Multiple Windows 10 keys for small business?

[ascendant]

Ok, so I'm starting up a small local computer repair business. One of my dilemmas right now is when someone's OS is so loaded with garbage that the best option is to just do a clean install. However, with how expensive each individual license for Windows 10 is, I know that price would turn a lot of people away.

I'm wondering for people who need multiple OS keys for businesses, what is the most affordable option without having to dump a ton of money into buying in bulk? This is of course with the people who are using OEM OSs where any form of transfer is not an option.

 

[Elixer]

Ok, so I'm starting up a small local computer repair business. One of my dilemmas right now is when someone's OS is so loaded with garbage that the best option is to just do a clean install. However, with how expensive each individual license for Windows 10 is, I know that price would turn a lot of people away.

I am not sure I follow why you need new keys?
If you want to do a clean install, you just use their old key if win7/8, or if on 10, no key is needed as long as they activated before the clean install.

If they don't take advantage of the 'free' upgrade to 10, and you plan to do that, then, unless you buy keys in bulk, there really isn't a cheaper way to do that, unless you find sales.

 

[ascendant]

I am not sure I follow why you need new keys?
If you want to do a clean install, you just use their old key if win7/8, or if on 10, no key is needed as long as they activated before the clean install.

If they don't take advantage of the 'free' upgrade to 10, and you plan to do that, then, unless you buy keys in bulk, there really isn't a cheaper way to do that, unless you find sales.

But if the OS is OEM, doesn't that mean that if you reinstall, it won't let you reuse that key?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

But if the OS is OEM, doesn't that mean that if you reinstall, it won't let you reuse that key?

It's been long established with Microsoft's strategy and method of linking an OEM OS to the hardware. It creates a hash-code incorporating information about essential hardware components -- mostly the motherboard.

Reinstallations to the same hardware, or hardware with processor, RAM or hard disk changes may -- or may not -- trigger a dialog from Windows that the hardware is changed. But you can simply call the automated number provided, write down the sequence of alpha-numeric characters spoken by the robotic voice on the phone, and get a fresh activation for the new install on hardware even if the motherboard has been changed out.

Two years ago, I bought an i5-3570K, Z77 motherboard and 16GB of RAM provided all ready to go. The seller sent me the white-box OEM Win7 Ultimate knitted to that hardware. I was pulling the processor to replace with another I wanted to use, and my hand slipped -- damaging the pins in the CPU socket. Trying to repair them resulted in a broken pin. So I swapped the motherboard with one of a different model and the new CPU, went through the automated phone experience, and reactivated the OS in spite of the hardware change.

Otherwise, with no hardware changes, once you install an OEM Win7 to that hardware, you can re-install and re-activate as many times as you want. You only need to re-enter the product key for each successive install.

Further, if you have "any old" Win 7 install disk of the same type ("Home," "Pro" etc.) but licensed to another system, you can use it to make the installation, enter the customer's own Win 7 product key, and still activate the OS. At least I think that's the way it works. Someone else may know with more certainty.

 

[Dahak]

This is of course with the people who are using OEM OSs where any form of transfer is not an option.

As others have pointed out, you can re-install an OEM os onto the same hardware without any issue. It moving that to another computer that you are not suppose to do

And if the user wants to go to Win 10, until June 2016, they would qualify for the free upgrade, and if the machine is that bad that a format is needed, you just need to get the product key from that previous version of Windows(Win7 and Win8.1) and you can do a clean install from the Win10 media and use that product key

 

[ascendant]

Thanks for all the information. Definitely very helpful. I think I'm good now.