Can you explain specifically why they are not legit and since they are not legit why they pass Microsoft’s own authentication???

I've bought two Win10 USB sticks, both from Best Buy.

I was reading a while back that a lot of those keys were in programs meant for the disadvantages.. I'd imagine in poorer countries or maybe UN or educational programs in those places. So those keys are valid, though their resale and use for other purposes beyond their original purpose make them not legit, or at least unethical.

Some work forever while others were disabled when Microsoft got alerted to abuses in those particular programs.

I also think it has something to do with who the keys were meant for. For example OEM keys are sold in bulk to a computer manufacturer who preloads them onto the machine. Somehow some of these find their way to the grey market and are sold over the internet to the general public. Of course they still work, but only until Microsoft figures out you're not the intended end-user and locks out the key (it's happened).

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Can you explain specifically why they are not legit and since they are not legit why they pass Microsoft’s own authentication???

No. No one can, except for the geeks at MS. That was the point of my first post - even MS's own website says, in effect, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Can you explain to me how if I copy a CD and write it to a blank CD, it will play? Not exactly the same analogy, as there isn't really copy protection (i.e., a license key) on the music CD, but it's clearly unethical, even though it works.

I know people who bought movies that others have copied. They got them for a really really good price, and they played on the DVD, but they were illegally copied. This is rampant with MS (and other expensive) software.

The scdkey link provided earlier shows the company in Hong Kong. Maybe MS has a deal that Chinese pay 10% of what we pay. If so, at best, they sell gray-market to other countries. At worst (and most likely), it's pirated.

As others have said, use at your own risk. It passes MS's authentication because they haven't caught it yet - piracy is a never ending battle. MS may at some point turn off the product key. Really, if it's the exact same product at 10% of the cost of more legitimate sources, don't you have to wonder why?

I'm not trying to come off as a self-righteous jerk, so forgive me if I do. I understand wanting a good deal, and really wanting something to be true (in other words, living up to its advertised specs). But sometimes it just isn't so.

quote:

Originally posted by IntrepidTraveler:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Can you explain specifically why they are not legit and since they are not legit why they pass Microsoft’s own authentication???

As others have said, use at your own risk. It passes MS's authentication because they haven't caught it yet - piracy is a never ending battle. MS may at some point turn off the product key. Really, if it's the exact same product at 10% of the cost of more legitimate sources, don't you have to wonder why?

This is basically the answer.

Windows piracy was so bad in China, Microsoft simply made it free.

quote:

I’m not trying to come off as a self-righteous jerk, so forgive me if I do. I understand wanting a good deal, and really wanting something to be true (in other words, living up to its advertised specs). But sometimes it just isn't so.

And your not. At the first go round people were just simply saying it was cheap therefore it can’t be legit.

I pointed out some specific examples of legit purchases being extremely cheap. I was just asking for further explination of how these things work.
Which have since since been answered with specifics instead of just saying it is cheap.

To make things even stranger- I went the SCDKey linked Win10 Pro download. I loaded that WIN10 ISO and when it asked if I had a Product Key I said No and it proceeded to load Win10 Pro.

It looks like a fully activated copy of Win10 Pro. In system settings it says it's activated and there's no option to activate it- Just change the Product Key.