How to check that the license key was not used

[Alex via WindowsKB.com]

I found a good deal on ebay for Windows XP. The seller claims that it is new
and has not been installed anywhere else. Is there any way to check that the
license key was not used to install it on another computer? What can I do to
check that the license is legit?

 

[Vanguard]

I found a good deal on ebay for Windows XP. The seller claims that it is
new
and has not been installed anywhere else. Is there any way to check that
the
license key was not used to install it on another computer? What can I do
to
check that the license is legit?

No way to check until you install the product and try to activate.

Got a URL to that eBay auction?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I found a good deal on ebay for Windows XP. The seller claims that it
is new and has not been installed anywhere else. Is there any way to
check that the license key was not used to install it on another
computer?

No.


What can I do to check that the license is legit?

Unfortunately nothing, and if the price is too good to be true, it probably
is *not* legit.

 

[Ed Covney]

I found a good deal on ebay for Windows XP. The seller claims that it is

new
and has not been installed anywhere else. Is there any way to check that
the
license key was not used to install it on another computer? What can I do
to
check that the license is legit?

MS monitors that site. If it's not legit, MS would
have had eBay pull it in a NY minute. Pay for it
via paypal and you may be covered that way also.

But to avoid hassles, check the seller's feedback.

Ed

 

[Guest]

if the item is in a sealed box which windows comes in and is not a "product"
that comes soled with pcs - then the license key will be nopt be activated as
long as the shrink wrapping round the box is unopened

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

if the item is in a sealed box which windows comes in and is not a
"product" that comes soled with pcs - then the license key will be
nopt be activated as long as the shrink wrapping round the box is
unopened

He's considering buying this on eBay. He can't see it, doesn't know how its
packaged, and won't know how its packaged until after he's paid for it and
received it.

Besides, shrink wrapping machines are very cheap, and lots of people have
them Shrink wrapping is no gurantee of authenticity.

There are lots of unauthentic versions around and eBay is one of the best
places to buy them. In my view, it's not worth the risk.

 

[Kerry Brown]

MS monitors that site. If it's not legit, MS would
have had eBay pull it in a NY minute. Pay for it
via paypal and you may be covered that way also.

But to avoid hassles, check the seller's feedback.

Ed

Microsoft may monitor eBay but it is a fact that there are many, many
pirated and counterfeit copies of Windows sold on eBay. There is no way
Microsoft or eBay can follow up on every sale. Microsoft would have to
purchase every copy of Windows up for auction to see if it was possibly
counterfeit or pirated. They may purchase random samples and get eBay to
block id's of known pirates but that is the best they could do. The pirates
just open a new account and it's business as usual until they get shutdown
again.

Kerry

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I found a good deal on ebay for Windows XP. The seller claims that it is new
and has not been installed anywhere else. Is there any way to check that the
license key was not used to install it on another computer?

No, there's no way of doing that.

What can I do to
check that the license is legit?

Very little. Ask the seller what kind of specific documentation he's
willing to provide; Ask for copies of it in advance, for examination.
Also ask him for the email addresses of satisfied customers so you can
check his references. If he balks, you know he has something to hide.

One should be very careful buying any software on eBay, as eBay
makes no prior effort to ensure that such sales are legitimate; they
react only when someone files a complaint. (And then all that really
happens is the seller of the pirated software returns using a different
alias, to continue selling illegitimate licenses.)


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

MS monitors that site.

What's your official Microsoft source for this tidbit of information?
How many auctions do they audit in the course of a day? What percentage
of total software auctions is that?

If it's not legit, MS would
have had eBay pull it in a NY minute.

There's no way Microsoft can spare the manpower to audit every single
software auction, and then buy a copy from each seller, to ensure that
all sales are legitimate. When Microsoft becomes aware of the sale of
pirated software, they no doubt complain. eBay then cancels that
specific auction. The seller of the pirated software then logs into
eBay with a new alias, and the process starts over again.

Pay for it
via paypal and you may be covered that way also.

Paypal is owned by eBay; they're not going to buck a management that
allows the frequent sale of pirated software.

But to avoid hassles, check the seller's feedback.

The feedback is of very little value, as many of the scam artists also
post bogus feedback notes to make themselves look good. Hint: if most
of the positive feedback comes from free, throw-away MSN, Hotmail,
Yahoo, etc, accounts, it's suspicious.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH