Same Windows 7 Ultimate Key used on 5 Windows 10 Installs

[cmacclel]

I have a buddy that told me he was given a copy of Windows 7 Ulitmate (says not for resale on the plastic case) and he just installs windows 10 from a USB and activated 5 pc's now with the same windows 7 key listed on the box! all are online and activated and idea how this is possible?

 

[evilsofa]

I have to wonder if he can tell the difference between the free version and the Pro version.

 

[B00nie]

I have to wonder if he can tell the difference between the free version and the Pro version.

There's no 'free' version of Win10. You can only upgrade from a working install at no cost (except the PITA of having all the nonsense Win10 brings).

Your friend probably found an OEM key which can be used to unlimited amount of installs. Some manufacturers had a so called master key that enabled this.

 

[bigdogchris]

I have a buddy that told me he was given a copy of Windows 7 Ulitmate (says not for resale on the plastic case) and he just installs windows 10 from a USB and activated 5 pc's now with the same windows 7 key listed on the box! all are online and activated and idea how this is possible?

It's possible but it's illegal. You can upgrade 1 licensed copy of 7 to 10, not 5.

 

[Nenu]

They will probably disable it later and might even ban the key.

A friend brought a second hand DELL PC round he had just bought.
I installed the machine using the setup CD provided that had a generic key, it activated fine.
A few days later Windows reported that it was not genuine.
Entering the key from the rear of the machine worked.

 

[ir0nw0lf]

Tell that buddy good luck sitting on those time bombed activations. Very likely to barf on him at some point. But some people won't know or simply won't care.

 

[B00nie]

They will probably disable it later and might even ban the key.

A friend brought a second hand DELL PC round he had just bought.
I installed the machine using the setup CD provided that had a generic key, it activated fine.
A few days later Windows reported that it was not genuine.
Entering the key from the rear of the machine worked.

My Fujitsu-Siemens laptop came with an install DVD that activated fine in any machine I tried it on. But of course I didn't keep them on the machines

 

[cyclone3d]

They will probably disable it later and might even ban the key.

A friend brought a second hand DELL PC round he had just bought.
I installed the machine using the setup CD provided that had a generic key, it activated fine.
A few days later Windows reported that it was not genuine.
Entering the key from the rear of the machine worked.

Easier and "better" to just download the OEM Dell Windows 7 Ultimate ISO and use that for installs on Dell machines and then upgrade to Windows 10.

That way you are not having to enter a key ever.

 

[Dan_D]

I have a buddy that told me he was given a copy of Windows 7 Ulitmate (says not for resale on the plastic case) and he just installs windows 10 from a USB and activated 5 pc's now with the same windows 7 key listed on the box! all are online and activated and idea how this is possible?

There is no "free edition" of Windows 10. The version you got was based on the type of Windows installation that was already present on the system. My "free upgrade" for example was from Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Home. Needless to say, I ditched that.

 

[Stoly]

Technet key maybe?

 

[B00nie]

There is no "free edition" of Windows 10. The version you got was based on the type of Windows installation that was already present on the system. My "free upgrade" for example was from Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Home. Needless to say, I ditched that.

Actually technically speaking there was a kind of free edition. The windows insiders testing the beta got all the tested copies for free. I got them to 5 computers.

 

[Stoly]

Actually technically speaking there was a kind of free edition. The windows insiders testing the beta got all the tested copies for free. I got them to 5 computers.

I got one, lost the key though