Buying a Windows 7 license cheaply

[Zero102]

I am in the process of building a budget-oriented desktop for a family member and I've got all of the hardware figured out however I am stuck on one detail. A windows 7 Home Premium license seems to cost $120, which is a SIGNIFICANT portion of the build cost. Since this is a computer I am putting together for somebody who is not myself I don't want to resort to piracy to meet the budget goal and I am wondering:
Can I buy a used machine with a legitimate windows 7 product key on it and use that?

Also if it is legal, does anybody have a broken or old machine with a valid windows 7 product key for sale cheap?

[RNB11]

http://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap

[killramos]

Originally posted by Zero102

Can I buy a used machine with a legitimate windows 7 product key on it and use that?

No, OEM licenses ( which is the cheap 120 dollar one you are talking about) are not transferable to new hardware.

A transferable Windows 7 license costs MUCH more than a single use OEM license.

Gotto pay to play

This is how much a transferable license costs

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/...777da6d721en02

[ZenOps]

If you just need something temporary until windows 10 you can try windows "thin client" for 90 days.

[Zero102]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. To be fully legal it sounds like I'm stuck adding a Windows 7 OEM license to the list at ~$120. I was hoping to cut the cost a little to put better hardware in for the price point but since this won't be my machine I'm going to stay fully legal.

[killramos]

Originally posted by Zero102
Thanks so much for all the suggestions. To be fully legal it sounds like I'm stuck adding a Windows 7 OEM license to the list at ~$120. I was hoping to cut the cost a little to put better hardware in for the price point but since this won't be my machine I'm going to stay fully legal.

The big companies can get the licenses cheaper. Have you considered buying a stock machine as an option?

[codetrap]

.

[carson blocks]

Originally posted by RNB11
http://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap

What's the deal with that? They claim to be legit copies, but I saw one for $8. Doesn't add up to me, can someone explain?

[FixedGear]

Why windows, just install some free Linux

[thetransporter]

"
Can I buy a used machine with a legitimate windows 7 product key on it and use that?
"


what im saying may not be universal but I know with windows 7 and xp and 2000 (activation wasn't required for 2k)

the product key is on the machine is different then the OEM embedded product key installed from the computer maker (its actually the same for all machines that are the same) which matches the hardware using some sort of security feature

yes you can and will do an activation and if you get an error just call ms to activate....

[HiTempguy1]

Pretty sure Windoze 7 OEM is readily available from places like NCIX for ~$70 ??

[stillworking]

I got the Windows 8 license for education last fall, roughly $80 to download.
As a result, my 2011 Toshiba i3 Laptop is no longer going to be replaced.
To make it even better, I recently ordered in the DVD and installed the 64bit edition to make use of all 8GB of RAM.