Purchasing Windows 10 - Is it a scam?

rwenzori said:
These cheap keys might work but there is no way they are legitimate. No matter what some ( non-Microsoft ) tool you downloaded might say.
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The process I used to activate office (2016 and 2019), when using the keys from i-Tech is to login using my main Microsoft account at setup.office.com (this is a Microsoft domain because after I logged in I had access to all the Microsoft services that I am entitled to). After this I was asked to to enter the product key. I then downloaded a customised (with the product key embedded), setup stub which started the whole office download and installation process.
 
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Such a grey area. So I am not going to debate whether it is legal or not. I leave that for you to do decide, do your own research, and then decide for yourself and realise it is not legal but it is allowed. :unsure:

Generally you can get 'OEM' Windows Pro keys for very cheap. If you pay more than R300, max. R400 if you want Mr. Grey Seller to turn a bigger proffit, then you are paying too much.
Bidorbuy, Ebay, Kinguin all sell it dirt cheap to relatively cheap. Use the seller with the best ratings.
 
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Dave said:
And half of that price from eBay UK, I think I paid GBP3 for a Windows 10 Pro code last year, activated and still working perfectly.

A quick check shows some retailers are even cheaper now.
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I paid R60 for my code and he gave me 2 free
 
RedViking said:
Must say to pay R3600 for Windows from Microsoft ZA is just plain stupid.
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Come on, support the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Nah, I'm from the old school where you bought a DOS 5.25" floppy and used it to run any pc you worked on. I don't see the point of paying R3k for an OS that is linked to one set of hardware for life. MS should make the OS free and have a user license model. You plug in your usb stick or online account and off you go. No matter what computer you go to.
 
Dairyfarmer said:
Come on, support the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Nah, I'm from the old school where you bought a DOS 5.25" floppy and used it to run any pc you worked on. I don't see the point of paying R3k for an OS that is linked to one set of hardware for life. MS should make the OS free and have a user license model. You plug in your usb stick or online account and off you go. No matter what computer you go to.
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Even Wootware and Evetech etc. is cheaper than Micro$oft store.
 
Dairyfarmer said:
Come on, support the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Nah, I'm from the old school where you bought a DOS 5.25" floppy and used it to run any pc you worked on. I don't see the point of paying R3k for an OS that is linked to one set of hardware for life. MS should make the OS free and have a user license model. You plug in your usb stick or online account and off you go. No matter what computer you go to.
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That's actually a cool idea.
 
Pretty sure they're from msdn/action pack/spark subscriptions. I think guys buy subscriptions (many keys for all different products) cheap in other regions using stolen/cloned credit cards and sell them keys cheap. Something like that.
 
Accepting cheap genuine keys beats having to fight off piracy techniques, whilst at the same time accelerating market share growth. Microsoft wins and customers get an 80% discount.

I suspect that the next version of Windows will be completely free for consumers and included as part of an Office 365 deal for enterprises.
 
Dave said:
And half of that price from eBay UK, I think I paid GBP3 for a Windows 10 Pro code last year, activated and still working perfectly.

A quick check shows some retailers are even cheaper now.
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Lots of those keys sold on ebay and Bidorbuy are Msdn/volume keys, especially the dirt cheap ones like under R100. Use a PID checker to see what you have only retail or Oem is legit, some are Win 8 keys that will natively activate Win 10 and are sold as Win 10.

Msdn/volume keys will activate and may even work for a while, potentially even years, until Ms detects activity that violates the Msdn/volume agreement and blacklists the whole range of keys that were linked to the account that was authorised to use them.

One thing that is a total scam is the guys selling dirt cheap Office 365 subscriptions, they even go as far as calling them lifetime or 5yr subscriptions. The catch is they will have to send you log in details for an existing account because they are reselling education accounts that have to be linked to an email address from an authorised educational organisation to be eligible for the free subscription that they have just illegally resold to you.

Those get blacklisted out of the blue and the unfortunate recipient will lose everything that was stored in the Office365 account, all wiped out.
 
LCBXX said:
Accepting cheap genuine keys beats having to fight off piracy techniques, whilst at the same time accelerating market share growth. Microsoft wins and customers get an 80% discount.

I suspect that the next version of Windows will be completely free for consumers and included as part of an Office 365 deal for enterprises.
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Might be in the market for some Office software in the not too distant future. I'm seeing a lot of really cheap licenses offered just like the OP was referring to.

Wondering if the position re these cheapies remains the same?
 
hj2k_x said:
Might be in the market for some Office software in the not too distant future. I'm seeing a lot of really cheap licenses offered just like the OP was referring to.

Wondering if the position re these cheapies remains the same?
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Not at those prices, they are all Msdn or Enterprise licenses.
 
Bought my win10 pro cd key off of guru3d, they always have ads for cdkeys, paid 13$ for it.
 
luftwalk said:
Bought my win10 pro cd key off of guru3d, they always have ads for cdkeys, paid 13$ for it.
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Looks like an OEM key, if you need to replace your motherboard or want to migrate to a new system (PC upgrade) you will need to buy a new one.
 
Rickster said:
Looks like an OEM key, if you need to replace your motherboard or want to migrate to a new system (PC upgrade) you will need to buy a new one.
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Yeah i mean im ok with that, its not like I do that a lot(havent done it yet), plus it was only 13$ :)
 
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