Run 2 Win 7 pcs with one licence ?

[Riley7]

I have Win7 ultimate retail. A friend told me I could run 2 Win7 pcs using the same licence (only one at a time online) and MS would not care. Is this true?

 

[torchwood]

Hi

Bit of an odd fish, even more so as W7 is coming to EOS

What CURRENTLY happens is that MS checks both the product key and PID
The PID is the system identifyer, and includes CORE component details of your set up, motherboard/GPU/Drive etc
Both sets of details are kept on the MS servers, if these details are changed FREQUENTLY within a specific time period then at some stage they WILL block the key, not sure of the actual number of changes or time period, suspect 90 days.
Minor Validation checks are run every time at boot and a major check every 90 days.



Roy

 

[Riley7]

Thanks

 

[WyattWhiteEagle]

It's a bit tricky and confusing too.

I use the same product key on more than one laptop. My fiance's and mine.

Here's what to consider...

Have you ever wondered about whether or not registering your windows 7 actually allows you to get the most out of ALL your computers?

The answer...Microsoft will tell you why it's a good thing to register your Windows 7 but will never tell you the pro's of not registering your Windows. That being said, they don't like revealing how to use the same product key on more than one pc.

In order to accomplish using the same product key on more than one computer...

The most important step is to NOT register your Windows 7 product key.
When registering your Windows with Microsoft, you are actually registering your product key to your ONE computer and having Microsoft monitoring for any unauthorized re-use of YOUR product key.

Wanna know more?

 

[RoWin7]

If you don't register the key, your computer gets huge nag screens after 30 (60?) days or becomes unusable.

 

[torchwood]

Hi @WyattWhiteEagle

if your specs are correct there would be no reason for you to RE-ENTER a product key, it would be using the factory installed one, its on litterally 1000's and ends WJ2H8-R6B6D-7QJB7

if you have KB971033 on your system then its Registered, you can check by running the genuine tool
look for these lines
Windows Activation Technologies-->
HrOffline: 0x00000000
HrOnline: 0x00000000
HealthStatus: 0x0000000000000000
Event Time Stamp: 12:10:2019 18:08
ActiveX: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395
Admin Service: Registered, Version: 7.1.7600.16395


If its not registered you ONLY get Security updates.

YOUR QUOTE

The most important step is to NOT register your Windows 7 product key.
When registering your Windows with Microsoft, you are actually registering your product key to your ONE computer and having Microsoft monitoring for any unauthorized re-use of YOUR product key.

AND technically incorrect, only OEM SLP product keys are non-transferable, the COA sticker key attached to your comp.

Roy

 

[RoWin7]

I'm missing something. You said you've used the same product key on 2 laptops. It had to be on the COA sticker of only one. So the other one had 30 or 60 days to get registered. Yes? No?

The last time I was given an unregistered machine from a friend of a friend, MS made it unusable by locking up the Windows functions after a few weeks. It was useless and I donated it to my computer club.

A friend built a computer from scratch, but passed away before he could add the OS. I have it now but there's no COA sticker. I want Win7. What would I install in that?

 

[WyattWhiteEagle]

...

AND technically incorrect, only OEM SLP product keys are non-transferable, the COA sticker key attached to your comp.

Roy

After the 12th or 14th of this month, nobody using Windows 7 will be getting any of the updates that are currently available right now.

Wow...the product key on the sticker on the bottom of my laptop is the exact same product key I used on my fiance's laptop. Both laptops are running Genuine Windows.

If what you say is true, then how am I able to use my product key on her laptop?

 

[msalton1]

If its not registered you ONLY get Security updates.

I haven't reinstalled win 7 for several years, but we're talking activation here, right? If you don't activate windows using your product key, your install becomes crippled or inaccessible. Am I missing something? Has that policy changed?


To the OP, AFAIK, you might get away with it if both machines don't have a COA sticker and have the exact same hardware.

 

[WyattWhiteEagle]

I haven't reinstalled win 7 for several years, but we're talking activation here, right? If you don't activate windows using your product key, your install becomes crippled or inaccessible. Am I missing something? Has that policy changed?


To the OP, AFAIK, you might get away with it if both machines don't have a COA sticker and have the exact same hardware.

No, the policy hasn't changed from the previous revision.

Windows activation is important. If Windows isn't activated then Windows will become full of nagging notices or become unusable. Someone mentioned that earlier in the thread.

Registering Windows can't be done without activating Windows.

Activating Windows is almost an absolute requirement, but registering Windows seems to continue being only a recommended option.

And both hers and mine have a COA sticker on the bottom with different numbers
Both are running Genuine Windows.

 

[msalton1]

No, the policy hasn't changed from the previous revision.

Windows activation is important. If Windows isn't activation then Windows will become full of nagging notices or become usable. someone mentioned that earlier in the thread.

Registering Windows can't be done without activating Windows.

Activating Windows is almost an absolute requirement, but registering Windows seems to continue being only a recommended option.

This is what ties the Product Key to one machine. As to registering, I've never registered win 7 and have received all updates.

 

[WyattWhiteEagle]

Hmmm, I believe there are some who aren't wanting the OP's question truly answered

 

[msalton1]

Hmmm, I believe there are some who aren't wanting the OP's question truly answered

Is this directed to me? If so, can you explain what you mean?

 

[WyattWhiteEagle]

No, the policy hasn't changed from the previous revision.

Windows activation is important. If Windows isn't activated then Windows will become full of nagging notices or become unusable. Someone mentioned that earlier in the thread.

Registering Windows can't be done without activating Windows.

Activating Windows is almost an absolute requirement, but registering Windows seems to continue being only a recommended option.

And both hers and mine have a COA sticker on the bottom with different numbers
Both are running Genuine Windows.

Hmmm, I believe there are some who aren't wanting the OP's question truly answered

Is this directed to me? If so, can you explain what you mean?

No, that wasn't directed to any one person. It's just that Microsoft would rather have everyone believing that 1 Windows license cannot be used on multiple machines and that's a myth that Microsoft would rather everyone believe.

 

[WyattWhiteEagle]

The COA sticker on my fiance's laptop is unreadable, so I used my unregistered COA product key to run Genuine Windows on both our machines. We can have both machines online as well. No hassle at all from Microsoft or our comps

 

[msalton1]

No, that wasn't directed to any one person. It's just that Microsoft would rather have everyone believing that 1 Windows license cannot be used on multiple machines and that's a myth that Microsoft would rather everyone believe.

That's been my impression. I'm assuming you're alluding to a legal way to run multiple machines on one license? How so?

 

[WyattWhiteEagle]

That's been my impression. I'm assuming you're alluding to a legal way to run multiple machines on one license? How so?

Legal, absolutely legal and allowed.

An unregistered COA product key can be successfully used to activate Windows on multiple machines. Microsoft allows the same product key to be used successfully on 4 additional machines. Depending on what you say when you call the automated Windows activation hotline concerning how many computers that Windows has been installed on. If you always say its been installed on none or 1, then there is no hassle and Windows becomes activated on all machines it is used on. All are able to be online at the same time.

Registering Windows renders this impossible and thus restricts it to no more than 5 machines.

(I have successfully used the same product key on more than 50 computers both laptops and tower pc's.)

 

[RoWin7]

Go back to the OP. I'm totally confused and will check this out when I'm ready to set up my 3rd machine.

 

[WyattWhiteEagle]

Go back to the OP. I'm totally confused and will check this out when I'm ready to set up my 3rd machine.

Experience is most times the best teacher. I believed the myth until I tried it

 

[msalton1]

Legal, absolutely legal and allowed.

An unregistered COA product key can be successfully used to activate Windows on multiple machines. Microsoft allows the same product key to be used successfully on 4 additional machines. Depending on what you say when you call the automated Windows activation hotline concerning how many computers that Windows has been installed on. If you always say its been installed on none or 1, then there is no hassle and Windows becomes activated on all machines it is used on. All are able to be online at the same time.

Registering Windows renders this impossible and thus restricts it to no more than 5 machines.

(I have successfully used the same product key on more than 50 computers both laptops and tower pc's.)

I guess that's why I'm unaware of it. I built all of my machines with retail copies of Win 7 pro, so no COA involved.