Used Windows Licensing - How to get?

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shoguneye

Member
Jan 21, 2016
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Hi all, wondering about your thoughts on buying used Windows 2012r2 licensing. I've read the eBay buying guides and to ensure you get the Certificate of Authentication (COA) media and keys. Any thoughts on where licensing an be picked up the cheapest?

Cheers
 

cesmith9999

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2013
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Technically there should not be any Used MS licensing. It is registered to the first computer and it cannot be transferred to another.

Chris
 

cheezehead

Active Member
Sep 23, 2012
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Midwest, US
Depends on the purpose. If it's for home/testing use MSDN is available additionally if your a student anywhere Dreamspark is free for students. Technically if it's a retail edition of 2012r2 and not an OEM, volume, or other licensed version then it could be resold but I don't know of many actually buying retail editions....high entry price when so many discounted methods are available for businesses.

If you feel like rebuilding it every 6-months 2012R2 is available for free as a trial-edition (Try Windows Server 2012 R2 | TechNet Evaluation Center)
 
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shoguneye

Member
Jan 21, 2016
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Technically there should not be any Used MS licensing. It is registered to the first computer and it cannot be transferred to another.

Chris
Hey Chris, I spent quite some time with MS. I didn't get into the OEM scenarios as I build my own. So there remains Volume and Retail licensing. Volume you can't 'sell' or 'transfer' MS initially said I could sell/buy Retail licenses as long as there is proper documentation, COA, Key and Media (also said receipt but didn't re-confirm that). They backtracked and said they can't be purchased/sold but they can be 'transferred' to another entity. The discussion veered off because they then contradicted a previous statement that directly impacts my business so I didn't follow up on the re-registration process. After I sort out a much more serious matter I will get that process ironed out. Licenses can be re-platformed every 90 days unless unrecoverable h/w error on the hosts.

The directed me to the following links:

How to Tell - Home
Microsoft License Terms

In regards to the IE terms of use, its quite an eye opener especially with the use of accelerators and reminds me of a saying:

If you get a product for free, you are the product :)
 

marv

Active Member
Apr 2, 2015
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In EU it is legal to resell "volume" and even OEM licences regardless of what EULA says.

I wouldnt mind getting retail from ebay, but would be careful with stuff really cheap as theres lot of folks selling dreamspark, msdn etc. keys. Since 2012R2 is current version, dont expect to find great deal on that easily.
 

shoguneye

Member
Jan 21, 2016
38
6
8
61
In EU it is legal to resell "volume" and even OEM licences regardless of what EULA says.

I wouldnt mind getting retail from ebay, but would be careful with stuff really cheap as theres lot of folks selling dreamspark, msdn etc. keys. Since 2012R2 is current version, dont expect to find great deal on that easily.
Seriously? Do you have any links or references that I can review as I could care less where I bought it from I just want to be compliant with MS. I might end up putting some boxes in Spain as they seem to have the best privacy laws for protecting the end users data. That would probably justify the EU license purchases.