Purchase Old Product Keys

[chrisredfield93]

Hmm I thinking of building up a collection of All Windows Disc's but I am looking how would I purchase a legit product key, for the products so I can have play about with them, and also if i do repairs I would obvoiously use my customer's product key.

 

Any advice given on this would be good. thanks in advance.

[MatthewL]

Personally I wouldn't both, just have the latest XP, Vista (if really must!) and Windows 7 when it comes out. Just a note for Vista and above all the disks are the same, it just depends on the code you put in to what version you get

[chrisredfield93]

Wow you shocked me that vista doesn't matter what disc you have it all the same it all goes by the product key

[RabbieBurns]

vista and windows 7, and I believe XP SP3 disks, allow you to install the OS by leaving the product key field blank.

 

It then gives you 30 days to enter a serial. So if its just for evaluation purposes, that should suffice.

 

OEM licenses that come with machines are non transferable I believe, so they die with the machine.

 

(But as long as you have an OEM install disk, they will still work and activate online - I used an old dell OEM serial from a machine I was throwing out to downgrade my Vista Business on my laptop to XP Pro OEM)

[kmount]

(But as long as you have an OEM install disk, they will still work and activate online - I used an old dell OEM serial from a machine I was throwing out to downgrade my Vista Business on my laptop to XP Pro OEM)

 

You're aware Vista Business / Ultimate can downgrade to XP Pro legally right? (I once ventured into downgrading from Vista Business to XP x64 and was told by MS to "just use any key that would work" and it'd be fine.

 

OEM licenses are tied to a specific item of hardware within the PC (In a previous life I used to sell them with hard disks for system builders) but the licensing like most MS licensing is clear as mud.

 

I can confirm you get 14 days before activation with Windows 7 RC1 but I'm not sure about vista.

[RabbieBurns]

You're aware Vista Business / Ultimate can downgrade to XP Pro legally right? (I once ventured into downgrading from Vista Business to XP x64 and was told by MS to "just use any key that would work" and it'd be fine.

 

OEM licenses are tied to a specific item of hardware within the PC (In a previous life I used to sell them with hard disks for system builders) but the licensing like most MS licensing is clear as mud.

 

I can confirm you get 14 days before activation with Windows 7 RC1 but I'm not sure about vista.

 

I thought to do the legal downgrade I had to have a VLK or something? This was just my home laptop. But all's well if I'm legit

[jamesb]

If you want legal license keys for everything in order to play with it, I'd recommend just picking up a Technet license. Gives you about ten copies of just about everything (except server editions, only one copy of those) with an unlimited 'evaluation' license. Also gives you access to a lot of other handy stuff.

[Jamman960]

I thought to do the legal downgrade I had to have a VLK or something? This was just my home laptop. But all's well if I'm legit

 

I think when downgrades first became an issue the advice was to use a VLK but now you can generally request xp keys from suppliers or microsoft themselves. I still just use a VLK if I've got too many to downgrade.

[chrisredfield93]

If you want legal license keys for everything in order to play with it, I'd recommend just picking up a Technet license. Gives you about ten copies of just about everything (except server editions, only one copy of those) with an unlimited 'evaluation' license. Also gives you access to a lot of other handy stuff.

 

 

Hmm a technet licence is that a one off fee? how much and where I can find info on this ? and what it intails?

 

Thanks you all so far keep it coming

[jamesb]

Its an annual fee, and you have a choice between two options. One lets you download all the software and get the product keys online, the other gets you a nice Microsoft branded CD folder, with all the DVDs included and monthly updates sent out.

 

Buy, Renew or Upgrade Your TechNet Plus Subscription

[chrisredfield93]

Hmm i guess if I dont Renew, the year after I must stop using the disc's and hmm where can i find the agreement and the list of the software?

 

Has anyone here taken part in this?

[jamesb]

I've used it before, and found it excellent. The only reason I no longer us it is that I'm now on an MSDN license.

 

As for a list of software, that could take a while:

 

- All server operating systems (including RC of 2008 R2)

- All client operating systems (from Windows 3.11 to RC of Windows 7)

- Most server software (I don't know if there's anything missing, but its a bit enough list)

- Most client software (Full versions of Office, Visual Studio, etc)

- The full technet technical library as a download

- A large selection of technet technical training

- A load of utilities and other general stuff.

 

I'm not going to go through and list them one by one, it'd take too long.

[chrisredfield93]

Hmm I have a look into this technet, if you renew I guess you are given new product keys each year, and once you stop you subscripton, you must stop using this. but from what you saying sounds good

[jamesb]

If you go for the full one, where they send you the DVDs, its actually better to let it expire for a day or so each time, then renew/rebuy. There's no difference in price, and they'll send out the new discs each time so you can have shelves full of smart little Microsoft technet DVD folders.

[chrisredfield93]

So What made you go down the MSDN Route? (jamesb) + i know who to ask about technet would a youngster like myself get discount? im 20

[jamesb]

Work paid for it. I'd never have gone down that route on my own. The Technet license I could afford, the MSDN one's a little out of my league.

 

As for discounts, if you do a quick google search you'll find various voucher codes popping up to offer between 20% - 40% off.

 

Edit: Forgot to mention, it also entitles you to two free Microsoft support calls (normally about £250 each I believe)

[chrisredfield93]

lol looks like nothing gets passed google lol, how much i see prices for new but not renewal any ideas roughly, I thought they would always send the latest discs out, for example u got xp With sp1 disc then send you xp with sp2

[jamesb]

Renewal is the same price.

 

Basically what happens is that when you first buy you get a pack of all the discs. That's the library, training stuff, and software.

 

You then get a few discs sent each month with the updates. If you renew, you just keep on getting those few discs each month. If you let it expire and then buy a new one, you get the original pack sent out again with all the latest discs.

 

Or you can always go down the download route, which is a better option price-wise, and you can always burn your own discs.

[chrisredfield93]

I thought renewal would be chepaer lol, but to start again could possibly end up double or triple etc of discs,