Can i just buy a license key for my Win7 home premium?

ERIC J

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Jan 14, 2014
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I have a copy of Win 7 home premium sp1 64 bit installed on my main Pc but wanted to
activate it on my backup Pc?
it is installed on a 1TB HDD already so can i just buy a license key for it?
If so,where is the best place to get just a key?
 
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rumors i saw suggest about $30 to go from win 7 to win 10. makes sense for them to get as many off of 7 as possible to end support as soon as possible. from what i am seeing i think win 10 will be the last version of windows you buy. the next one will be subscription based like office 365 and keep you paying monthly.

no more buying one and using it for 10 years like we're used to. :( sure looks like what MS is moving to. they'll be a lot of crying at first but give it a year and it will be the norm.

Math Geek

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you can install it to the new pc and buy the key straight through windows. the disk itself is only the install medium and can be used over and over on as many pc's as you want. the key is what has to be bought for each pc.

installing windows should allow you to skip the key entry and finish installing. of course it will nag you to buy/enter a valid key once it's running which is what you want so you can buy the key.
 

ERIC J

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yes that is where i am at with it now. it is fully installed and i have a 30 days to activate
so all i was asking is can and where do i buy the key to activate it.
everytime i go to MS they only have WIN8 as WOLFSHADOWw pointed out. MS no longer sells the KEY for WIN 7.
So it is looking like i have to buy the whole OS over again?
 

Math Geek

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yah my bad. i keep forgetting they stopped selling win 7 keys. so yah your going to have to buy a new copy of windows. i don't see anyone selling just the key so you'll just have to buy it with an included disk. the price should not be any different anyway than without a cd.

buy the version already installed and enter the key when you get it. you can still use the pc while waiting so not like your sitting in front of a huge paperweight.
 

Wolfshadw

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As Math Geek points out, it's not the Media that costs anything. That can be downloaded at will from any number of reputable sources as often as you like. It's the product key that costs $99. Since Microsoft no longer sells Windows 7, there is no other place to legitimately purchase just the key. You'll need to purchase the full media disk; which basically means, you're purchasing a product key AND they're giving you the media as well.

-Wolf sends
 

ERIC J

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WOLF,since after jan13th 2015 microsoft will no longer support WIN7 it really does not pay me to even bother using 7 on my other pc right?
the OS with disc/license will cost around $80-$130 for a reputable one so
i am left with either 8 or wait and see what 9 looks like?
it really does not make sense to spend that kind of money on a obsolete OS
 

Math Geek

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personal preference for you really. i like win 7 and hated win8 like many others. win 10 (they are skipping over naming next one win 9) will be out early next year and win 8 will be next one to go anyway. every other windows version has been decent so i figure win 10 will be worth it.

there is a good chance they will offer very cheap upgrades to the new os as well. i'm banking on going from win 7 to win 10 pretty cheap with an upgrade offer.
 

ERIC J

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Thanks for the help, i decided to wait for the next OS be it 10 or whatever MS calls it.
i dont like 8 either and 7 will be too obsolete.
 

Math Geek

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rumors i saw suggest about $30 to go from win 7 to win 10. makes sense for them to get as many off of 7 as possible to end support as soon as possible. from what i am seeing i think win 10 will be the last version of windows you buy. the next one will be subscription based like office 365 and keep you paying monthly.

no more buying one and using it for 10 years like we're used to. :( sure looks like what MS is moving to. they'll be a lot of crying at first but give it a year and it will be the norm.
 
Solution