showed them the credit card screen shot, he said... oh well, that does look like a legit store order.

Grand Master

Mockingbird

Posted
Posted

I did talk with one of the support staff, via chat. They were like you were scammed, then I showed them the credit card screen shot, he said... oh well, that does look like a legit store order.

 

You should reply:

 

"Is sum ting wong? Y u gi me keyz that no wrk?"

  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted (edited)

Did a clean install on one of the 3 computers I bought the $2 Windows 10 Pro on. I used an Windows 10 Pro iso I made from an ESD file that was downloaded on my Windows 8 pro machine for upgrade.

I did the clean install and when it prompted me to enter a product key I skipped it and then after the setup was done logged into my Microsoft Account.

After logging into windows for the first time Windows said it was activated. The product key that it showed on the system was the generic one. Looks like it must have binded it to my account or something.

I also checked to see if I was an insider on that install. it said I was not.

 

 

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted

Upon inspection after upgrading my Windows 8.1 Pro install to Windows 10 pro and using a keyfinder Microsoft is using the generic key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T to activate Windows 8.1 pro upgrades.
 
So at this moment, I think if your PC was ever activated using that generic key ... a.k.a via the insiders program while connected to a Microsoft account. You can clean install the pro version and you  are permanently activated.

Grand Master

BinaryData

Posted
Posted

Just call MSFT and act dumb.

 

"I bough thes keyz for me Win 10 computer and I aren't got way to activat. Would u plz hlp mi?"

 

Since MSFT call center is in India, the tech there would totally understand what you said.

Oh my god, you understand my issue. I dread calling Microsoft, and even at work, almost 80% of our network people are freaking Indian's. It pisses me off to no end!

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Grand Master

Noir Angel

Posted
Posted

It seems Microsoft aren't being all that judicious with these upgrades. Part of my job as a technician is to test for and remove malicious activation hacks. I installed 8.1 in a virtual machine, activated it with a dodgy KMS then upgraded it to 10 to see how 10 handles activation hacks (before anyone starts morally policing me, I own a legitimate key and don't pirate my OS, this was simply an information seeking experiment), and to my surprise even after a wipe it remained permanently activated, even when I did a clean install with no KMS on it. So it seems even a lot of people with hacked copies of Windows are probably still going to end up with a permanently activated OS, which to say the least is an interesting move from MS as I'm sure detecting the KMS hacks couldn't have been that hard.

Proficient

Chrysalis

Posted
Posted

Upon inspection after upgrading my Windows 8.1 Pro install to Windows 10 pro and using a keyfinder Microsoft is using the generic key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T to activate Windows 8.1 pro upgrades.
 
So at this moment, I think if your PC was ever activated using that generic key ... a.k.a via the insiders program while connected to a Microsoft account. You can clean install the pro version and you  are permanently activated.

I can confirm that key has been blocked.   It may be the key on the installation but it will not activate a unauthorised device.

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted

I can confirm that key has been blocked.   It may be the key on the installation but it will not activate a unauthorised device.

Correct, blocked for install on a device that never previously been activated using that key.

Proficient

Chrysalis

Posted
Posted (edited)

For reference I like one of the above posters has various windows 7 TechNet keys (these keys also allow 10 installs per key).

However I am not sure I want to test if the key will still work on 10 pc's after used for a windows 10 upgrade.

It seems if I don't want to wait for my free retail copy to arrive, I can use one of my win8 keys I got spare on my insider pc, then use the tool to make a iso and install on top of that install, after it activates I can then do a clean install right? but I will no longer be on the insider program then.

For those who not read my thread, basically there will be no more keys issued on the insider program, they expect all testers now to be already activated.

Community Regular

adam.mt

Posted
Posted (edited)

Did a clean install on one of the 3 computers I bought the $2 Windows 10 Pro on. I used an Windows 10 Pro iso I made from an ESD file that was downloaded on my Windows 8 pro machine for upgrade.

I did the clean install and when it prompted me to enter a product key I skipped it and then after the setup was done logged into my Microsoft Account.

After logging into windows for the first time Windows said it was activated. The product key that it showed on the system was the generic one. Looks like it must have binded it to my account or something.

I also checked to see if I was an insider on that install. it said I was not.

 

 

From what I've read Windows 10 Upgrades are tied to your Microsoft Account and your hardware setup so it doesn't matter how you do the install once your log into your Microsoft Account then it will activate.

 

Not sure how it will work if you have multiple keys though, eg. same hardware, same Microsoft Account, install Windows 7/8 with key 1 and do Win10 upgrade, wipe, install Windows 7/8 with key 2 and do upgrade, wipe, install Windows 7/8 with key 3 and do upgrade. Would three licences then be tied to your Microsoft Account? Would you be able to use on different computers (or only the same hardware)?

 

Grand Master

nekrosoft13

Posted
Posted

Correct, blocked for install on a device that never previously been activated using that key.

so what happens if you change board or SSD? need to buy new key?

From what I've read Windows 10 Upgrades are tied to your Microsoft Account and your hardware setup so it doesn't matter how you do the install once your log into your Microsoft Account then it will activate.

 

 

and if you don't want to use microsoft account? and just using local account? 

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