F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop Find a more knowledgeable person to assist with this topic.

Find a more knowledgeable person to assist with this topic.

Find a more knowledgeable person to assist with this topic.

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GotEide
Member
202
03-06-2025, 11:59 PM
#1
I know pretty well how to build PCs, and I really enjoyed making one for my birthday. My parents bought a used PC from eBay so I could experiment with it and get a nice media machine. Everything worked fine except for the Windows setup—there was no hard drive left, so I swapped in an SSD. After installing Windows, everything booted up, but I couldn’t get my personal key valid. I talked to tech support for about three days, each session lasting around three hours, but they couldn’t help. Now I’m using Linux, which the PC runs perfectly, though I’d like Windows more. I need advice on whether I should buy a new motherboard or just stick with Linux and deal with another Windows license.
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GotEide
03-06-2025, 11:59 PM #1

I know pretty well how to build PCs, and I really enjoyed making one for my birthday. My parents bought a used PC from eBay so I could experiment with it and get a nice media machine. Everything worked fine except for the Windows setup—there was no hard drive left, so I swapped in an SSD. After installing Windows, everything booted up, but I couldn’t get my personal key valid. I talked to tech support for about three days, each session lasting around three hours, but they couldn’t help. Now I’m using Linux, which the PC runs perfectly, though I’d like Windows more. I need advice on whether I should buy a new motherboard or just stick with Linux and deal with another Windows license.

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Kampy
Junior Member
11
03-07-2025, 03:55 AM
#2
No, I haven't tried Windows 11 yet.
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Kampy
03-07-2025, 03:55 AM #2

No, I haven't tried Windows 11 yet.

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ostenvelez
Member
241
03-07-2025, 04:57 AM
#3
I obtained the key from the source you mentioned. It appears to be in use by a connected device.
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ostenvelez
03-07-2025, 04:57 AM #3

I obtained the key from the source you mentioned. It appears to be in use by a connected device.

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_GAN_
Junior Member
11
03-15-2025, 03:06 AM
#4
Purchase a Windows key, priced between $2 and $20 based on availability.
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_GAN_
03-15-2025, 03:06 AM #4

Purchase a Windows key, priced between $2 and $20 based on availability.

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Briana04
Junior Member
45
03-25-2025, 08:10 PM
#5
And genuine free options are available, at most you can install Windows 10. It seems like a free upgrade is still possible.
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Briana04
03-25-2025, 08:10 PM #5

And genuine free options are available, at most you can install Windows 10. It seems like a free upgrade is still possible.

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BloomingIris
Member
177
04-13-2025, 06:54 AM
#6
The system running on the older PC features an i7 4770K processor, but it doesn’t seem to satisfy the specifications needed for Windows 11.
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BloomingIris
04-13-2025, 06:54 AM #6

The system running on the older PC features an i7 4770K processor, but it doesn’t seem to satisfy the specifications needed for Windows 11.

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SILVER_RAIN_
Member
51
04-13-2025, 02:41 PM
#7
I used to purchase it from Amazon around 2020, probably directly from Microsoft, and it included a small USB drive.
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SILVER_RAIN_
04-13-2025, 02:41 PM #7

I used to purchase it from Amazon around 2020, probably directly from Microsoft, and it included a small USB drive.

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gmoney_1114
Junior Member
49
04-13-2025, 03:09 PM
#8
I was planning on running windows 10 from the get-go is there anyway you can link a legitimate place to buy one and then my next question is once it’s activated will it be sure to take away the watermark because I think the problem is since the previous owner had windows on it he took the hard drive out and it’s still looking for the original key and I don’t know if it makes a difference, but this is an prebuilt PC
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gmoney_1114
04-13-2025, 03:09 PM #8

I was planning on running windows 10 from the get-go is there anyway you can link a legitimate place to buy one and then my next question is once it’s activated will it be sure to take away the watermark because I think the problem is since the previous owner had windows on it he took the hard drive out and it’s still looking for the original key and I don’t know if it makes a difference, but this is an prebuilt PC

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krishan8
Junior Member
38
04-15-2025, 02:12 PM
#9
You can easily set up a fresh Windows 11 on older computers without problems. Many tutorials and videos explain the process: https://pureinfotech.com/install-windows...ported-pc/. To get the Windows 11 media creator, visit https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software.../windows11 and follow their instructions. If you need a cheap Windows 10 key, I recommend checking Electronic First.com – make sure to select the correct license type (Pro or Home). I’ve used their service several times without issues. Removing the old HDD doesn’t matter much. If your motherboard already has a Windows key embedded, it might still work, but it’s unlikely if it’s an older machine. Using a key linked to another device can be tricky for Microsoft. There are alternatives you can explore.
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krishan8
04-15-2025, 02:12 PM #9

You can easily set up a fresh Windows 11 on older computers without problems. Many tutorials and videos explain the process: https://pureinfotech.com/install-windows...ported-pc/. To get the Windows 11 media creator, visit https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software.../windows11 and follow their instructions. If you need a cheap Windows 10 key, I recommend checking Electronic First.com – make sure to select the correct license type (Pro or Home). I’ve used their service several times without issues. Removing the old HDD doesn’t matter much. If your motherboard already has a Windows key embedded, it might still work, but it’s unlikely if it’s an older machine. Using a key linked to another device can be tricky for Microsoft. There are alternatives you can explore.

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DarckMoule
Member
160
04-25-2025, 06:12 AM
#10
You mentioned using the Windows key on a different machine, but that method might not apply there.
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DarckMoule
04-25-2025, 06:12 AM #10

You mentioned using the Windows key on a different machine, but that method might not apply there.

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