Windows licence recovery after reinstall

idgat · May 15, 2023

Winuser said:
Where in your post did you say they are agents?

I didn't say that I mentioned "agents" in my first post, that was just an added explanation because it appeared you either didn't understand or misread the inferences in my post "Yep, this, which is why I asked (Post#7) the OP for more details about the so-called "authorised" seller ... wouldn't be the first user who believes that Amazon and/or eBay are "authorised" sellers".

Lost in translation across the Pacific (or Indian+Atlantic if you want to go the other way

)

Winuser · May 16, 2023

If I remember correctly the OP can check the key by entering it into ShowKeyPlus. The app can be downloaded from the MS store.

pparks1 · May 16, 2023

MisterEd said:
Why did you buy a new key? Did you even contact the original seller? He should have helped you and offered to send you new key if that was necessary. If the seller was legitimate they would have replaced the key without question.

I have received low cost Windows and Office key from a couple online sellers. They have always helped with any problems I had. I have never had to receive new keys but I am sure they would have if necessary. BTW, both of these sellers were recommended by people with establised YouTube channels that said they will stand behind these sellers.

Probably bought a new key because it was super cheap and easier/faster than working through this with the original reseller. Sometimes your time has more value.

chris_m · May 16, 2023

pparks1 said:
Probably bought a new key because it was super cheap and easier/faster than working through this with the original reseller. Sometimes your time has more value.

You got it!

MisterEd · May 16, 2023

pparks1 said:
Probably bought a new key because it was super cheap and easier/faster than working through this with the original reseller. Sometimes your time has more value.

That may be true but I don't like to get ripped off. I only paid $22 USD for my key for Windows 11 Pro. When I couldn't get the key to work I had a chat with the seller who helped me get Windows activated. If he hadn't helped me then I would never have bought anything from them again. I would also have posted a negative review about the seller. Besides if I were to get a key from another seller there was no guarantee that it would work either.

pparks1 · May 16, 2023

MisterEd said:
That may be true but I don't like to get ripped off. I only paid $22 USD for my key for Windows 11 Pro. When I couldn't get the key to work I had a chat with the seller who helped me get Windows activated. If he hadn't helped me then I would never have bought anything from them again. I would also have posted a negative review about the seller. Besides if I were to get a key from another seller there was no guarantee that it would work either.

This is 100% correct. And it's also the reason that I don't buy super cheapo keys from anyplace. Obviously they aren't fully on the up and up, otherwise they wouldn't be so cheap. Microsoft never has a flash sale or anything where they sell keys for $25 or less. And there is no way a retailer is taking a loss on every key they sell. These keys are like $199 (retail), or $149 (OEM) from Microsoft. The alternative is to buy that, but people could buy nearly 10 of the licenses the way you did before you got to that cost.

I can see the retailer helping you out, as it's no skin off their back to just provide another one of these keys to an unsatisfied customer. If they sell a $20 key, 400 times, well they have made $8,000

idgat · May 16, 2023

MisterEd said:
That may be true but I don't like to get ripped off. I only paid $22 USD for my key for Windows 11 Pro. When I couldn't get the key to work I had a chat with the seller who helped me get Windows activated. If he hadn't helped me then I would never have bought anything from them again. I would also have posted a negative review about the seller. Besides if I were to get a key from another seller there was no guarantee that it would work either.

$22 USD is a cheap key, and screams fraud. The fact that the seller was able to help the user activate the key is no indication of authenticity.
On initial instalation, most (all?) keys can be activated if the key alpha-numeric structure matches Windows' algorithm test - it simply means that the key characters are in the right configuration for a Windows license key.

It's later on - usually during an (major) update - when MS checks the validity of the uniqueness of the key for the type of license, that the proverbial hits the fan for the user.

However, there have been instances where $1 keys have gone on and on and on without any problems. Congratulations to those users on winning the state lottery.

Winuser · May 16, 2023

MisterEd said:
Why do you say that?

Because it seems to be a one time activation key only.

MisterEd said:
You are only guessing.

That is why I said I have a feeling and not that they were sold sold a MAK key.

Superfly · May 16, 2023

Winuser said:
Because it seems to be a one time activation key only.

That is why I said I have a feeling and not that they were sold sold a MAK key.

Yep .. I don't understand why people don't check their keys.. if it's OEM or MAK .. it's fake ... Those keys can activate after online activation expires via tele but that is not normal for an unused key.

Winuser · May 16, 2023

idgat said:
However, there have been instances where $1 keys have gone on and on and on without any problems. Congratulations to those users on winning the state lottery.

Sometimes I think MS is more worried about getting Windows 11 on as many devices as possible. If I was the OP I would still contact the seller to see if they will stand behind what they sell. They paid for a working key and the should get a working key.

pparks1 · May 16, 2023

Winuser said:
Sometimes I think MS is more worried about getting Windows 11 on as many devices as possible. If I was the OP I would still contact the seller to see if they will stand behind what they sell. They paid for a working key and the should get a working key.

As the seller though, they cannot be sure that you didn't buy the key from them and use it to activate 3 computers at your house. I could see them not wanting to give you more keys as they could be concerned you are re-using them.

I think end of the day, we all know that when you buy a $200 key for $20...it has the potential to not work at all, or only work for a period of time. The risk is probably worth it to most people, take chance and see if they get lucky. Even if they don't and they have to buy 3 keys over say a 5 year period of time as they continually reinstall Windows, it's still only $60 out of pocket versus $200.

Winuser · May 16, 2023

pparks1 said:
As the seller though, they cannot be sure that you didn't buy the key from them and use it to activate 3 computers at your house. I could see them not wanting to give you more keys as they could be concerned you are re-using them.

I think end of the day, we all know that when you buy a $200 key for $20...it has the potential to not work at all, or only work for a period of time. The risk is probably worth it to most people, take chance and see if they get lucky. Even if they don't and they have to buy 3 keys over say a 5 year period of time as they continually reinstall Windows, it's still only $60 out of pocket versus $200.

Even paying full price doesn't guarantee that you won't get a MAK key. I've been there, done that.

Superfly · May 16, 2023

pparks1 said:
As the seller though, they cannot be sure that you didn't buy the key from them and use it to activate 3 computers at your house. I could see them not wanting to give you more keys as they could be concerned you are re-using them.

I think end of the day, we all know that when you buy a $200 key for $20...it has the potential to not work at all, or only work for a period of time. The risk is probably worth it to most people, take chance and see if they get lucky. Even if they don't and they have to buy 3 keys over say a 5 year period of time as they continually reinstall Windows, it's still only $60 out of pocket versus $200.

This from .g2a.com

Note: Windows 11 Pro License code for 1 PC.

Warning! This product cannot be used to upgrade your system from other version!

AFAIK only MAK's can't upgrade. The 1PC as stated above refers - only OEM have that proviso. Very weird

Winuser · May 16, 2023

Superfly said:
The 1PC as stated above refers - only OEM have that proviso. Very weird

Didn't MS relax that requirement?

Superfly · May 16, 2023

Winuser said:
Didn't MS relax that requirement?

Not that I'm aware of .. from a EULA point of view... but it was not implemented on the Activation server... and we could circumvent it - if that is what you are referring to?

Winuser · May 16, 2023

Superfly said:
Not that I'm aware of .. from a EULA point of view... but it was not implemented on the Activation server... and we could circumvent it - if that is what you are referring to?

As far as I know MS never changed the EULA. They just made it easier to move the OEM to another computer. I could be wrong though. IMHO, MS wants as many devices as possible to be using Windows 11. It used to be Windows 10. With MS making OneDrive the default when first setting up a new computer they are trying to make money from selling either more OneDrive space or getting users to buy Microsoft 365. I would include the ads but I think that they are easily removed so low on the list.

MisterEd · May 16, 2023

Winuser said:
Even paying full price doesn't guarantee that you won't get a MAK key. I've been there, done that.

Why do people think they are MAK keys? Don't they know that Microsoft also has special Volume License Retail keys for Professional Developers to use? Microsoft used to have MSDN subscriptions for these Professionals to sign up for and receive these special Retail keys. That was replaced by Visual Studio subscriptions.

Winuser · May 16, 2023

MisterEd said:
Why do people think they are MAK keys? Don't they know that Microsoft also has special Volume License Retail keys for Professional Developers to use? Microsoft used to have MSDN subscriptions for these Professionals to sign up for and receive these special Retail keys. That was replaced by Visual Studio subscriptions.

Speaking for myself, ShowKeyPlus showed that my keys were MAK keys. I bought the devices and or OS keys thinkng they were legit.
All of my devices are registered and activated. If this changes I will buy a legit key. I just won't buy the keys on Amazon that sells through thirf party companies..

NavyLCDR · May 16, 2023

Superfly said:
This from .g2a.com

AFAIK only MAK's can't upgrade. The 1PC as stated above refers - only OEM have that proviso. Very weird

An OEM product key cannot be used to upgrade Windows 10/11 Home to Pro directly by simply changing the product key. Which makes perfect sense, why would an OEM or System Builder ever need to upgrade from Home to Pro? However, the workaround is simple. Disconnect the computer from the internet, change the product key to the generic for Pro. Windows will upgrade to Pro but not activate. After the upgrade is done, then you can change the product key to the OEM Pro product key and it will activate.

MisterEd · May 17, 2023

Winuser said:
Speaking for myself, ShowKeyPlus showed that my keys were MAK keys. I bought the devices and or OS keys thinkng they were legit.
All of my devices are registered and activated. If this changes I will buy a legit key. I just won't buy the keys on Amazon that sells through thirf party companies..

There are a number of sellers online for these keys. The problem is finding ones that you can trust. I have only gotten keys from sellers that were recommended by established YouTube channels who said they had never had a problem with any key they had gotten.

I have bought (or received) three Windows keys from online sellers. I used ShowKeyPlus to show what types they were.
Windows 7 Pro: Windows 7 Professional OEM:COA
Windows 10 Pro: Windows 10 RTM Professional Retail
Windows 11 Pro: Windows 10 RTM Professional OEM: DM