Windows from Kinguin

[Braven]

I just finished my computer build an in need of a copy of Windows. It seems my options are direct from Microsoft for $120 or via a site like Kinguin (which was recommended to me on this forum so I hope I'm not breaking any rules by mentioning it) for $30. So I have some questions...

What are the risks I take from going somewhere besides Microsoft?
Is it completely illegal or in that kinda gray area?
Do I run the risk of not getting support/updates from Microsoft if I don't buy through them?

Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Jtbrig7390]

I just finished my computer build an in need of a copy of Windows. It seems my options are direct from Microsoft for $120 or via a site like Kinguin (which was recommended to me on this forum so I hope I'm not breaking any rules by mentioning it) for $30. What are the risks I take from going somewhere besides Microsoft? Is it completely illegal or in that kinda gray area?

Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Key selling sites like G2A,Kinguin and so on are blackmarket key selling sites. You can get a key and nothing happens. But it promotes credit card theft (How these sites get A LOT of there keys). Unless you buy that sites protection (no matter how small it is) you are SOL if something happens to your key.

You can get a key on amazon for $100 or so by the way.

Edit: Also no its not illegal.

[Lathais]

Buying from a place like Kinguin is ok to talk about and generally ok. By buying from there, you are not doing anything illegal. The ways in which they acquire the keys are questionable though. Some claim that they purchase the keys with stolen credit cards and such. Occasionally, you'll get a key from them that will not work, so I recommend anytime you buy from them you purchase their buyer protection or whatever they call it, so in case you do get a key that has already been used, they will send you another free of charge. Even if you do not get the protection though and you do get a bad key, odds are the second key you buy from them will be good and you'll still have spent less money then buying it officially.

[gegalfo]

kinguin is great site, have bought from them several times without issue, the legality can be brought into question, but how they claim it works is that keys are bought in cheap regions and sold to global market

[Braven]

Key selling sites like G2A,Kinguin and so on are blackmarket key selling sites. You can get a key and nothing happens. But it promotes credit card theft (How these sites get A LOT of there keys). Unless you buy that sites protection (no matter how small it is) you are SOL if something happens to your key.

Yeah the theft protection is like $1 so that was what I was going to do. Might take a few weeks to get the money back but that's not huge deal.

You can get a key on amazon for $100 or so by the way.

I might just have missed it (will research more before I buy either way) but the $100 ones I saw were CD keys and the computer I just finished doesn't have an optical drive, derp.

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Thank you all for the replies. I'm glad it's not illegal, but do I run the risk of not getting any Microsoft support or updates if I buy through someone else?

[Lathais]

Yeah the theft protection is like $1 so that was what I was going to do. Might take a few weeks to get the money back but that's not huge deal.


I might just have missed it (will research more before I buy either way) but the $100 ones I saw were CD keys and the computer I just finished doesn't have an optical drive, derp.

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Thank you all for the replies. I'm glad it's not illegal, but do I run the risk of not getting any Microsoft support or updates if I buy through someone else?

Even if it's a CD, the key is still on the case and you can still download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft and put it on a USB Stick and install from that and just use the key on the case.

No risk of not getting support. If the key activates, you are fine. If the key does not activate, you get another one since you bought the protection. Once you get a key that does activate, your copy of Windows is 100% legal and you have the same support as everyone else.

[Sorshen]

kinguin is great site, have bought from them several times without issue, the legality can be brought into question, but how they claim it works is that keys are bought in cheap regions and sold to global market

'Great site' and shady business practices don't really go hand in hand. While the key might work, you still subject yourself to the risk of it being revoked later or to a lack of support.

[Krieger]

I just finished my computer build an in need of a copy of Windows. It seems my options are direct from Microsoft for $120 or via a site like Kinguin (which was recommended to me on this forum so I hope I'm not breaking any rules by mentioning it) for $30. So I have some questions...

What are the risks I take from going somewhere besides Microsoft?
Is it completely illegal or in that kinda gray area?
Do I run the risk of not getting support/updates from Microsoft if I don't buy through them?

Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated.

You can literally download the .iso from Microsoft's website for free. Or you could download the official .iso from any file sharing website, or someone here could upload their own .iso for you. No reason to buy it.

Edit: Kinguin and all those other websites are shady. I would 100% not recommend buying anything from them. If you really, really need an official version of windows w/ key buy it from Frys electronics, they sell copies for like $50 now.

[lockedout]

I have used g2a can't speak for kinguin for several keys never had a problem, you also buy the protection for like 2 bucks in case your key doesn't work and you get refunded. It's a 100% legit copy of windows because all your buying is the registration key not the actual OS, the OS you download directly from Microsoft.

[Braven]

I have used g2a can't speak for kinguin for several keys never had a problem, you also buy the protection for like 2 bucks in case your key doesn't work and you get refunded. It's a 100% legit copy of windows because all your buying is the registration key not the actual OS, the OS you download directly from Microsoft.

This is the case with brand new computers as well right?

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No risk of not getting support. If the key activates, you are fine. If the key does not activate, you get another one since you bought the protection. Once you get a key that does activate, your copy of Windows is 100% legal and you have the same support as everyone else.

'Great site' and shady business practices don't really go hand in hand. While the key might work, you still subject yourself to the risk of it being revoked later or to a lack of support.

There seems to be conflicting information here. Is this just a controversial subject or does this information fit together somehow? If it's an official copy of Windows once activated how may I lose support?

[Sorshen]

With every shady purchase there's an element of risk (if the CC is stolen).

[AztechZero]

Key selling sites like G2A,Kinguin and so on are blackmarket key selling sites. You can get a key and nothing happens. But it promotes credit card theft (How these sites get A LOT of there keys). Unless you buy that sites protection (no matter how small it is) you are SOL if something happens to your key.

You can get a key on amazon for $100 or so by the way.

Edit: Also no its not illegal.

You're pretty well protected if you pay through paypal on g2a btw. Even without the g2a shield.

[Caelia]

This is the case with brand new computers as well right?

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There seems to be conflicting information here. Is this just a controversial subject or does this information fit together somehow? If it's an official copy of Windows once activated how may I lose support?

Even if it activates the key can be revoked at a later date if MS finds it was purchased with stolen CC or whatever and your activation is removed.

[lockedout]

Even if it activates the key can be revoked at a later date if MS finds it was purchased with stolen CC or whatever and your activation is removed.

Then you get a refund. I have never had any problems with them, I got win 10 pro for 40 bucks.

[Braven]

With every shady purchase there's an element of risk (if the CC is stolen).

While this would suck and cause a headache, I could just buy another Kinguin key right? Even 3 of them would still be cheaper than something from Microsoft.

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You can literally download the .iso from Microsoft's website for free. Or you could download the official .iso from any file sharing website, or someone here could upload their own .iso for you. No reason to buy it.

Well I might be completely wrong but I'm pretty sure that's only if you bought Windows 10 before and already own it on your MS account or have a key.

If you really, really need an official version of windows w/ key buy it from Frys electronics, they sell copies for like $50 now.

$120 on their website, same as elsewhere.

[gegalfo]

'Great site' and shady business practices don't really go hand in hand. While the key might work, you still subject yourself to the risk of it being revoked later or to a lack of support.

you also subject yourself to the rest of the world whenever you leave your home. yes you risk the key doesnt work but you risk that from a legit physical copy of something too

[Solemnity]

I got Windows 10 Pro from them without any problems.

They're OEM licenses though, so if you have any support issues with Windows itself they'll brush you off to your OEM (the Original Equipment Manufacturer). For instance, if you bought a Dell laptop, they'd tell you to go Dell's website for support since they built the computer. Windows support is off-sourced to people who barely understand English and probably go through an internal support checklist, you're not missing anything.

[Krieger]

Well I might be completely wrong but I'm pretty sure that's only if you bought Windows 10 before and already own it on your MS account or have a key.

I was mistaken. Now to download the Windows 7 .iso from their website, you need to provide a product key. A few years back, before they updated their website to the Win10 theme, anyone could go to the Microsoft website and download an un-activated Win7 .iso file. That's how I used Windows for a few years

[the boar]

this feels like the 10th thread recently discussing this. is it really a computer question when the discussion always turns into a personal morals debate?

[Lathais]

this feels like the 10th thread recently discussing this. is it really a computer question when the discussion always turns into a personal morals debate?

Well, it has to do with computer software, so I am not really sure where else it should go. I do agree, it seems like a lot lately though and maybe people should follow the general forum guidelines and search before posting a question like this.

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...ting)/)-11620/

13.3. Use the search function before creating a new thread
On an active community such as MMO-Champion, a lot of new threads are made every day. So before you start making your own thread about a topic, first use the forum search function to ensure that nobody else has already recently created a thread about the topic you wish to post about.

Quite often, a similar thread already exists, and there really is no point in restarting a discussion in a separate thread when a subject can be discussed in one thread.