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this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2023
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You can buy a used mini PC for less than the price of a new Windows 11 license. I know there are cheaper license sites out there (unclear how legit they are) but this way you get a Windows license and a spare PC to run Linux!
There could be a bit of a caveat here. I when I purchased my laptop it had windows 10 installed. When I installed Mint, I could not reuse that key in a VM because it was “different hardware”. The license, could not be transferred under any circumstance. I had also purchased the upgrade to Pro through the windows store. That’s also lost.
I seldom run windows, even in the VM, but it still leaves one a bit bitter.
Usually calling Windows support, they'll give you a key if you just tell them you replaced some piece of hardware due to failure, assuming you haven't been transferring the same key around for awhile. They tend to be more invested in keeping you in the Windows ecosystem than they are are just getting one more license sold.
I called support, they said no. Asked for a one time exception, still no. The key to my knowledge was only used once on the laptop when I bought it new.
I wasn’t investing any more time in it.
Windows 10 links their license to the motherboard.
So as long as you use the same motherboard, the key will work.
This isn't possible with VMs sadly.
You can extract the SLIC value from the ACPI table, and then pass it through to QEMU
See more details here: https://gist.github.com/Informatic/49bd034d43e054bd1d8d4fec38c305ec
It is my understanding that this can only be used to run the OEM license one one instance in a VM, on the specific hardware that is originally licensed. IE, you virtualize the license if the bootOS is Linux, but you can't run 2 instances of the same windows license inside each other.
Or just install Linux and never worry about that shit again lol
I agree, I don't plan to go back! Just don't like giving up the option.
Cheap license sites (windows, games, etc) usually use keys bought via stolen credit cards. Pirating it is much better than buying from those sites, including for the devs that get punished for chargebacks from those keys.
Just to be clear... in the case of Windows, that would be M$...?
Tbh if you want gray area keys. Microsoftsoftwareswap has always had verified users selling business generated licenses keys. If you HAVE to buy a key, at least buy one from vetted people and not some rando on a seller site
So, hurting Microsoft and getting a cheap Windows key? Where's the downside?
They cost like $5 online, it's not like it's a huge risk. I've bought OEM keys before and they work fine. Just use a credit card so you can easily get a refund if it's fake.
Those are usually Windows 7 or 8 keys.
Which do indeed work to activate Windows 10 and 11.
But not anymore.
Dumb q, if I install Linux and later decide to reinstall Windows, is that OEM license still good?
The answer is a resounding maybe. If you activated with a Microsoft account or if there's a TPM chip, the chances of it still working increases. There are different kinds of licenses, but if it fails, there's a better than not chance calling MS support and just telling them you had a hardware failure on your laptop and you need to reinstall, they'll get you going. Not a guarantee though. And I'll caveat and say this information is a couple years old (I don't work in tech support anymore).
You can just reactivate by troubleshooting your activation in Windows.
No need to call Microsoft about it.
The multiple posts of people not being able to do that should have made it clear that doesn't always work.
Definitely yes.
As long as you use the same motherboard.