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Cheap/Legal Windows OS?

ItsMeeYourDaddy

ItsMeeYourDaddy

Member
Is there a cheap way to get Windows on my first PC build/first computer with Windows. Don't really want to spend $100+ for it. I've seen the ones where you download Windows onto a thumb-drive and then buy a key or something along those lines, which I'm skeptical of because I don't know if it'll download using a Mac onto the thumb-drive and if getting the key is "legal". I would appreciate a good option that is not breaking the bank because honestly I rather use the extra money towards expanding my graphics card budget for this build.
 
AFAIK (and it may vary depending on geographical location, but I doubt it), there are cheap copies of Windows OR there are legal copies. In my experience, there's basically one price for say Windows 10 Home OEM, give or take two or three £/$. If you see a price that's significantly less for the same product (take note whether it's OEM or retail), it's likely not legit.

On the odd occasion that I've tried a cheap copy, it always seems to be the case that I get supplied one product key which doesn't work, then they say "try this one instead", which may work. A lot of the time I think they're just hoping that it will activate, rather than knowing that the Windows licence in question isn't in use elsewhere already. IMO that means running the risk that it might be in use elsewhere, just not right now (e.g. you get activation / "genuine windows" difficulties at a later date).

I might buy a cheap licence from a friend whom I know I can trust, but otherwise no.
 
To add to mikeymikec's comments

Generally no, unless you are part of a program through work/collage/university
 
ItsMeeYourDaddy said:
Is there a cheap way to get Windows on my first PC build/first computer with Windows. Don't really want to spend $100+ for it. I've seen the ones where you download Windows onto a thumb-drive and then buy a key or something along those lines, which I'm skeptical of because I don't know if it'll download using a Mac onto the thumb-drive and if getting the key is "legal". I would appreciate a good option that is not breaking the bank because honestly I rather use the extra money towards expanding my graphics card budget for this build.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried using a Mac to make a bootable Windows installer on a USB stick. It can be done, but I've read that it's a pain to do it, as it takes several steps. OTOH, it's easy to burn a Windows ISO to a DVD on a Mac. In fact, that's how I installed Windows 10. I downloaded the official Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft and then used Toast on my iMac to burn the disc.

As for the key, I already had a legit key. It was a legit Windows 7 machine, so I just used my Win 7 key. The question of legit-ness of cheap keys has been answered by the others.
 
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Just bite the bullet and buy it. It's a pain but it's worth it in the end. Unless you can scrounge up a Windows 7 key somehow and activate it and upgrade it to Windows 10 before July 29.
 
ItsMeeYourDaddy said:
Is there a cheap way to get Windows on my first PC build/first computer with Windows. Don't really want to spend $100+ for it. I've seen the ones where you download Windows onto a thumb-drive and then buy a key or something along those lines, which I'm skeptical of because I don't know if it'll download using a Mac onto the thumb-drive and if getting the key is "legal". I would appreciate a good option that is not breaking the bank because honestly I rather use the extra money towards expanding my graphics card budget for this build.
Click to expand...

As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If the key isn't from Microsoft or a major retailer, I would avoid it.
 
Well I guess in the end I just have to bite the bullet and buy the $100 one (safest and most legal), of-course not without biting my hand off first and selling it on Ebay to get the money(hahaha).
 
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