[SOLVED] How to format, install windows 10 and avoid legal problems?

preguntonontrack

Distinguished
Nov 4, 2013
322
2
18,795
Ok, so i am trying to make some side money fixing computers and I am pretty good at it. Recently I am having issues with customesr trying to explain they need to buy a license after I install windows 10 in their computers so I need advice. Here are some questions:

First of all, I know how to format a PC with my own licence etc..

1) How do I download the latest x64 windows 10 version and office 2019/2016 from an official source to use it on another computer with an USB drive? For me I use the windows 10 create tool but it will ask for a licence.

2) I am guessing the proper way to do it is to download a clean copy of windows 10, install it and it will have a trial and then they will have to puchase a key?

3) Good sites to buy cheap OS keys?

4) Good sites for office 2016/2019 pro keys? (not office 365)

5) Any suggestions on how to deal with customer who need a format?
 
Solution
And which version of WIn 10, Home or Pro, depends on what was on there originally.

The USB install you create with the MediaCreation tool will contain ALL versions.
Simply select the correct one.

Don't assume Win 10 Home. Sometimes they had Pro preinstalled.
The $180 Asus transformer refurb I bought a few months ago came with Win 10 Pro installed.
At $180, either the OS or the hardware was "free"...;)

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
You purchase the valid license keys from Microsoft, and pass that ~$100 to the customer you're building it for.
That is part of the cost of a system, just like RAM/CPU/GPU/etc.

Do NOT buy 'cheap OS keys ' and pass those on to your customers.
 

preguntonontrack

Distinguished
Nov 4, 2013
322
2
18,795
@USAFRet you are the best, you are always solving our issues and educating us. Well I have several questions now.:

1) After I use the create window 10 tool and select to create an usb installation media in another computer. then I install it on the customer PC/laptop. While in windows setup it will ask for it? So I should buy on my computer before doing this? O should I connect to the internet during the windows 10 set up and i would let me buy a licence?

Here is another situation: Lets say an old lady has a laptop and it needs a format... It has windows 10 home. How I get her license before formatting to reuse it while using the usb i created previously?

Sorry for all these questions, I am just trying to mak eliving of it with our issues.
 

Math Geek

Titan
Ambassador
you can skip the step where it asks for the key. it will run fine unactivated if the owner refuses to spend the money. eventually there is a nag screen but it will not change how windows works at all. you lose the ability to change the wallpaper and that's it.

but if you are only doing a clean install as a repair, then it should already be activated with win 10 and will reactivate once it is reinstalled.

or if they don't want to spend the cash on a new build, then hand it over unactivated and let them look at the nag screen for a while. if they chose to buy a key then that's on them later.

that or install a nice linux distro and let em learn that :)

you'll get all kinds of ignorance when fixing/building pc's for people. all you can do is document and move on. i do say document so they can't come back later and claim you jacked it up and never explained to them what the deal is. i have a sheet i made up where i document the problem and fix. it is signed by the customer once any notes are made about fixes turned down and so on. this has been a life saver for me more than once when someone comes back and claims the hdd i told them was dying "worked fine" when they brought it to me. i've had people try to sue me claiming i broke stuff and so on. of course when i show the signed sheet explaining everything and where they declined to fix/replace things, things go my way fast!!
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
@USAFRet you are the best, you are always solving our issues and educating us. Well I have several questions now.:

1) After I use the create window 10 tool and select to create an usb installation media in another computer. then I install it on the customer PC/laptop. While in windows setup it will ask for it? So I should buy on my computer before doing this? O should I connect to the internet during the windows 10 set up and i would let me buy a licence?

Here is another situation: Lets say an old lady has a laptop and it needs a format... It has windows 10 home. How I get her license before formatting to reuse it while using the usb i created previously?

Sorry for all these questions, I am just trying to mak eliving of it with our issues.

For a customer with no Win 10 license, you give them the option.
Either install it and leave it Unactivated (Skip entering the license key) and let them figure it out
or
"We'll add the cost of the valid license key to the invoice, and you'll have a fully valid activated OS install when you walk out. $95."



For the old lady needing a reinstall..if the system already has Win 10 installed and activated, no license needed. Skip entering it, and it will activate itself when the system goes online later.
 

preguntonontrack

Distinguished
Nov 4, 2013
322
2
18,795
For a customer with no Win 10 license, you give them the option.
Either install it and leave it Unactivated (Skip entering the license key) and let them figure it out
or
"We'll add the cost of the valid license key to the invoice, and you'll have a fully valid activated OS install when you walk out. $95."



For the old lady needing a reinstall..if the system already has Win 10 installed and activated, no license needed. Skip entering it, and it will activate itself when the system goes online later.

Sorry for the late response the kids plus works :S

So if the person had already windows 10 home or pro I just skip the licence input window using th usb i created and it will activate itself when the pc is online?

Even if they had an HP/Lenovo with windows 10 that they depend on a recovery disc?

So the best strategy is to do a windows 10 HOME USB?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Sorry for the late response the kids plus works :S

So if the person had already windows 10 home or pro I just skip the licence input window using th usb i created and it will activate itself when the pc is online?

Even if they had an HP/Lenovo with windows 10 that they depend on a recovery disc?

So the best strategy is to do a windows 10 HOME USB?
Correct.

If the system originally had Win 10, a new install needs no new license key. Even if you were replacing the actual hard drive.
During the install, when it asks...skip that section and move on.
It will activate itself later when it goes online.

Changing the motherboard, OTOH, WILL trigger licensing issues.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
And which version of WIn 10, Home or Pro, depends on what was on there originally.

The USB install you create with the MediaCreation tool will contain ALL versions.
Simply select the correct one.

Don't assume Win 10 Home. Sometimes they had Pro preinstalled.
The $180 Asus transformer refurb I bought a few months ago came with Win 10 Pro installed.
At $180, either the OS or the hardware was "free"...;)
 
Solution

Math Geek

Titan
Ambassador
the "recovey disk" is simply a win 10 installer with all the extra brand specific bloat pre-installed. there is no such thing as an "hp version of win 10". so no worries about using a non-recovery disk to do a fresh install. it makes no difference to Ms so long as the version matches. home to home or pro to pro and so on.