: Sites selling just a digital product key for a few dollars are often selling stolen, pirated, or volume licenses that will eventually be deactivated.
: Look for unopened physical boxes on eBay or Amazon.
: Locked to the first motherboard it is installed on; cannot be transferred to a new computer.
: Online activation may fail for older keys. You may need to use the phone activation method by calling Microsoft’s automated system.
: If buying on eBay, prioritize listings that include the original COA (Certificate of Authenticity) sticker and the physical installation disc . 🔑 Licensing Types Retail : Most flexible; can be moved from one PC to another.