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Comment by layer8 | Hacker News Reader

Slightly related, Microsoft recently stopped accepting Windows 7/8 keys for Windows 10/11 [0], a change which now is also causing issues when reactivation is triggered on existing installations due to hardware replacements [1].

[0] https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/11/23913107/microsoft-windo...

[1] https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/15/23958751/microsoft-windo...

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Well that answers why my keys no longer work on recent re-install. Ended up having to get grey market key. Figured after 10 years wasn’t the worst expense, but the amount of adverts and telemetry they gather for the price not sure it’s even worth the 15 dollars.

You can get stripped down versions of windows on ahem other parts of the internet. If you're going through the trouble to get a grey-market key, might as well choose your installation media with some care.

With complementary spyware of course

I mean, spyware comes standard with Windows 10 and 11

you can get the official media from Microsoft so there's essentially no risk in using a grey-market key (other than you may lose your $3)

vs. a random .iso from some dodgy forum containing god knows what

https://www.stacksocial.com/sales/microsoft-windows-11-pro

https://www.stacksocial.com/sales/microsoft-windows-10-pro

These are some good deals from a Microsoft Partner.

I think GP is talking about the Windows experience, not the purchase experience.

I spent hours booting my new pc on windows 8 (with no network drivers), manually activating by phone, only to have it be unactivated again once I upgraded to windows 10.

Dang very good to know. I've been using a Windows 7 pro serial for well over a decade. I just rebuilt my laptop a few months ago too using that serialvamd activated without a problem. Guess it's time to buy a windows 11 serial or (yuck) use the home edition that comes for free.

Hey kid, wanna buy a *nix?

Give Linux a shot. Mint is a good easy-going distro that debloats Ubuntu. They have a few different window managers they offer and all of them are pretty good. The defaults are sane and the whole thing is pretty easy to use.

People around these parts are generally well aware of their options.

Oh you’ll be surprised to discover that that’s not a rule around here.

I have and I'll be blunt, Linux on the desktop for me is a tinker toy. When I need something to, "just work" it's windows. I also have windows only stuff I need to run and I don't have time to play around with wine.

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