Question Is StackSocial Legit?

[Heat_Fan89]

Gamespot.com has a link for Windows 11 Pro for $10 with coupon code WINDOWS. Now I have been burned before but that is going back 15 years when I bought a key on Ebay and that is when Microsoft had a subscription service where you can try their products and it would generate Product Keys. Those part of the subscription service would resell those keys and they would eventually get backlisted.

However this referral is coming via Gamespot and they are legit, so that is why I am asking. The trouble is I have legit Windows 8 Pro keys I purchased in 2012 directly from Microsoft for $15. I have two keys that are unused but I can't activate W11 with them.

I just downloaded Windows 8.1 Pro ISO and I am going to build an bootable flash drive with Rufus to see if I can activate Windows 8 and then upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.

Any thoughts on StackSocial?

 

[Misgar]

Gamespot.com has a link for Windows 11 Pro for $10 with coupon code WINDOWS.

With the likes of Amazon selling Windows 11 Pro for $99 to $200, do you really believe an $10 copy is completely legit?

https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Upgrade-Home-Digital-Download/dp/B09WCTTXQ6
https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windоws-Pro-OEM-DVD/dp/B09MYBD79G

Chances are the Gamespot link is to a dodgy company splitting Volume License or Educational License packs, intended for use by large enterprises or colleges. You'll get an Activation Key (25-character alphanumeric code) which allows you to install Windows but you'll be infringing Microsoft's Terms and Conditions.

If you are sold an Activation Key from a Volume/Educational pack, chances are hundreds or thousands of other people will get the exactly the same activation key. Microsoft may detect illegal use of a key by many people, made easier by the fact they'll be using multiple IP addresses in many countries when they download Microsoft Updates. On rare occasions, Microsoft may revoke the key and you'll see a message saying your copy of Windows isn't legit.

I've shown links to Upgrade and OEM licenses, but if you're a home user, you really need a Retail Pack if you're not upgrading. OEM packs are for computer builders who make a living selling machines to other people. Unfortunately, Retail Licenses are usually the most expensive.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

With the likes of Amazon selling Windows 11 Pro for $99 to $200, do you really believe an $10 copy is completely legit?

https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Upgrade-Home-Digital-Download/dp/B09WCTTXQ6
https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windоws-Pro-OEM-DVD/dp/B09MYBD79G

Chances are the Gamespot link is to a dodgy company splitting Volume License or Educational License packs, intended for use by large enterprises or colleges. You'll get an Activation Key (25-character alphanumeric code) which allows you to install Windows but you'll be infringing Microsoft's Terms and Conditions.

If you are sold an Activation Key from a Volume/Educational pack, chances are hundreds or thousands of other people will get the exactly the same activation key. Microsoft may detect illegal use of a key by many people, made easier by the fact they'll be using multiple IP addresses in many countries when they download Microsoft Updates. On rare occasions, Microsoft may revoke the key and you'll see a message saying your copy of Windows isn't legit.

I've shown links to Upgrade and OEM licenses, but if you're a home user, you really need a Retail Pack if you're not upgrading. OEM packs are for computer builders who make a living selling machines to other people. Unfortunately, Retail Licenses are usually the most expensive.

I did not asked to be preached to. I know about Legit and non legit keys. I asked if anyone had an issue with StackSocial. And as I mentioned from the outset, I have two legit retail Windows 8 Pro keys that are unused.

 

[Misgar]

Sorry if you regarded it as preaching. I missed the query in the title.

Perhaps you should have placed the question about Stack Social near the beginning of the text, rather than as a minor "aside" right at the end.

https://www.scam-detector.com/validator/stacksocial-com-review/

https://blog.paranoidpenguin.net/20...git-i-bought-windows-11-pro-for-less-than-20/

From the above, I'd say StackSocial is not going to get my business.

Good luck trying to get Windows 11 going with your Windows 8 keys.

 

[USAFRet]

retail Windows 8 Pro keys that are unused.

You can't go from Win 8/8.1 to 11.

Either the software upgrade OR the license.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

You can't go from Win 8/8.1 to 11.

Either the software upgrade OR the license.

Yeah, they nuked it. I downloaded Windows 8, activated it with an unused product key I purchased from MS back in 2012. I then tried to upgrade to Win10 and I got the message, that it wasn't possible. So I reformatted the drive this time with Win10, hoping it would activate and I got the message the PK was invalid for Win10.

Anyways, in the end I got Win11 for free. I cashed in a bunch of Microsoft Rewards points and got a copy of Win11. I wanted to save those Rewards points for future games. MS really just needs to make the OS free. Microsoft Windows has become an advertising mechanism for the company.

I was considering just leaving it in un-activated but then I realized I had Rewards Points to burn.

 

[American2021]

I once asked Microsoft about this sort of thing and they told me they block the activation keys which are not supposed to be retailed in that manner as they discover them. They told me the program keeps working until it needs to be reactivated and then will never activate anywhere ever again using that key, because they blocked the key.

My...