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These products are actually quite reliable—almost always they work for years. However, they don’t have official approval. As @sirtoby mentioned, the licenses usually come from large groups buying in bulk. Often these are deals from MSDN or volume purchases that were bought cheaply. That violates the terms of those licenses. Microsoft does care about this, but they can’t really stop it. /r/microsoftsoftwareswap explains why TechNet shut down: people paid $150/year for two licenses per product and sold them on sites like Reddit, eBay, etc. Now MSDN exists, but it’s much more expensive. Microsoft would lose a lot if they removed it. So they’re caught between a rock and a hard place.
Regarding safety: Yes, you should be fine using them. Sellers sometimes offer replacements if the product fails.
@KnigHTLol123 You want to share your PC build? What’s your budget? If you’re over $500, you can likely afford Windows. You might save money or upgrade parts without breaking the bank. Let’s check the build first before jumping to conclusions. Maybe we can adjust it a bit and find a better deal.
Curious about your selection? The WD Purple 1TB HDD wasn’t necessarily the most affordable option. You’d want to opt for the lowest-priced drive from trusted brands like Seagate, WD, or HGST. Typically, WD Blue or Seagate models would be more budget-friendly, though this isn’t always guaranteed.