Is my project worth doing, or not. Creating lots of VMs using MSDN retail keys.

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by myhken, Jun 19, 2015.

  1. whwebsolutions

    whwebsolutions MDL Junior Member

    Jun 1, 2015
    86
    0
    0
    I think MS will have you sign into a MS linked account (I used my gmail account for mine) before any upgrade happens. This would allow them to take your key and your hardware specs and link them to your account. Then once the upgrade has finished, it will then allow you to do a clean install of Win 10 and use your old Win 7/8/8.1 key. Once it sees this key was used as an upgrade, it will then have you log into your MS linked account to pull the PC specs and check if it is the same PC that got upgraded or not, if so continue with the activation and happy face customer, if not continue but no activation. This sounds like more of what will happen in my eyes

     
  2. myhken

    myhken Experienced MDL Tester

    Feb 28, 2010
    919
    636
    30
    But do you really think that every person has to have a Microsoft account to use Windows 10? Can they say that they give you Windows 10 for free, but you MUST create a Microsoft account? And if so, why can you still create a local account in the Insider Preview? (etc, there can be people that want Windows 10, but don't have internet, so they use phone activation, but of course can't have any MS account) So Microsoft will deny all persons in similar situation a free upgrade?

    But is all speculations, nobody will really know before 29.July.
     
  3. whwebsolutions

    whwebsolutions MDL Junior Member

    Jun 1, 2015
    86
    0
    0
    as for a local account being able to be made, yes that will be able to happen, but for you to use your win 7/8/8.1 key, you would have to sign in using your MS linked account. Also, MS has the right to force people to use a MS linked account if they want the free upgrade as it is MS's product and it is MS doing the free upgrade, so they own the rights to how and what a person has to do to get the upgrade. And like I said, you can link any email to MS, I used my gmail account, works just fine :D

     
  4. urie

    urie Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 21, 2007
    9,039
    3,388
    300
    @ myhken, i still can't get my head around your problem you have hundreds of keys windows 7, 8, and 8.1 that you have never used. If you have such an account then talk to M$ perhaps get a rebate :p
     
  5. PaulDesmond

    PaulDesmond MDL Magnet

    Aug 6, 2009
    6,980
    7,149
    240
    neither Technet nor MSDN will get you any refund, they never did and they never will. Unfortunately ...:cool:
     
  6. urie

    urie Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 21, 2007
    9,039
    3,388
    300
    Paul I was only joking :biggrin: if person can afford such account then I don't know what the problem is especially if they don't need hundreds of keys o_O
     
  7. PaulDesmond

    PaulDesmond MDL Magnet

    Aug 6, 2009
    6,980
    7,149
    240
    I know it was a joke but I'm going very straight. We have "some" members without THE knowledge :p
     
  8. myhken

    myhken Experienced MDL Tester

    Feb 28, 2010
    919
    636
    30
    It's more like "can I do this" "and will it help others that don't have so many keys that I have"?. When Win10 hits MSDN, assuming they give the same numbers like win8 and Win 8.1 per account (or member), I can still create over 100 Win10 keys on my active MSDN accounts. But my main gold beside what I'm mention in the start, is to see if I can use my old Win8 keys from a couple of expired MSDN accounts, but there I have the keys for "life", never expiring before the activations is used up per key.
     
  9. grigor

    grigor MDL Novice

    Aug 3, 2009
    32
    2
    0
    I think the idea of linking license of Windows to MS account and to hardware specs is very fair.

    It's very simple - if you have legit Windows 7/8.1 please provide us a key and we will qualify you for update.

    If you don't have legit Windows - login to insider program as a qualified user. In any other case - buy. For me very simple and fair.
     
  10. SL2

    SL2 MDL Member

    Jan 18, 2012
    169
    57
    10
    My question is, why did you start this project two months ahead of the launch? The free upgrade is available for one year...
    Why not just try one VM on any computer with enough RAM and see if it works first? :confused:
     
  11. myhken

    myhken Experienced MDL Tester

    Feb 28, 2010
    919
    636
    30
    Good question. I created one Windows 7 VM, at it takes for ever installing all the updates (since the stupid update can't put ALL updates in one batch).
    Got the free upgrade offer icon. Then I started to create more VMs.
    Then I got a tip, using one VM and clone it (import in HyperV) with uniqe ID. Saved allot of time, but it take times to create 100 VMs, since it's a normal HDD on the server and not SSD.
    But I was little too early. On the other side, want to be prepared. If my idea actually work, I will get allot of keys in a short time. And maybe other people was/is thinking about the same, and then suddenly it goes viral, and then maybe MS has to close this loophole. If it works. And news like @SL2 comes with, give me hope that this project still is worth my time and money. I'm sure there is lots of people here on MDL and on other forums I'm on, that has lots of unused Win7/Win8 (Pro) keys laying around after some Technet account, MSDN (Bizspark) account or Dreamspark/MSDNAA account. And Dreamspark also has retail keys. Some people maybe remember ACM and IEEE and NSBE that all gave us lots and lots of free or almost free accounts, withs lots of keys, that still is valid today. All theese keys, can be converted to Windows 10 Pro (OEM or Retail, depending of what kind of program you got in to).

    But chould have saved the money, just used a VM on one of my home servers. But, this is worth €60 for two months.
     
  12. myhken

    myhken Experienced MDL Tester

    Feb 28, 2010
    919
    636
    30
    Don't know. But I know that the Win10 upgrade update comes after several update batches. Over 150-200 updates, before it get there.
    Was a issue before, but now I have created a Win 7 template and a Win 8 template and create all new VMs based on them. The templates is without any key, so I just have to import the template, use a new name, then start it, type in a product key I want to use, then reboot, then the Win10 icon gets there right after the reboot.
     
  13. Shenj

    Shenj MDL Expert

    Aug 12, 2010
    1,556
    656
    60
    You will send me a W8.1 Pro key on July 29th alright? Afterall you have plenty of em and you will not be able to make any use of em.

    You will not get any keys whatsoever doing what you are trying to do, really don't waste your money so pointlessly :\
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  14. Bezalel

    Bezalel MDL Member

    Apr 30, 2012
    245
    28
    10
    Why waste a Win 8 retail key when you can just as well get unlimited installs with a Win 7 SLP key?
     
  15. myhken

    myhken Experienced MDL Tester

    Feb 28, 2010
    919
    636
    30
    Because when you have so many keys that me, why use something fake, or anything else? It's impossible for me to run out of product keys, if I don't give the away or sell them (and both will close my accounts on the long term). And each key I have, comes with 10 online activations, in fact I can run the same key on 10 different computers at the same time without any issue. Then I have at least 15 phone activations. So the total number of activations I sit on is gigantic.
     
  16. Superfly

    Superfly MDL Expert

    Jan 12, 2010
    1,143
    543
    60
    Well, I'll be interested to see the outcome of this experiment - personally I just have a triple boot to check how each will be upgraded - also have more that enough keys to play with, but unless I get Win 10 keys in return, it's useless doing multiple installs.
    What will also be interesting is whether just changing the key will prompt a new GWX update or whether H/W is the only determining factor.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  17. myhken

    myhken Experienced MDL Tester

    Feb 28, 2010
    919
    636
    30
    That I can test for you right away.
    I have tested using the same key on different VMs, there I have reserved a free copy on the first on. Then I do not get the possible to get a free upgrade on VM #2 etc.
    But will test right away what happens with different keys on the same VM.
     
  18. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
    6,354
    2,026
    210
    I see, you simply do not understand OEM activation...