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Here’s a question I can’t get to the bottom of.
I’ve bought a batch of refurbished HP laptops on amazon, and they’re sold as “windows 10 pro.”
These computers are activated, and show as “Digitally licensed,” but don’t have any COA stickers. A quick scan of the UEFI (using ShowKeyPlus, or similar) shows that they were originally manufactured for Win 8.1 Pro, and that’s the only key contained in the hardware. The installed windows 10 key that i’m detecting is “VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T” on every single one of them.
A quick google search tells me that this is the “free windows 10 key” that’s intended to facilitate installation, but doesn’t constitute a legitimate license. I assume they digitally activated after installation because someone (the refurbisher, perhaps) reimaged them with their original OS then performed the “free upgrade.”
I recently sat down with a licensing expert to price out a volume license of 10 Pro for some of my slightly older desktops, and was told that if I can’t show documentation of my “OEM keys” that my machines are not legitimately licensed, and would not stand up to an audit from Microsoft. They said the final decision would be left to the auditor, but that I don’t have what I need to demonstrate proper licensing, and might be forced to purchase windows 10 for these computers after the fact.
I was also told that the “free upgrade” from windows 7 pro to windows 10 pro was “only meant for consumers” and also would not stand up to an audit. Apparently in the eyes of Microsoft, we are not considered “consumers” (despite paying for their products for our own use) and should not have accepted any offer for a free upgrade. To be clear, I didn’t attempt to use the free upgrade, but some of our computer inexplicably woke up with windows 10 pro back in 2016 and had to be reimaged to windows 7, and now seem to possess digital entitlement. I’m being told, though, that this is not legitimate and won’t be considered acceptable if we’re ever audited, and that I should purchase new licenses for each of them when I decide to move them to windows 10.
So my questions are:
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Is my refurbisher in any wrong for using this free key to install the OS on machines and then selling them to me as Windows 10 machines?
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Am I needing to purchase licensing for all of these computers despite having bought them with windows 10?
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How am I ‘not a consumer,’ and if the free upgrade offer wasn’t meant for me, why did microsoft deliver it automatically to computers that were running a volume licensed copy of Win7pro?
Extra credit question #4: Tech soup is selling upgrade copies of windows 10 for $16, and I’ve been qualified to buy them. Their description says they’re for the Enterprise version, which I thought was only available as a subscription. Can these licenses be used to install windows 10 Pro for perpetual use?
Any guidance here will be a huge help, thanks in advance!
-SkyMage
to quote Chris from Microsoft
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To specifically answer your questions:
Q: ‘Do you need Purchase history of the OEM licensing which would be the invoices for the computers that have been purchased?’
A: ‘You need a qualifying Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 OS here, with COA on the PC. I cant say for certain that you will need your OEM purchase invoices in case of an audit. The part that shows the PC is genuine is the COA on the PC.’
Q: ‘Do you need OEM license keys for each machine?’
A: ‘No, you do not need these. They are not required to upgrade.’
Q: 'Do you need to save my reservation number of each Windows 10 upgrade?
A: ‘No. You do not need a reservation # to upgrade qualifying devices.’
From a technical perspective – both the Windows Update and MCT are the methods available to upgrade as part of the Free Windows 10 Upgrade offer. Both are in-place upgrades, and there is no product key required for installing Windows 10. During the upgrade to Windows 10 via the Media Creation Tool or WU, a digital entitlement certificate is injected into the machine. Reinstalling Windows 10 at a later date uses digital activation, no action needed by the end user.
From a licensing perspective - whatever OEM/FPP/VL product key activated that device, it gets upgraded to the Windows 10 product key as part of the free upgrade offer (retail).
After the upgrade, if the you want to deploy a “golden image” for Windows 10 you need at least 1 Windows 10 Pro Upgrade license through Volume Licensing (this gives you reimaging rights to access to the VL bits and VL keys via the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) website).
For those larger customers, there is an alternative method that allows qualifying VL customers to bypass the WU & MCT and use their VL media & keys – just like they would deploy Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. See Updates to deploying the Windows 10 free upgrade for more info.
The requirements and conditions for the free upgrade are listed at the bottom of the Windows 10 How to Upgrade site here:
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https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/1419013-legal-procedure-for-windows-10-free-upgrade-for-busin…