Windows 10 Win 10 Home activation code pricing

floppybootstomp

floppybootstomp

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I've been thinking about putting Windows 10 on my 2nd machine (current main OS's on it are Win 7 and Linux Mint).

I'm quite happy using Win 10 Home, don't need the Pro version, and I have Win 10 Home 64 Bit burnt to a DVD that I recently used to do a fresh install.

Shopping around I note that Amazon have several vendors offering activation codes for as little as £18 whilst the highest price for Win 10 home is around £130.00.

What I'd like to know is - are these activation codes OK? The real thing? Not Warez? Are they puckah squire? I know it's Amazon and I'd expect to be able to trust any Amazon vendors but the price makes me wary.

Anybody ever used such a purchase? Any views?
 
I'd imagine the really cheap ones that are too cheap may not be genuine.
 
I went to Mucks' link and as that particular supplier was out of stock went for the next cheapest DVD version which was £27.

It should be here together with an SSD on Tuesday, I'll let you know how I get on.
 
Goodness gracious, it arrived today :eek:

They've sent me an OEM version of Win 10 Pro 64 bit and on the package it mentions '...using the OEM pre-installation tools...' and then gives a link to a page on the Microsoft website.

Should I pay heed to this? I will be doing a fresh install so do I just boot from the DVD in the normal way?
 
I'd use the Media Creation tool, that way it'll have most of the patches etc including the Fall Creators Update too.
 
V_R said:
I'd use the Media Creation tool, that way it'll have most of the patches etc including the Fall Creators Update too.
Click to expand...

I'd already tried that, thought I'd make a Win 10 Pro DVD but each time I tried Microsoft told me I couldn't use their Media Creation Tool as 'there's a problem and we're not sure why'.

All I'm wondering is whether the install will be straightforward from the DVD I now have or are there caveats pertaining to OEM versions of Win 10?

tbh I very much doubt it but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask, maybe somebody here has been through a similar setup.

And I don't mind sitting through all the updates and patching, this is for my secondary machine so time isn't critical.
 
I booted from the DVD & went and put the kettle on.

Patching didn't take that long on a fast download. :)

OEM product keys are priced lower than their retail counterparts, but use the same software as retail versions of Windows. They are primarily for direct OEM manufacturers and system builders, and as such are typically sold in volume licensing deals to a variety of manufacturers (HP, Dell, Toshiba, etc.). Individuals may also purchase them for personal use (to include virtual hardware), or for sale/resale on PCs which they built
Click to expand...
 
Win 10 now up and running on 2nd machine, there were no problems installing the OEM version with the disk and activation code I purchased from Amazon for £27.00. Which is a good deal, imo

It did take a long time to install all the updates and I now have the latest version of Redmond's finest - V15063.

There have been a few odd quirks during the install but the one that caused the most concern was the Nvidia graphics drivers would not install until I had the latest version of Win 10 installed, several times Nvidia informed me that their latest video driver was 'not compatible with this version of Windows'. Which, imo, is a bit wrong, are Nvidia drivers only suitable for the latest suited and booted Win 10?

Still have lots of installing and configuring to do but so far so good - and it's fast.

And before I close this post I'd just like to say that if I could put my hands round Cortana's neck I would squeeze very hard and very slowly until it was bereft of life.
 
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