Did an employee steal my friend's genuine W 10 key, or was it plain stupidity?

[lostinisaan]

  I tutor a Canadian friend's daughter on weekends and had her notebook set up perfectly. The machine had the "digital entitlement", once given by MS, you'll never lose it, unless you change hardware. But then you can save your key and won't have a problem to activate it through MS.

 

      I had a different keyboard option installed and somebody must have pressed a command that put it in this keyboard mood. The guy, who knows absolutely nothing about computers then thought he'd done something wrong and it was maybe "overheated" and brought it to an Advice shop in Sisaket. I'm not accusing anybody now, but all my friend should have done was to go to the language bar and press English. His problem was that he couldn't type the letters he wanted to, because it was on a different keyboard setting.

 

   He knew that I made all, but thought Advice would find the "problem" that never was one in a sec, but after 20 minutes trying different things, they told him that he'd need  anew W 10 program. He left the notebook there and it came back in a way that i wanted to throw up. They must have used a crack to activate it until the second update would find out that it's a copy, updates were on, system restore was off. The MS Office 2016 was gone and a not activated MS office 2013 replaced it. The "technician" knew that the guy can't read Thai. 

 

   I had a back up of the girl's notebook, but deleted it three days before this "incident" as I needed more space on my external hd. The little favor turned out to be a eight hour + trip with all possible problems that can occur.

 

   Everything was Baidu, the AV, the browser and more Trajan horses than mosquitoes in Sisaket were on this "new installation, where half of the programs didn't even work.I thought I'd maybe find and old restore point, but they must have formatted the drive C and the genuine key was gone. Of course would such a technician know that such a functioning key's worth good money, considering the Pro CD for around 6,000 baht. I bought the key online for 25 Euros, tried to insert it, but no, somebody else was already using the key. 

 

      The first day was wasted by putting on all the programs it had before and those were a lot, including MS office 2016. The shock then the next morning when it started the 1511 set up, which is a completely new set up.I still had hope that the old key would be seen, but hell no, the machine was not activated after a reboot.

 

       I had two choices, trying a key that worked for a few machines before, one that was pretty famous and must have activated thousands of PC's and notebooks. Guess you know which one I mean when I tell you the last numbers and letters that look like these:  9MPGT-3V66T, or starting over gain with a complete set up, after working at this machine for already 10 hours.

 

            I decided to try the key and was really amazed when it went further to the second check and finally gave it the digital thingy back. I was one of the happiest guy in our hood when I've realized that this was the end of a "favor for a friend." 

 

      What's really pissing me off is that my friend didn't call me because a 2 second fix, by clicking on English at the language bar would have done the trick and saved my weekend. And that the technician took the key for his own well being really made me angry. I know that I can't go to the cops, as i don't have enough evidence that he's the guy who "recycled the valid" key.

 

       

  Dear folks, please be careful when you've got a genuine ( digital entitlement) machine and "technicians" at a shop are telling you that you need a new program, as I truly believe that more guys are doing such fraud with -especially foreign- owned machines. They might think that you're already out of the country when MS finds out that a cheap crack was being used.

 

       Which finally makes a backup on an external drive, by using Macrium- a free and very good program necessary. I've learned a lot in LOS thru learning by doing, but having a back up for every machine is a must, which I wasn't really aware of before.

 

 I hope that this won't happen to anybody else and if it did, it would be great if you could share your experience.

 

   It's not less than theft. Of course will he find people who're willing to pay some "good money" for a genuine key. Please share your experience if something similar happened to you, regardless where in this beautiful country. 

 

        

 

         

 

      

[muzmurray]

You keep talking about the "key", but digital entitlement does not have a key, it is related to the hardware of the machine, and as such would be useless to anyone else.

[thedemon]

Muzmurray is correct, there are no unique keys when upgraded with a digital entitlement. The Product keys are just generic keys used as a placeholder.

 

The generic key ending with  3V66T is for the pro edition. Are you sure the original upgrade was not the home edition? That would explain why it won't activate.

 

Why are you installing 1511? If you install 1607 you won't need to spend hours doing updates.

[dotpoom]

After reading this post I'm glad I never evolved much further than scribbling a note to my friends.

    Sorry for your inconvenience though.

[fvw53]

52 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

You keep talking about the "key", but digital entitlement does not have a key, it is related to the hardware of the machine, and as such would be useless to anyone else.

 

Where are the data for the Win 10 digital entitlement stored : I have a legit  Win 10 but if I need to do a fresh installation from a DVD (iso file burnt on DVD),  can I then also delete the mysterious "System Reserved Partition" without deleting the digital entitlement?

[Generalchaos]

Just reinstall the latest version of Win 10, use the media creation tool from Microsoft - https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10 It should recognise the computer setup and will activate without the need for any key. Alternatively if you have an original key from Win 7 or 8 you can use that. The digital entitlement is stored on Microsoft servers if you have upgraded. If it an OEM installation the key is encrypted in to the UEFI BIOS Chip.

Edited August 15, 2016 by Generalchaos

[ETatBKK]

I just clean installed a Windows 10 1511 to 1607 edition from an ISO file.  all apps and data erased, and the installation process won't asked for any product key.  I didn't touch the 'system reserved partition' yet.

[thedemon]

If doing a clean install, you can safely delete all partitions including the system partition but you should boot from external media and delete one by one at this screen.

 

 

The system partition has nothing to do with activation or digital entitlement. As long as the machine was previously activated with Win 10 and you are reinstalling the correct version, it will activate after install. Don't enter any product key during the installation.

[Chicog]

Let me get this straight. You're accusing someone of stealing a license key and you're using someone else''s?

Does that about sum it up?

[hatewaitin]

Suggest all who want to backup digital entitlement search google and download this 'Advanced Tokens Manager v3.5 RC 5' This can backup and restore your entitlement for Windows and MS Office

[muzmurray]

16 hours ago, lostinisaan said:

I had a back up of the girl's notebook,

 

Scary

[muzmurray]

16 hours ago, lostinisaan said:

Dear folks, please be careful when you've got a genuine ( digital entitlement) machine and "technicians" at a shop are telling you that you need a new program, as I truly believe that more guys are doing such fraud with -especially foreign- owned machines. They might think that you're already out of the country when MS finds out that a cheap crack was being used.

 

This is not even conjecture, it is just pure rubbish.

 

Reading the amount of problems YOU have with computers and software, maybe you should buy a mirror to see where the problem lies?

[Berty100]

6 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

 

This is not even conjecture, it is just pure rubbish.

 

Reading the amount of problems YOU have with computers and software, maybe you should buy a mirror to see where the problem lies?

 

Or some genuine software for the first time in his life.

[lostinisaan]

6 hours ago, thedemon said:

Muzmurray is correct, there are no unique keys when upgraded with a digital entitlement. The Product keys are just generic keys used as a placeholder.

 

The generic key ending with  3V66T is for the pro edition. Are you sure the original upgrade was not the home edition? That would explain why it won't activate.

 

Why are you installing 1511? If you install 1607 you won't need to spend hours doing updates.

 

   It was the Pro version, unfortunately "activated" with a cheap crack the shop's using. The 1511 update then figured that out and deactivated the system. I've installed the 1511 version because the girls and now her daddy as well are still trying to get familiar with W 10 pro and all the programs. And having MS office in English is very important as she's got to do her homework with it and send it to me.

 

     Sad was that daddy accidentally clicked on a different keyboard and thought he overheated the machine by downloading some music from youtube. Once the 1607 updates come from MS, she'll be a little bit more advanced, machine works very fast and the 6 GB DDR memory do a great job.

 

     The notebook was completely legally upgraded from her  genuine  W 7 architecture, and no crack was used by me. 

What really amazed me was that the "well known" key worked and didn't just activate W 10 pro, it also gave it the digital entitlement back.

 

    I'm sorry, I'm not an expert on W 10 Pro, but if anybody would have used the former key, he/she could have easily activated a PC, or notebook to a genuine version. 

 

I guess that it was theft because they could have done a reset of the machine, but for whatever reason decided to erase the drive c. And I only assume that Windows keeps the dig. entitlement somewhere on dive c.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong. 

  I was just trying "the" key and already thinking about a full installation when MS all in a sudden gave green light.  

 

It might be this particular key that enables a digital entitlement, because I haven't seen an immediate "digital entitlement activation" through a CD key before. I only saw that the program was activated before, without the entitlement.

 

      

[lostinisaan]

1 hour ago, Berty100 said:

 

Or some genuine software for the first time in his life.

 

           I once bought a genuine copy of MS office "07 from a colleague who came back from Paanthip Bangkok with the at this time new program for 100 baht. 

[lostinisaan]

5 hours ago, thedemon said:

If doing a clean install, you can safely delete all partitions including the system partition but you should boot from external media and delete one by one at this screen.

 

 

The system partition has nothing to do with activation or digital entitlement. As long as the machine was previously activated with Win 10 and you are reinstalling the correct version, it will activate after install. Don't enter any product key during the installation.

 

        The machine was previously activated with Windows 10 Pro, but the damn shop did their superficial installation

 

     And some of them understand that such a key's worth some good money. If it's a key that went through MS's checks. you can also activate a different machine with such a key.

 

  There's no difference in the activation process when you buy a key online for XX Euros and  pass the MS checks. 

 

 

[lostinisaan]

1 hour ago, muzmurray said:

 

This is not even conjecture, it is just pure rubbish.

 

Reading the amount of problems YOU have with computers and software, maybe you should buy a mirror to see where the problem lies?

 

 Considering the amount of machines that went through my hands the last six months, not really a surprise.

Conclusion: have back ups for all machines  made with Macrium and of course an emergency start up tool and life's good. 

 

 

  

[Chicog]

You seem obsessed with this Macrium but it doesn't seem to stop you putting your foot in it repeatedly by trying to do things you don't understand.

 

 

If anything, it seems to enable you to keep breaking things.

 

Still, it's an endless source of amusement trying to guess who you're going to blame it on.

 

 

[Jiu-Jitsu]

2 hours ago, hatewaitin said:

Suggest all who want to backup digital entitlement search google and download this 'Advanced Tokens Manager v3.5 RC 5' This can backup and restore your entitlement for Windows and MS Office

 

No.

 

Backup Compatibility:

• Windows 8.1 Family ***
• Windows 8 Family
• Windows 7 Family
• Windows Vista Family
• Windows Server 2008 / 2011 / 2012 Family
• Microsoft Office Family from 2010 to 2013

[lucifer666]

Had a shop try to tell my wife that her printer was scrap and tried to sell her a new one. Took me all of 30 seconds to remove the dried ink from the contacts on the cartridge using alcohol and a cotton bud.

[lostinisaan]

19 hours ago, Chicog said:

You seem obsessed with this Macrium but it doesn't seem to stop you putting your foot in it repeatedly by trying to do things you don't understand.

 

 

If anything, it seems to enable you to keep breaking things.

 

Still, it's an endless source of amusement trying to guess who you're going to blame it on.

 

 

 

That's pretty unfair even when you were right about several self made problems in the past. 

 

       The notebook was running well and the girl's daddy made the mistake to bring it to a shop instead of just changing the language setting from a certain keyboard to English. 

 

   The "technician" had no idea about W 10 and changing the setting would have been a three second job. 

 

     How can I not blame the so called technician? Isn't fixing computers what he's getting paid for? 

 

       BTW, I'm not obsessed with Macrium, it just does a great job and it's free. 

Edited August 16, 2016 by lostinisaan

[lostinisaan]

4 hours ago, lucifer666 said:

Had a shop try to tell my wife that her printer was scrap and tried to sell her a new one. Took me all of 30 seconds to remove the dried ink from the contacts on the cartridge using alcohol and a cotton bud.

 

  You tried to sell your wife a new printer? Is the printer already on 1607?

Edited August 16, 2016 by lostinisaan

[lostinisaan]

  It seems that this will be my last post, because I don't think that the upgrade works. Please pray for me. 

[lostinisaan]

  Mrs. Chicog, I need your wise words, or an idea what could have gone wrong this time?

 

          Last evening, I downloaed the new upgrade from a reliable source, all went fine and I wanted to boot the thingy into Safe Mode to remove some program files.

 

        Going the usual way when asking for a restart to get into safe more all went normal.

 

   But the damn thing never booted into SAFE MODE and continued with booting, but finally did nothing.

 

       "Macrium" had to jump in again. And I'm not making advertisement for this company.

 

           What could have gone wrong that the machine didn't boot into safe mode with networking?

 

        Did anybody else try to boot into safe mode right after a fresh upgrade? Thanks a lot in advance  and a good laugh for some particular TVF members. 

 

 

[Rob13]

3 minutes ago, lostinisaan said:

, I downloaed the new upgrade from a reliable source, a

 

 

You have a choice of sources for your upgrades?

[lostinisaan]

2 hours ago, Rob13 said:

 

 

You have a choice of sources for your upgrades?

 

   Nope, I only meant direct from Microsoft and not from a fishy website that offers iso files and also installs other bs. 

[Chicog]

2 hours ago, Rob13 said:

 

 

You have a choice of sources for your upgrades?

 

My question exactly; why did you not just do a Windows Update?

 

 

[Rob13]

14 minutes ago, lostinisaan said:

   Nope, I only meant direct from Microsoft and not from a fishy website that offers iso files and also installs other bs. 

 

 

You upgraded then decided to save some files? Next time back up all your files first, then upgrade. 

[lostinisaan]

2 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

 

 

You upgraded then decided to save some files? Next time back up all your files first, then upgrade. 

 

 Thanks for reminding me. It's my own fault that I didn't even create a restore point.I thought a fast boot  into safe mode, deleting the unwanted file and after a reboot the back up. But I messed up and it didn't go into safe mode.

 

   Google and you find a lot of problems: http://www.windowscentral.com/windows10-anniversary-update-common-problems-how-fix

 

Or even better:  The ‘Anniversary Update’ is the largest and most important Windows 10 upgrade so far. It is also compulsory, but as it began rolling out reports followed that the mega update is causing PCs to freeze. Now Microsoft MSFT -1.20% has confirmed one major issue and admitted it currently does not have a fix…

 

  http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/08/15/microsoft-warns-windows-10-anniversary-update-crashes-problems/#2762d8b07745

 

“Microsoft has received a small number of reports of Windows 10 freezing after installing the Anniversary Update on systems with the operating system stored on a solid-state drive (SSD) and apps and data stored on a separate drive. This issue does not occur when starting Windows 10 in Safe Mode. If you are experiencing this issue, we will be providing updates to this thread…We ask for your patience while we continue our investigation and please check back on this thread for an update.”

 

    I don't have anymore patience. 

 

         

[Rob13]

8 minutes ago, lostinisaan said:

    I don't have anymore patience. 

 

 

Seems MS has a bad way of releasing Beta versions of everything as the finshed product then they do the fixes after people start complaining of problems.  W10 sucked for the first few months then they figured out what the problems were and sent out upgrades. Now they send out another huge upgrade but it hasn't been tested properly and people are having problems. 

 

 

Seems waiting a month or so after upgrades are issued to download them is the only way to do it.Or just switch to Linux.

 

Hope you get things worked out.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Rob13