Quick background.. I bought a pro (retail) key online, and the seller said it was a unique key. I have no way of knowing if that's true or not, and it would not surprise me to learn the guy is reselling the same key. If I activate Win7 with my key online, and other people get the key and try to use it, will my windows automatically deactivate? Obviously it's 1 key = 1 computer, so I assume my Windows install is no longer "genuine", but will my install magically deactivate, or could I just not allow MS to verify my OS once more (like not allowing that Genuine Software program from MS run)? Also, I read in the FAQ I can use my retail key with an OEM disc (and vice-versa) but in order to do so, do I need to modify the .ini or .cfg file to say 'retail' channel vs 'OEM' channel, or will the install program figure it out? The OEM is already professional, so no change in the actual "version" of Windows. Thanks guys!
Yes, they can if they realize that it is getting distributed around. Retail keys only have 10 activations and 25 phone activations normally and MS should really not blacklist the key unless it was pirated to begin with. If it is a valid key, the only issue you should face would be activating with that key if it was used up dude.
Activate your key, make a disk image using Macrium or Acronis and also backup yoru activation using paymyrent's utility. I highly doubt you will have a problem with your key though. Just remember that every time you activate that key is one less available for you so backup your activation. EDIT: a backed up activation is only good for the hardware it was activated on.
The bigger problem you have with keys purchased like that is that they're almost certainly coming from MSDN / MSDNAA / Technet accounts being abused. And if/when Microsoft shuts down the seller they can blacklist the keys that were sold from their account. You might not have the same key as anyone else, but it can still get shut off if the person selling shouldn't have sold it like that.
OK, so lets say for arguments sake, the key I bought online was an MSDN / MSDNAA / Technet key being abused, but I do activate Windows successfully. Once Microsoft finds out about this, and blacklists the key, does my OS now become "deactivated" ? What are the negative outcomes for me if I activate windows before the key gets killed.. anything? Or does my PC run fine with Windows 7, going along like normal, until I decide I need to format/re-install and then the key no longer works.
It's their OS, they can do pretty much whatever they want with it given your use of it (if you're legitimately licensed, that is). If not, the sky's the limit - they just haven't ever gone that far. But they can...
Great, that's what I was wondering. Obviously they could de-activate the PC at will, but I could see that causing more problems than it solved. Glad to hear there's no precedence for this yet.