Cheapest ways to obtain Win7 product keys - legally?

[mitaux8030]

Its time to upgrade my daughters PC. She's running XP, and would like to upgrade to Win7 Home 64-bit (same as the family laptop). We already have the OEM install DVD for Win7 home 64-bit (single licence only??), and so would only need a new product key.
All the local software outlets are pushing Windows 8 "nahh, you don't want Windows 7... this is what you need!" they all say like sales droids.
I could go to somewhere like PCCG and mail-order a Win7 OEM DVD, but with wordings like 'only to be sold with a new system' we might be disappointed.
And somewhat suspicious of those websites where they claim to be able to sell a product key. It'd probably work for a grand total of five days...

Any suggestions?

[irwazza]

PCCG will sell you the OEM on its own. Don't know why you would bother but each to their own....

[mitaux8030]

I hear what you're saying, perhaps my past experience with XP is pushing me towards legally obtaining a product key. Once upon a time, XP was installed on a PC here, and it worked fine for a while, until an update installed produced highly annoying popups saying "your copy of Windows is not genuine". I'd rather not go down that route again if similar issues could once again come to the fore. A hassle-free experience is the goal, especially since it's my daughter who'll be using the PC.

[Philquad]

about 130 then


100 if 32 bit

[hoe]

$115 at ple for 64 bit w7 home oem.

Same price for w8.

[Philquad]

$75 us
i was just talking to a usa ebayer
his seller 7 home for 75$
he is happy to send the serial & not post the disk if needed

[myoldhk]

Go into a company or work at a company that is a corperate enterprise as there systems are installed and for networks etc. And take/copy the number off the sticker. Generally you'll find they have a tech team that install corperate licenses. And your left with an un used key like dell.

I BLAME PREDICTIVE TEXT FOR MY SPELLING

[mitaux8030]

Go into a company or work at a company that is a corperate enterprise as there systems are installed and for networks etc. And take/copy the number off the sticker.

Hmm, might see if that'll work. Just hope that the printed COA product key isn't used and was for Win7 Home 64 bit.

[irwazza]

Or just get yourself a copy of a corporate disk

[mitaux8030]

Well this is interesting. The family laptop has a COA product key that is different from the actual installed product key according to keyfinder. I'm guessing the laptop was loaded at the factory with an image of Windows 7 that uses a manufacturer's common product key (preactivated?), but then an OEM Win7 COA sticker attached just in case it ever needs to be reinstalled.
I'm hoping this means that either the COA product key has never been used / activated, or that it can transfer OK. There's many comments on the net about OEM product keys not being transferrable, that it's locked to the motherboard. I've found different. My OEM Win 7 'transferred' just fine, had a motherboard die on me, replaced the motherboard, and Windows did complain a bit & asked to be reactivated (online) - which I did with the OEM product key, and it worked just fine. So my experience is that, yes, OEM Win7 can transfer from PC to PC - or at least motherboard to motherboard.

So, maybe there's the possibility of using the perhaps not-yet-activated / transferring the activated (but no longer used) product key from the COA on the laptop. Going to give it a try and see what happens; will let you all know how that turns out.

[WhiteOx]

I find Magic jellybean doesn't find the correct key for my win 8 install, not sure about win 7.

Try this, you might get a different result:

[mitaux8030]

New PC arrived, with a yet-to-be-activated Win 7 pro on the HDD. Taking myoldhk's idea: looked at a work PC that had a COA with product key for Win 7 pro on it. Loaded up keyfinder and find that the COA product key doesn't match with what has actually been installed...
Hey, it's not my fault if the IT department go out and buy all these PCs with COAs but then don't bother to use the individual product keys on them...

[myoldhk]

Good to see it works for others as well!

I BLAME PREDICTIVE TEXT FOR MY SPELLING

[mikelouis]

Look for windows activators. There are numerous available on the web but try to sieve through them. Make sure you read reviews to see if the activator worked on other computers before downloading it.