• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Where to buy Legitimate Windows 7 license keys?

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

Tech Tweaker

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2010
I had someone that recently asked me if there was anywhere they could buy a legitimate license key for Windows 7. Does anyone know if such a place still exists where consumers can buy a license key on its own? I know Microsoft used to have a web address for this, but they've stopped selling them, so the search is on for some other legitimate retailer. The only option I could think of was buying an installation disk with a key from somewhere like Newegg, TigerDirect, Amazon, etc, but they're a bit steep at $140 for a Win 7 Pro key.

Basically, they said they had bought a PC from someone with Windows 7 pre-installed, but just recently it started saying that the OS was unable to activate because the key was not legitimate (and can't receive updates). (Basically, the seller punched in a key that had already been used or a fake key, and the buyer got stuck.)
 
Last edited:
Is the PC a custom build, or is a name brand OEM model? Usually the OEM models can all use the same OEM key for activation, and those OEM keys can easily be found with a quick search.
 
Looked High and Low...

...this is the only place I have found that should be legit.

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional with SP1 64-bit Operating System (PC)

They "claim" to have other versions Win 7 available.

I looked everywhere I could think of and since M$ quit selling Win 7 in Oct of 2013, just about every legit place for purchasing Win 7 is no longer selling.

Also scroll down and click on windows 7 icon on right side of page...that links to a number of Win 7 versions supposedly for sale. You can buy Full Retail Win 8.1 32/64 bit for half what they want for no longer easy to get Win 7.

RGone...
 
Reputable businesses are the only place to get such a thing now. M$ themselves told me to check my "local Microsoft store" to see if they might still have a copy. I found a copy of Pro on Amazon for alot less then you were saying though... albeit a few months ago. Whatever you do, make sure they give you a COA. I had a snafu with a brick and mortar store that assured me they were an authorized retailer, and M$ declared the key I bought from them to be piracy due to lack of COA. They wouldnt even divulge a way to ensure that I was purchasing from an authorized retailer! "Local Microsoft Store" is all they would say. Just utterly frustrating.

For your friend though. if hes got a COA, he should be golden. Aparently that is the only thing that will convince a phone rep that you have a legit copy.
 
Is the PC a custom build, or is a name brand OEM model? Usually the OEM models can all use the same OEM key for activation, and those OEM keys can easily be found with a quick search.

Literally no idea, I've never seen this PC.

I got the impression though that it was an off the shelf type of computer though since he didn't seem very tech-savvy, probably a Dell, HP, or something like that.

Reputable businesses are the only place to get such a thing now. M$ themselves told me to check my "local Microsoft store" to see if they might still have a copy. I found a copy of Pro on Amazon for alot less then you were saying though... albeit a few months ago. Whatever you do, make sure they give you a COA. I had a snafu with a brick and mortar store that assured me they were an authorized retailer, and M$ declared the key I bought from them to be piracy due to lack of COA. They wouldnt even divulge a way to ensure that I was purchasing from an authorized retailer! "Local Microsoft Store" is all they would say. Just utterly frustrating.

For your friend though. if hes got a COA, he should be golden. Aparently that is the only thing that will convince a phone rep that you have a legit copy.

"Local Microsoft Store" is very vague to say the least. Surprised they didn't go with "MS Authorized retailer", since that was what I always remembered them saying in the past.

Actually it was just some random guy who cold-called my pc repair number. Never even met the fellow.
 
You can buy Vista and upgrade to W7. Or buy W7 then upgrade to W10 after release.
 
Win 10 might actually be the best bet. I haven't looked at the prerelease yet, but all the reading says it should be nice (it is saves literature though) I stand by what I already said though, no matter where you get from just make sure you get a COA. Thats where the tech I spoke to turned to the dreaded P-word and wasnt helpful anymore. Never mind the fact that the bring and mortar store I went to Bible themselves as an authorized retailer, that I fully gave their name AND address and had a receipt. But I guess a tiny little sticker is all that matters.

MAKE SURE YOU GET THE STICKER! :) thats ALL they give a darn about
 
Good idea to wait for that sticker. Let me know how it works out , because I could use a reliable key as well :) thanks in advance
 
As I needed valid Win 7 for new rigs, I found some here; https://softwareplaza.com/system-so...rofessional-32-bit-full-version-sp1-1229.html Its a download, with activation key by email. COA is supposed to follow by snailmail. I'm waiting until I receive the COA before rendering judgement. There's another here; https://softwareplaza.com/microsoft-windows-7-professional-32-64-bit-full-version-sp1-1233.html from a different seller, and a higher price, with the same conditions.

Microsoft Corp. v. Josh Clark, d/b/a “CMTC” and “kingsoftware” and John Does 1-10

Microsoft Corp. v. Josh Clark, d/b/a “CMTC” and “kingsoftware” and John Does 1-10, alleging distribution of counterfeit copies of Windows XP software on iOffer. Defendant Clark is a resident of South Carolina.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Western Washington, Case No C08-1745 RAJ

Microsoft Corp. v. Josh Clark, d/b/a “CMTC” and “kingsoftware” and John Does 1-10 Case No C08-1745 RAJ
http://oem.microsoft.com/public/us/licensing/lcapopups/120408_joshclark,dba.htm

Trusting some random seller who emails you a key and says they'll mail the COA later means you're gullible and just paid a bunch of money to a crook for a fake key.
 
Last edited:
One is much better off getting a key from a legitimate seller, rather than from a sketchy site, or reseller. It makes zero sense to pay $20-$30 for a key that may work for a month or two, only have to it blacklisted by MS. Just pay $99 for an oem license. Just keep your eyes opened for sales from newegg, or some other legit seller.
 
I agree. That's kinda what the question was... Where are the legit retailers now that MS won't allow you to legitimately purchase it from them anymore? Places like Amazon and Newegg back all their sales of course, but they simply cannot be the only remaining reliable sources. It would be nice if MS could or would point you to an authorized retailer. I have spoken to reps on the phone and in person who will not tell you how to verify an authorized retailer, and if an onlin data base exists I can't find it. I've found plenty of fishy sites that claim to be authorized though.

IMO Microsoft is trying to make a compelling case for Linux. When a rep thanked me for my patronage and as discussed if he could help me further, I asked him if he could reccomend a good distro :)
 
I agree. That's kinda what the question was... Where are the legit retailers now that MS won't allow you to legitimately purchase it from them anymore? Places like Amazon and Newegg back all their sales of course, but they simply cannot be the only remaining reliable sources. It would be nice if MS could or would point you to an authorized retailer. I have spoken to reps on the phone and in person who will not tell you how to verify an authorized retailer, and if an onlin data base exists I can't find it.

They're at Amazon and NewEgg. What is the question, again? Retail Windows isn't cheap to begin with. Looking for an EOL version doesn't help.
 
Well those are the prime candidates but only because of their attention to customers. Microsoft makes a case for the alternatives by not having anywhere near that level of support themselves. This goes beyond forcing an upgrade before the existing OS has gotten comfortable. If they intended to have some sort of third party distribution contract, that would still be different. As a paying customer, I feel it is shabby at the best to say "I dunno" when asked "how can I fully pay for your product and not steal it at all". Subpar. Is it fair to say blatantly uncaring and money grubbing?

As a "value minded" individual I will admit to searching for bargains if I can find them, but artificially driving up demand by cutting support and removing the the supply in favor of a newer product that also conveniently makes you rich? Borders on unethical maybe, I'm no expert. At the end of the day, I got my copy from Amazon :) and dual boot cuz I think the free alternative stands toe to toe easily
 
[QUOTE
Trusting some random seller who emails you a key and says they'll mail the COA later means you're gullible and just paid a bunch of money to a crook for a fake key.[/QUOTE]

Didn't say I trusted them, just need a bunch of COAs, and if I can save $20 per, its worth the gamble. Kinda odd though, that the exact same software package is popping up on the ad side of the forums, don't you think?
 
Trusting some random seller who emails you a key and says they'll mail the COA later means you're gullible and just paid a bunch of money to a crook for a fake key.

Didn't say I trusted them, just need a bunch of COAs, and if I can save $20 per, its worth the gamble. Kinda odd though, that the exact same software package is popping up on the ad side of the forums, don't you think?

Save $20? You mean waste $80? Because you didn't save anything. You're not going to get valid COAs. Do you also save money buy buying the Blue Jean $200 HDMI cables instead of the Diamond $3000 HDMI cables? At least then you'd get something for your money. As it is now, you've got nothing at all.
 
Last edited:
Back