Evaluation copy of Windows 10 expiring

[Ombra]

Last November, my wife bought me a Lenovo ideapad 305 at a PowerBuy store in Bangkok. It had a Windows 10 evaluation copy installed, and I was concerned about that. However, as I had just retired after a fairly stressful working life, I was too tired to think much about it. This morning, however, I received a message which said that my copy of Windows will expire in two weeks and that I should follow the instructions about what to do. When I clicked on the button, it lead to a long list of possible actions and I couldn't see which would solve my problem. I also looked on the internet, but the pages about how to move from an evaluation copy to Windows 10 are beyond me technically. I ought to go to a computer shop, but I live out in the sticks, and so I am hoping that someone can offer a solution which is not too technical. Thanks in advance.

[Pib]

Just buy a Win 10 license and enter the license number to permanently activate Win 10.

[Ombra]

Thanks very much. That's the simplest solution that I could ask for.

[Pib]

Assuming you have an Ebay account be sure to check for licenses on sale on Ebay. I bought my two Win 10 Pro licenses off Ebay for approx $15 USD each. I expect someone with want to jump and say they are pirated license but this Ebay seller sold probably around 2,000 Windows licenses and his positive rating was like 99.9% The licenses I bought were not evaluation copy licenses that only work X-months, but permament/retail licenses. But up to you where you buy...at a local retail store, online, at the Miscrosoft store, etc.

[Ombra]

Thanks very much for the suggestion. I don't have an Ebay account, but I'm sure that I can find someone who has one.

[Chicog]

Not sure if it's too late to join the Insider Preview but you could try.

Current on build 14379.

[Ombra]

I appreciate the advice, but I'm not sure that I am competent enough to do that. The easiest thing for me to do is to buy a licence, and I see that I can get one from Lazada for just over 4,000 baht.

[lostinisaan]

Assuming you have an Ebay account be sure to check for licenses on sale on Ebay. I bought my two Win 10 Pro licenses off Ebay for approx $15 USD each. I expect someone with want to jump and say they are pirated license but this Ebay seller sold probably around 2,000 Windows licenses and his positive rating was like 99.9% The licenses I bought were not evaluation copy licenses that only work X-months, but permament/retail licenses. But up to you where you buy...at a local retail store, online, at the Miscrosoft store, etc.

What's the difference in buying such an - obviously- pirated version of Windows to a simple download of a pirated version from certain websites?

Please see the regular price:

https://www.microsoftstore.com/store?Action=DisplayPage&Locale=en_US&SiteID=msusa&id=ThreePgCheckoutShoppingCartPage

I do know plenty of working keys and could offer them on E-Bay. Isn't that what some people are doing?

In my eyes just another form of piracy. Of course is the guy liked by so many guys, because he's selling something very cheap.

Can you show any proof that you bought legal licenses?

Edited July 2, 2016 by lostinisaan

[lostinisaan]

I appreciate the advice, but I'm not sure that I am competent enough to do that. The easiest thing for me to do is to buy a licence, and I see that I can get one from Lazada for just over 4,000 baht.

You can buy a legal key at any Advice shop. They're all around Thailand in all provinces.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Just buy a Win 10 license and enter the license number to permanently activate Win 10.

Erm...no.

The only Evaluation edition is the Enterprise edition. So a Home licence won't work.

It is possible to downgrade from the Enterprise Evaluation version, by manipulating Registry keys, together with Windows 10 Professional installation media and suitable key. Not sure the OP will follow my guide, so won't waste time putting one together.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Jiu-Jitsu

[Ombra]

Just buy a Win 10 license and enter the license number to permanently activate Win 10.

Erm...no.

The only Evaluation edition is the Enterprise edition. So a Home licence won't work.

It is possible to downgrade from the Enterprise Evaluation version, by manipulating Registry keys, together with Windows 10 Professional installation media and suitable key. Not sure the OP will follow my guide, so won't waste time putting one together.

You're right. I wouldn't be able to follow it, but thanks for the thought.

[Ombra]

I appreciate the advice, but I'm not sure that I am competent enough to do that. The easiest thing for me to do is to buy a licence, and I see that I can get one from Lazada for just over 4,000 baht.

You can buy a legal key at any Advice shop. They're all around Thailand in all provinces.

I'll be in the town of Prachuab Khirikhan on Monday and I'll look for such a shop. This sounds like an interesting solution.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I appreciate the advice, but I'm not sure that I am competent enough to do that. The easiest thing for me to do is to buy a licence, and I see that I can get one from Lazada for just over 4,000 baht.

You can buy a legal key at any Advice shop. They're all around Thailand in all provinces.

I'll be in the town of Prachuab Khirikhan on Monday and I'll look for such a shop. This sounds like an interesting solution.

But it isn't a solution, as they won't be able to sell you an Enterprise key...and even to enter that you need to mess with the Registry in order to change EnterpriseEval to Enterprise. So you'll need to downgrade or to install a new copy.

[Pib]

Assuming you have an Ebay account be sure to check for licenses on sale on Ebay. I bought my two Win 10 Pro licenses off Ebay for approx $15 USD each. I expect someone with want to jump and say they are pirated license but this Ebay seller sold probably around 2,000 Windows licenses and his positive rating was like 99.9% The licenses I bought were not evaluation copy licenses that only work X-months, but permament/retail licenses. But up to you where you buy...at a local retail store, online, at the Miscrosoft store, etc.

What's the difference in buying such an - obviously- pirated version of Windows to a simple download of a pirated version from certain websites?

Please see the regular price:

https://www.microsoftstore.com/store?Action=DisplayPage&Locale=en_US&SiteID=msusa&id=ThreePgCheckoutShoppingCartPage

I do know plenty of working keys and could offer them on E-Bay. Isn't that what some people are doing?

In my eyes just another form of piracy. Of course is the guy liked by so many guys, because he's selling something very cheap.

Can you show any proof that you bought legal licenses?

Yea, I know what the regular price is. And I also know you can get licenses for all kinds of software from Ebay sellers at much, much lower prices than the retail price. Do it every year or two just for my Norton 360 subscription where I usually get another subscription (license) around one-quarter (or less) of the retail price. Both Windows licenses working fine on both computers since last November. By direct from MS if you wish...it's your money. And when the Windows built-in slmgr command to see info on the license it shows:

[Berty100]

Assuming you have an Ebay account be sure to check for licenses on sale on Ebay. I bought my two Win 10 Pro licenses off Ebay for approx $15 USD each. I expect someone with want to jump and say they are pirated license but this Ebay seller sold probably around 2,000 Windows licenses and his positive rating was like 99.9% The licenses I bought were not evaluation copy licenses that only work X-months, but permament/retail licenses. But up to you where you buy...at a local retail store, online, at the Miscrosoft store, etc.

What's the difference in buying such an - obviously- pirated version of Windows to a simple download of a pirated version from certain websites?

Please see the regular price:

https://www.microsoftstore.com/store?Action=DisplayPage&Locale=en_US&SiteID=msusa&id=ThreePgCheckoutShoppingCartPage

I do know plenty of working keys and could offer them on E-Bay. Isn't that what some people are doing?

In my eyes just another form of piracy. Of course is the guy liked by so many guys, because he's selling something very cheap.

Can you show any proof that you bought legal licenses?

Pirated versions, like the ones on your PC's, require a crack to be installed in the program folder, which hide you from the Microsoft verification service.

This little piece of software may come with some viruses, keyloggers and other malware, and that is the reason why you have numerous threads on this forum about you PC problems, which you think you solved by installing just another piece of pirated software including the malware and trojans included that will play up on a later date.

The serials PIB is talking about do not involve any software modification to the original Windows installation and get verified online by nobody else than Microsoft themselves. My bet is that Microsoft know if the serial is pirated or not.

I'm sure this answers your question.

[wpcoe]

I'm not convinced it's a "cracked" version. I think it's more likely the seller is, or works alongside, a company/organization which has a corporate contract with Microsoft which allows them to generate an unlimited number of *valid* Windows licenses for their internal use only. That's not only for large companies like General Motors or Philip Morris. I have a friend who is the tech support guy for a car dealership group in Canada and they have that type of license from Microsoft. If they get a new computer, he just generates -- legally -- a valid Windows license.

Not long ago (within the last six months?) I read someplace where Microsoft was sniffing out such rogue companies with Microsoft corporate licenses who were selling online to Joe Public for low prices.

[Chicog]

I'm not convinced it's a "cracked" version. I think it's more likely the seller is, or works alongside, a company/organization which has a corporate contract with Microsoft which allows them to generate an unlimited number of *valid* Windows licenses for their internal use only. That's not only for large companies like General Motors or Philip Morris. I have a friend who is the tech support guy for a car dealership group in Canada and they have that type of license from Microsoft. If they get a new computer, he just generates -- legally -- a valid Windows license.

Not long ago (within the last six months?) I read someplace where Microsoft was sniffing out such rogue companies with Microsoft corporate licenses who were selling online to Joe Public for low prices.

Not so much that but if you have an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft you have one key for all computers and they monitor (and charge for!) how many licenses you use.

It doesn't take much for an employee to leak or sell this to someone who's paying for it, especially in Thailand I would imagine.

The way round it is for enterprises to use MS Key Management Server.

[lostinisaan]

Assuming you have an Ebay account be sure to check for licenses on sale on Ebay. I bought my two Win 10 Pro licenses off Ebay for approx $15 USD each. I expect someone with want to jump and say they are pirated license but this Ebay seller sold probably around 2,000 Windows licenses and his positive rating was like 99.9% The licenses I bought were not evaluation copy licenses that only work X-months, but permament/retail licenses. But up to you where you buy...at a local retail store, online, at the Miscrosoft store, etc.

What's the difference in buying such an - obviously- pirated version of Windows to a simple download of a pirated version from certain websites?

Please see the regular price:

https://www.microsoftstore.com/store?Action=DisplayPage&Locale=en_US&SiteID=msusa&id=ThreePgCheckoutShoppingCartPage

I do know plenty of working keys and could offer them on E-Bay. Isn't that what some people are doing?

In my eyes just another form of piracy. Of course is the guy liked by so many guys, because he's selling something very cheap.

Can you show any proof that you bought legal licenses?

Pirated versions, like the ones on your PC's, require a crack to be installed in the program folder, which hide you from the Microsoft verification service.

This little piece of software may come with some viruses, keyloggers and other malware, and that is the reason why you have numerous threads on this forum about you PC problems, which you think you solved by installing just another piece of pirated software including the malware and trojans included that will play up on a later date.

The serials PIB is talking about do not involve any software modification to the original Windows installation and get verified online by nobody else than Microsoft themselves. My bet is that Microsoft know if the serial is pirated or not.

I'm sure this answers your question.

Yep, I've really "played around" a lot.. But I always had my stuff backed up.

The problems began when the restore program, in this case "Acronis" ( a paid version) messed a few things up.

And yes, I must have spent days in troubleshooting but you're only learning by doing, right?

I'm at my third school and never saw a real genuine program on a school computer, now we're talking about the Thai government, not about me.

I think that I just followed the "go with the flow" and my understanding what's right and what's wrong might differ a little bit to some members here on the forum.

If it's my responsibility to keep some school PC's running, how can I be successful without using the cheaper version?

My Windows 10's are all genuine and with a digital entitlement. Please see attached image.

I've upgraded from W 7 Ultimate which I had gotten from a Thai computer shop. When MS offered the free upgrade and it saw my installations as genuine, should I have said no, I'd never do something like that and go and buy a CD?

And no, my question was in no way answered.

There are plenty of companies, offering maybe stolen, pirated, etc...keys online for 10 or 15 Euros.

I bet that these installations are in no way different to mine. And my statement stands.

When people think that they buy a 10 Euro W 10 pro, without even knowing where the key came from, they're also a part of the pirating community.

And when you look all around you, you might find out that also the cops, the Immigration, the firefighters,the Khurusapha, all the staff at the city hall, etc.. are working with illegal and pirated software.

" When some people then make a statement that they bought their W 10 for 12 Euro at E bay and hate software pirates, they're not far away from those who just use what's on the market".

And of course would such people never download a movie from the net.

I could tell my school director Monday morning that he must buy genuine keys for all PC's at school, or I better write my letter of resignation.

I'm very sorry, but that's the truth in Thailand. How can anybody of them talk about software piracy when all of them are only using copies?

Calling me the black sheep is okay for me.