My mom bought a used laptop absolutely riddled with spyware, linux isn’t an option
Use the official Microsoft tool that makes installation media. From there, you can leave it unactivated, purchase a key, or use MAS or whatever it’s called to activate for free
W11 costs 2€ to 5€. Just buy it.
Mmmm you’re talking about key resellers. A full retail version costs $150. Keys from key resellers are notoriously unreliable. It might work forever, or it might stop working a week after you authenticated. It’s more or less a gamble.
Great if it works for you, sucks if someone just wasted money (however little) on something that’ll stop working - especially if it’s grandma’s machine.
Also, hedge your bets a little better, buy the ones that cost $10 or even $15. Historically speaking those are a safer bet.
Not a single time did I have trouble or anyone I know.
“It works on my machine”… great.
🤡
Just reinstall it via Microsoft official iso maker. Anything newer than Windows 8 will attach license keys to the hardware (motherboard) and it usually picks the activation right back up.
If not use the msguides.com kms method.
This is the way. Win is already activated, no need to pirate anything. Just get a >= 8gb flash drive, download the installer creator app from Microsoft, and reinstall Windows. It will activate based on the licensing level the machine came with, minus the crapware, which is from the manufacturer’s OS image, not Microsoft’s.
This OP, also make sure to choose custom install and delete ALL the partitions. Not only does the manufacturer image reside there with it’s crapware, it could have been tampered with to reinstall all that malware lol
Just… install it.
Not QUITE as useless as “just install Linux” but damn you got close.
Do not pirate windows, just download straight from Microsoft. You don’t need to register
Well, it is technically “piracy” but it’s amateur piracy. No need to get fancy with torrents and VPNs or whatnot. Just download the software and… not pay.
The problem with pirating Windows is that you don’t know if it has been tempered.
Exactly my point!
Well given op said download it from microsoft then yes it will be riddled with spyware but that’s the genuine windows experience® for you…
The downvoted guy you replied to is right. You can download the (genuine) iso off microsoft and install it without paying M$ anything, it will work fine other than not being able to change wallpaper etc.
If that small restriction annoys you the MAS (linked elsewhere in thread) is the answer
Now you have to activate it in order to change some settings.
ISO download from Microsoft directly. Use Rufus to make an installer USB. Click the “I do not have a license key” option. Who cares about the watermark.
You can permanently activate it with the scripts from massgravel: https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts
Didn’t microsoft recently push something to prevent these from working?
They recently broke hwid, but was recently fixed as of 2.2. The other method worked fine still
deleted by creator
Hm, I could have sworn I had read an article around here (roughly the last two months maybe, likely more recently) saying that the MAS had been patched by Microsoft, but now I can’t find anything about it at all. Odd.
Well, good that it’s still functioning!
They thought it was patched for good but after a few days found a workaround
As always. 😅
They patched new HWID requests being sent, but any existing licenses made with those methods are fine. That was only one of several ways to spoof yourself legitimate, though. The rest still work.
HWID is permanent, even after Microsoft fixed the method that massgravel was using. It only affected new installs because people couldn’t run the script to activate Windows permanently.
It’s fixed and activating permanently now though.
Personally, I’d never use one of these scripts.
Most PCs have a windows key burned in to the BIOS.
https://www.howtogeek.com/660517/how-to-find-your-windows-10-product-key-using-the-command-prompt/
I’d start there and see if it can be used for 11 or upgraded through the versions. Then I’d take a “clean” backup and use that to re-install in the future, instead of a new ISO.
Don’t ever run random scripts from the Internet unless you understand every line.
but do run scripts that have been verified by reputable sources
Installing Windows won’t fix the spyware problem fully 😉
Mass gravel may provide you what you seek.
mass grave dev might be able to help you
Like others have said, just use official windows and don’t activate, only downside is the watermark afaik.
Alternatively, you can buy licences for like 1-2 $ off eBay and other similar sites. Just make sure the licence and the version you install matches otherwise it won’t activate
Why, the laptop came with Windows so it has a license. Why not use it?
It it already had a license even better, yeah, no need to buy a new one. Figured that wasn’t the case since they asked how to pirate it.
https://winaero.com/download-windows-10-enterprise-iso-with-media-creation-tool/
same works for windows 11
activation: https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts/releases
deleted by creator
How do you think they became the defacto OS for consumer PCs?
By being smart enough to get their OS packaged with new retail PCs in the 90’s while the market for them was just warming up. They kept their stranglehold going by not caring too hard about piracy. Just enough to keep from losing any trademark considerations.
Even dumber than that, when their activation method fail, the support uses massgrev to install windows on costumer pc
Find out what version of windows that laptop ships with, and install that. Windows licenses have been tied to mobos for a while, there’s a good chance it’ll just activate. If you need an installer, you can download ISOs and tools to make a bootable USB from Microsoft’s site.
Like using a puncture repair kit and duct tape to fix a condom after sex.
Just put one of the Linux distros on it that look like Windows. Install LibreOffice and lookalike programs.
And No, I don’t care why you think you can’t use Linux.
deleted by creator
You Linux fanboys are the worst. If you don’t have anything useful to add to the conversation, then just keep scrolling.
I’m an ex Windows fan. If you didn’t use Windows 3.11 in a corporate environment to try to get some work done, you wouldn’t and won’t ever understand.
Parsec doesnt work as host on Linux. Biggest reason I can’t use it. I think you care just a teeny tiny bit.
I like this retort! Much credit.
No need to download anything, no iso creation, no thumb drives.
Just reset the current installation and select the option to wipe everything and start over. Google it or just poke through the settings menu.
Except if the malware has already infected the recovery partition or completely removed it. Personally I’d take no chances and just nuke the HDD and perform a fresh install.
If it already has windows on it, then it has a key. Just install windows. You can get it from their website
