Solved Windows 7 licenses
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I had a client that was sold four whitebox computers from an "IT guy" that "builds computers on the side". It turns out he installed windows 7 on the machines "with an OEM license from work." Needless to say, my client is buying licenses. It looks like we can only find Windows 10 licenses at this point. It doesn't look like the retail licenses have any downgrade rights. Is there a way to get a legit Windows 7 Product Key so I can avoid upgrading all the machines to Windows 10. Is there an option I'm missing here?
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Why down grade to Win7 which is getting really close to EOL? What would be the problem with keeping Win10?
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@mike-davis Volume Licenses
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@gjacobse said in Windows 7 licenses:
Why down grade to Win7 which is getting really close to EOL? What would be the problem with keeping Win10?
^ this?
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@gjacobse The machines are already in production and probably only have a couple more years life in them anyways. Since they are whiteboxes I don't know how much fun I'm going to have finding drivers for the video card, etc.
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I think VL might be your only path.
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@mike-davis Then why not just leave it as is for now?
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@aaronstuder said in Windows 7 licenses:
@mike-davis Then why not just leave it as is for now?
Because it is not legal.
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@aaronstuder said in Windows 7 licenses:
@mike-davis Microsoft Open Programs
For only 4 machines? Also doesn't the open program pretty much mean you're getting audited every 2 years?
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If the machines only have so much life left in them, new Windows licenses will cost a fortune. It is what it is, almost certainly this should prompt them to buy new machines at this point.
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@aaronstuder said in Windows 7 licenses:
@mike-davis Then why not just leave it as is for now?
They aren't licensed properly.
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@coliver said in Windows 7 licenses:
@aaronstuder said in Windows 7 licenses:
@mike-davis Then why not just leave it as is for now?
They aren't licensed properly.
At all.
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@Mike-Davis just buy some VL licenses and you are done. you have no need to reinstall. that is not how licensing works. you just need to have them purchased.
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@jaredbusch said in Windows 7 licenses:
@Mike-Davis just buy some VL licenses and you are done. you have no need to reinstall. that is not how licensing works. you just need to have them purchased.
He has to buy VL and OEMs. VL are upgrade only and since there was no original license on these boxes, he has to have both. Making it pretty expensive.
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I would guess that between the OEM and the VL, it's going to easily approach $300 per machine to license. Doesn't take long before new machines would be comparable.
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@scottalanmiller said in Windows 7 licenses:
If the machines only have so much life left in them, new Windows licenses will cost a fortune. It is what it is, almost certainly this should prompt them to buy new machines at this point.
Exactly.
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@mike-davis said in Windows 7 licenses:
@aaronstuder said in Windows 7 licenses:
@mike-davis Microsoft Open Programs
For only 4 machines? Also doesn't the open program pretty much mean you're getting audited every 2 years?
The minimum purchase point is five "items", so sure. And while people do get audited, I've never known a shop first hand that was. It's mostly only because of the sheer size of people in Spiceworks that we get the feeling that audits are common.
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@scottalanmiller said in Windows 7 licenses:
@jaredbusch said in Windows 7 licenses:
@Mike-Davis just buy some VL licenses and you are done. you have no need to reinstall. that is not how licensing works. you just need to have them purchased.
He has to buy VL and OEMs. VL are upgrade only and since there was no original license on these boxes, he has to have both. Making it pretty expensive.
Missed that bit about whitebox.
Yup, you are screwed @Mike-Davis. Just buy new machines.
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@jaredbusch said in Windows 7 licenses:
@scottalanmiller said in Windows 7 licenses:
@jaredbusch said in Windows 7 licenses:
@Mike-Davis just buy some VL licenses and you are done. you have no need to reinstall. that is not how licensing works. you just need to have them purchased.
He has to buy VL and OEMs. VL are upgrade only and since there was no original license on these boxes, he has to have both. Making it pretty expensive.
Missed that bit about whitebox.
Yup, you are screwed @Mike-Davis. Just buy new machines.
This seems like the best choice.
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@scottalanmiller said in Windows 7 licenses:
@mike-davis said in Windows 7 licenses:
@aaronstuder said in Windows 7 licenses:
@mike-davis Microsoft Open Programs
For only 4 machines? Also doesn't the open program pretty much mean you're getting audited every 2 years?
The minimum purchase point is five "items", so sure. And while people do get audited, I've never known a shop first hand that was. It's mostly only because of the sheer size of people in Spiceworks that we get the feeling that audits are common.
I have had 4 clients audited. One with only 8 computers.
