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Question about W7 key uses

  • 10-07-2016 6:37pm
    #1
    Arhur_Dayne
    Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭


    Hey all,

    My mom's laptop just died so, having the average 50 year old's knowledge on tech, I need to sort out here replacement. My issue is though, I've got a Windows 7 HP copy, and I've used it 3 times on 2 different PCs (old one twice and new (current) one) using the same key (with no issues I should add). I've been looking online for a definitive answer but haven't been able to find one. Would I be able to use the same key on my mom's new laptop? I could read into the licence conditions but I don't have the time. Of course I could just spend the extra 100-odd euro, but obviously would prefer not to.

    Thanks in advance lads. ;)


Comments

  • #2
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,085 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    Arhur_Dayne wrote: »
    Hey all,

    My mom's laptop just died so, having the average 50 year old's knowledge on tech, I need to sort out here replacement. My issue is though, I've got a Windows 7 HP copy, and I've used it 3 times on 2 different PCs (old one twice and new (current) one) using the same key (with no issues I should add). I've been looking online for a definitive answer but haven't been able to find one. Would I be able to use the same key on my mom's new laptop? I could read into the licence conditions but I don't have the time. Of course I could just spend the extra 100-odd euro, but obviously would prefer not to.

    Thanks in advance lads. ;)

    If it's supplied by HP with a computer, it's almost certainly an Original Equipment Manufacturer licence so the licence is a single-nontransferable one tied to the motherboard of the computer with which it was supplied. So if you've used it for anything other than a reinstall on the original system, you're already in breach of the licence terms.

    In a purely technical sense, you might be able to install that copy on your mum's new laptop, but I wouldn't bet on it - a lot of OEMs customize their media to detect whether the target computer is from the right vendor, etc. Even if this worked, it wouldn't be legitimately licensed and so would be potentially at risk of having the key revoked (which would most likely cause all installs using that key to be flagged as unlicensed).

    If you definitely want win7 for your mum and you're buying a new laptop as a unit rather than doing a build for her, I'd guess the easiest option would be to include a Win10 Pro licence on the new laptop and use downgrade rights. That avoids any hassle of the "key being revoked" variety coming up in future, and means that if she/you later decide to upgrade to Windows 10 you don't need to spend any more money.


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