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I want to donate my old work PCs, but I don't want to donate my Windows Pro licences. What's the cheapest way to get a Windows licence on a PC? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I have been struggling to decide what to do with my old rendering machines.... But they are getting less useful for rendering by the day.

I encountered some Ukrainian refugees in my language class, and some of them don't have PCs.

It must be hard for them to look up information etc.

I want to clean up my old machines and donate them... But won't have a Windows licence. I'm also not sure the best way to install Windows if they will be using Russian or Ukrainian language.

Is there a cheap Windows licence or free for Windows this situation?

In the old days I would have pirated it but I don't want to put them in that situation.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Would installing Linux on them be an option?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

You might want to ask them if they can use a *nix, if not, you're giving them the gift of headaches and annoyance.

(I say this as a lifelong Linux user)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

I did think about this, but I know sweet FA about Linux; they know sweet FA about Linux; and should any problems come up in future, using Linux severely limits the chances of a casual acquaintance being able to help out.

But you're right, it would be a decent solution... If the situation was a bit different I might go with that.

If it was someone I was likely to pop in on to fix things for example.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (2 children)

This, just throw Ubuntu or popos on it

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

As a windows smoothbrain bot I can confirm pop os is straightforward to operate and plain easy if someone helps the person with basic problems (how to find things, how to install things etc).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'll throw my hat in the ring for Zorin OS. It's similarity to Windows is a lot greater than most distros, so switching will be easy. It's also based on Ubuntu, like Pop :)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Apparently you can activate Windows using this: https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts

(Stolen from elsewhere, have not tried myself, might be legally dubious)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Install non legit 7 or 8.1 then upgrade to 10 (this still works) after that is has a legit win10 that can even be clean reinstalled. Amd upgraded to 11 if hardware supported (or bypassed).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Grey market sites like G2A and Kinguin have windows licenses for cheap.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

At that point is morally better to just pirate it

Those keys are working but legally unlicensed (usually for testing purposes only for msdn members)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Kinguin is great but it does require a phone call which is disappointing.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Introduce then to Linux is the best gift you can do to them. I regret a lot to not having the same and be raised with windows, its make me lazy and stupid but most important have make me ignoring how much a Machine mean and how we all should approach them.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think the cheapest way is buy an OEM edition and a SATA cable to fullfill the purchase requirements.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

And a SATA cable? How does that work?

Is that like a token hardware purchase?