Chances are, most are fake. They same waaay to cheap to sell. I mean i have a MSDN account and i sold one or two copies to some people at school but that's about it. I mean the ones going on ebay fro like 30-40$ are prolly boot, i mean why would you see a legit key for that low anyway. I wouldnt buy a key for less than 80$. This way at least you know it might work. . I might try craigslist =p someone might bite lol.
delweine, thanks for the input...I've been reading a lot of mixed information about MSDN keys and activation limits/blacklisting/etc. I was convinced that there is absolutely no difference between an MSDN key and a retail key printed on a box, and it seems like you can confirm it from experience. It just wouldn't be logical for MS to make yet ANOTHER distinct version of serials...I'm sure they have enough s**t to deal with as it is.
If I use VMware Workstation 6.5.3 and copy an activated VM, does Workstation keep the hardware similar enough that it won't re-request activation?
I've only used XP on virtual machines, and never had any issues. I don't think you'll have any problems, even less so if its already activated.
Yeah it was a good read - you sound as if you speak from a position of knowledge (even though you haven't shared with us what that is??). OK - question. What about these MSDN AA keys I have been reading about since the frenzy over the $19 subs broke. I've read in a few places that these keys can ONLY activate 2 times - are you saying this is incorrect?? What is the story with MSDN AA keys?? Thx
Even if it's true, you can make always an image of preinstalled and activated Windows 7 system, with all drivers installed. There are also other possibilities.
incorrect, they as well retail keys.. at least 10 times, if not more, (depends on again, how many times the activation server receives a request to activate a certain key within a certain time frame) its just the licensing agreement is different.. microsoft is very lazy in these things... i clarify that in another post.. remember the msdn AA keys in regards to the 19 buck offer, you dont log on msdn, you log on a special academic site for the 19 buck deal. the full msdn aa give you access to some design programs, windows embedded, and some VLK keys, depending on the software,, there are no vlk keys for vista and win7.. to close, msdn aa, msdn, etc, are mainly retail keys, with office applications like office 2007 enterprise and pro, which also offer a VL.1 key for the purposes to installing in a terminal services enviorment.. note, office enterprise and pro VL.1 KEYS do not require any activation at all.. however, they cannot be used on office pro and enterprise evaluation downloads from MS.. UNLESS... there is a way i am not aware of, to change an evaluation pid to make it accept VL keys.
there isnt, and ms is lazy in this.. for instance, one buys a technet sub for 200 or less.. in the agreement, it says you agree to only use the software forn "evaluation purposes".. but then you dl a copy of like windows 7 ultimate, you use the key provided and the license agreement IS THE RETAIL AGREEMENT!! in my opinion, if this ever came to a court case, ms would lose based on what i know of case precedence, trying to claim the technet agreement trumps the physical software.. they are lazy in the fact that they do not HAVE SPECIAL MSDN AND TECHNET software that will only take technet and msdn keys!! what they do is use a key server, much like if you remember windows xp key generator that would generate vlk and retail keys.. ms was able to change a few things so that this key gen could no longer produce valid keys that would pass genuine advantage. there are millions of key combos. the ms key server knows each valid one.. on the assembly line for ms os retail boxes, each box is assembled with a key code that goes out on an assembly line, gets stamped, then a machine stamps the inner box with THE SAME RETAIL key gen that MSDN AND TECHNET retail get their keys from.. same query, only difference on technet and msdn i that the key is shown on the page, so look at the page as the inner box stamp... thats it.. in this regard, regardless of what others say here, MS does not blacklist retail keys except as i said before, when the activation server gets far too many activation requests.. even then, they dont trace it back to your technet msdn account, unless we are talking thousands upon thousands of activation requests.. however, this takes a large effort by ms to do so..thousands upon thousands of these keys a day are generated for msdn, technet, and retail boxed items.. its not cost effective for ms to dig into the key server and FIND ONE KEY!! so like i said, they automate the blacklist process based on heavy volume and adnormal amounts of requests per a single key. see how others had access to that msdn sub? all their keys still work, because each account within the main account had their own key generations.. since people have not openely shared them all over the place, the keys are still good because once again, THEY ARE RETAIL CHAIN!! lets say i sold a key on ebay from a technet account,, the person i sold it to decides to report it to ms.. ms wont look up where the key came from and which account, because it takes a massive effort to do so.. instead, ms would monitor the possible license violator, then send one of their people to buy a key from them.. once they bought a key from them, the person would get a message from ms about "piracy", a warning if they ARE NOT BIGTIME KEY SELLERS, meaning, not some huge op making thousands a week.. the warning would ask the "offender" to cease and desist,, that would be that.. the offender would not get their MSDN, TECHNET account shut down, unless the idiot is using the same name on ebay and technet. even then, ms tends not to do that. its rare ms actaully sues people unless there is GROSS piracy in their minds. so the nutshell? be careful purchasing keys on ebay.. if you feel the need to do so, remember to first check the sellers feedback, how long they have been on ebay, and feedback record, and look for at least 100 feedbacks.. also read feedback to see the other people who bought a key and if they are happy with it.. but to worry about a legit key from ebay, FROM a seller who meets the above criteria, being blacklisted? NOT UNLESS YOU SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE!! my best advice is to, if you want a legit copy, buy it when it comes out oct.22, get MSDN or technet, then use the SLP KEY with a bios mod or loader so you can keep changing hw out like allot of us here do, without being nagged to reactivate everytime that damned retail key thinks the hw change means A NEW COMPUTER!!
Thx - very good read (both your last posts) So it seems the key here is time - not quantity. Would be great to know what the sensitivities on timings are on the activation server.. Anyway, thx again.
that is correct.. too many activations of a certain key IN A CERTAIN TIME FRAME = possible blacklist, as well as = no more auto activation = use automated phone install id.
Yes all correct. As far as what i can tell from selling some of my keys, they should be fine as long as they dont use it 10 diff times on 10 diff machines. So more than 10 computers using the same key, it will get or wont work. Mainly it wont work as far as i know. You will have to deactivate one of the other PC's. But still man, normal people wont even need 10 keys. You can use the same key on the same computer and it dosent count towards the limit of 10. hope that also helps to clear it up for some ^_^. And more keys can be requested from MS. I think its limited to 5 new keys per e-mail request.
I have a msdn subscription, and have 10 keys for ultimate, pro, and so on. The starter key they give us is an OEM key though I also have 2 enterprise keys. Now unless thousands of people are activating with my key, it's not going to be blacklisted, I know that. Are you supposed to sell keys? not necessarily... Do I sell them, and currently have a pro and ultimate key on ebay? possibly Its my subscription, I sell em if I need money, that's how it goes. I'm not blacklisted
This may be the wrong thread but you guys need to get your hands on a MAK key. There is one floating around here. They only have so many activations on them but if you get activated with one they are legit. I activated Enterprise with one with no cracks or bios mod or certificate or anything.