Buying windows 10 product key from ebay

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javeiro3

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Feb 12, 2018
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Hi, i'm maybe going to buy a new pc, but its without a operating system. It's expensive, so i'm thinking of downloading windows 10 on usb and buy a product key from Ebay. If the Product key gets blacklisted will my pc stop working? or will it say that windows isnt activated?. If the key works will my windows work normaly?
 
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I tried it once, windows will not activate if the key has been used before and that's the error message you get - that "this key has been previously activated on different hardware". Happened to me, the key was useless. Lesson learned.

They claim you are buying a key from dead or faulty hardware that was never used, but I think that's more for E-bays benefit so they won't get shut down too fast than for any other reason.

I've heard of people doing it successfully and saving a lot of money, that has not been my experience.


Buying licensed software, OS or otherwise, from ebay is almost always a bad idea.
How many other people did he sell this same license key to?

It may work for a few weeks/months, until it used on a system on the other side of the planet.
Or until that corporate license key wants to validate itself from the company license server.

You're buying/building a whole new PC.
A valid license key is, at most, 10% of the PC price.

Either just install Win 10 and leave it Unactivated (yes, it runs like this).
Or buy a valid license key from a known retailer.

Don't patronize these ebay clowns.
 


Thanks for answer. But what happens if more people use the license key? I know it means it will get blacklisted faster. But has it some other cons?
 
I tried it once, windows will not activate if the key has been used before and that's the error message you get - that "this key has been previously activated on different hardware". Happened to me, the key was useless. Lesson learned.

They claim you are buying a key from dead or faulty hardware that was never used, but I think that's more for E-bays benefit so they won't get shut down too fast than for any other reason.

I've heard of people doing it successfully and saving a lot of money, that has not been my experience.
 
Solution


You end up with a smaller wallet.
You pay, and get exactly the same result as just installing Win 10 and running it unactivated.

And you give the ebay dude incentive to do it again and again and again.

If you want to just waste $20 for no gain...put it in an envelope and send it to me.
It will be put to better use.
 
Hi, i'm maybe going to buy a new pc, but its without a operating system. It's expensive, so i'm thinking of downloading windows 10 on usb and buy a product key from Ebay. If the Product key gets blacklisted will my pc stop working? or will it say that windows isnt activated?. If the key works will my windows work normaly?

I used about a dozen of these cheap Windows licenses from eBay so far and never had any issues with them except once. One time, the key was already in use but the seller sent me a new one that worked after contacting him.

I learned that sellers from the UK are trustworthy and always work (the key that didn't work was from another country)

Been running builds for 2 years off these keys without a problem.

I believe the keys come from PC recycling facilities that resell the Windows keys associated with the motherboards they receive.

Anyways, from my experience these are 100% safe and you shouldn't worry.
 
My experience mirrors that of stundrah.

I have purchased multiple recycled licenses for both Office 2016 Pro Plus and Windows 10 Pro from sellers who have a good track record and have only ever had a problem once, and that once was promptly remedied by the seller sending a second key.

Sometimes they will activate via the internet, other times I have to use the phone method (which, I hasten to add, does not involve dealing with a live representative - which was a surprise) but they've always worked.

If Microsoft activates a license key I full well expect that it is legitimate. They are the ones who have to guard their own keys and limit the use to the number of times and under the terms permitted. I also doubt they'd ever pull that activation, as they'd have such horrible PR for doing so that it would never be worth it.
 
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