are software keys sold on sites like URcdkey piracy?

It's not about whether it's lawful. It's about whether they are legitimate to Microsoft.

 

... and this depends on the EULA / TOS you sign. If EULA allows you to do this, it's legitimate. If you are located in a country where the EULA doesn't allow that or isn't applicable, this kind of use is not allowed.

EDIT: It's a license agreement so MS dictates at what circumstances the (software) contract between you and MS is binding.

Or do I misunderstand you there?

EDIT: Nope, just too much alcohol ...

 

If the are ripped from machines or something other shady, then they aren't. If they are super cheap, then they likely are those. they might delist the keys. Normal OEM versions that you can buy, while cheaper than retail versions, still are now here close to free.

If anything is too cheap then there's always a catch or risk involved.

 

Off topic but doesn't EULA stand for End User License Agreement?

 

Yes, you are absolutely right. Excuse me, but all the different xxLAs.
I have to keep off the alcohol more. After a few beers every xxLA makes sense. (headbang)

 

The website does seem to scream shady; where are they even located?

Also, has anyone had a key deactivated or delivered non-working after purchasing from these sellers? Purchasing from a licensed seller will guarantee the key will work and stay working.

I do notice lately the ad is offering Microsoft Office, but offering individually sold keys for the VL-only Pro Plus edition, which according to discussions on the Microsoft forum are a significant red flag.

 

From what I can see they are based out of Scottsdale Arizona in the US, site is hosted by GoDaddy.

 

I ran into a single bad key some years ago, filled a complaint including proof and got a new key from another seller, most of these sites do guarantee working keys.

As for how legal OEM keys are, MS did in the past state that consumers building their own PC are considered Builders, that text was removed from their side at some point, although MS did never set a strict guideline.
Something that make this even more confusing is, if you check local retailers you can buy rather expensive license keys which in fact are OEM keys.

 

i got a key from them (win10 pro oem) and never used it for months, then one day i tried to use that key and it was already in use.

I contacted them and they gave me a new key that worked instantly. No hassle no issues just handed over a new key.

I thought at the time that even for oem it was very cheap like £8 uk. tbh i couldn't give a crap as long as my windows is activated then it's genuine to me.

 

I bought a new ESD Retail key for this 3700x machine last summer, but not from URCDKEY or the site here. I got it on another site.
The reason it was cheap - was because in China, where they both sell Windows alone and also with a PC (OEM), to combat piracy they must price the keys 'reasonably' to what working families can afford for their PC. There's the appropriate language versions, (some of which are possibly locked to country of origin, this needs verification please), there's global ones, and sometimes even ones that are global retail. If buying from the USA or another major first world country, and you do not see your country specifically listed, purchase the global ESD Retail version - it enables you to download a Windows 10 image, install it, use the key, and re-activate flawlessly when you update your hardware down the road. OEM keys aren't worth it in my opinion unless you're buying in such bulk where you'd save enough money to make it matter.
Sites that re-sell keys like URCDKEY and the like are not piracy outright, as Hilbert said. HOWEVER, if you use them, DO know that you can get into trouble if you use a key that is later found to have been bought with a stolen credit card (causing the developer and publisher to not get paid, hence be out money for the key when the fraudulent charge is discovered and reversed, and the key henceforth deactivated). These troubles can mean one or more of the following:
Giving you a warning, notice, or some other form of communication and putting a temporary or permanent demerit on the account.
Publisher/Merchant/Developer (depending on who's selling and how it's purchased) deactivating your key and your right to use or access said software or game.
Store server freezing or deactivating your account, or preventing you from adding non-platform purchased keys later to your account (such as 'activate a product on Steam' window).
Causing you to be banned from using the company (who sells it / hosts the DRM platform like Steam or Epic Games) servers permanently.
Additionally:
If you send a link to the site in question, such as URCDKEY over Steam, and it says {link removed}, then consider finding a more reputable website. This usually means they had issues with this site commonly enough to want to block it. Often times, criminals who get into stolen credit cards buy these keys in bulk and re-sell them later, essentially 'laundering' (for lack of a better word) the money and making more money back later. So be careful and read the fine print pretty well. You can always ask the developer or publisher house if the game is officially being sold through the channel in question. If it is, you're good to go to buy from there without issues. If not you'll have to chance it - or just choose the safe route & wait for a sale like 'the rest of us' who aren't rich beyond our wildest dreams.
My house and car are paid for / paid off, but I still wait for sales - so don't feel bad if this is you! Sometimes these keys you buy are bought in bulk on sales or on places like Humble Bundle. So don't let me cast solely a negative light on these middleman sites. You the consumer must choose.
I only used URCDKEY as an example site, they are far from the only site of their kind. Your results may vary, but good luck whatever you choose.

As per US law, the EULA stipulates that only the retail version of Windows may be resold without hardware. The OEM version must accompany the hardware it was originally linked to (even if parts have been replaced with identical class parts, which is the only time OEM is transferrible between PC's motherboards, OEM is linked to the motherboard).

 

They say it's OEM, but what channel do you get if you run slmgr.vbs -dlv? If it says RETAIL chances are it could be a stolen MSDN key. If it says GVLK or MAK it's a VL key skimmed from a VL subscription, which even in countries where it is legal to resell only the entire bundle of licenses can be legally resold, not individual licenses. Such keys will likely get canceled when the owner runs out of activations and reports the losses.

 

Surely M$ would of shut these "so called dodgy" websites down if they weren't making any money off of it.

We all know how vindictive M$ is about these things and probably have some of the most expensive lawyers in the world.

I own a legit copy of Win7 ultimate and got win 10 pro for free. You have to remember M$ gave Win 10 away for free so i doubt these are stolen keys.

Maybe it's not legal in some countries to sell oem keys without the hardware but M$ has no way to prove you didn't get it on your new machine.

In the past i've used old broken laptops to gain the keys from them from the sticker on the back.

Some worked others didn't but a quick phone call to M$ to say my key is not working and they give out new keys without any question other than if it's only on one machine.

 

I did try to reason with them, mostly because I found it offending since i had no problem simply editing my answer to remove this part from an otherwise useful(i think...) reply to an other redditor. They moderators were totally dicks.

Thanks everyone for clarifying it.

 

Well you can always link the OEM with a purchase of a new piece of hardware since MS does let retailers sell them both physical as digital versions.
Most of them will even sell them without the requirement of buying a piece of hardware.
This is also done in the US by big retailers, if MS didn't want it to happen it wouldn't, although there might be some other laws in place that prevent MS from doing so?

 

If EULAs are starting to make sense, you probably have a major drinking problem.....lol
I haven't found a single EULA that makes any degree of sense while sober....

 

I am one of a small group of very few people which read the whole contract before signing.
It took me 2 hours at the car dealer to sign the contract for my car I bought in 2014. The seller told me I was the first to do that in his 15-years lasting career.
He almost jumped right over the table when I requested a pen and then drew a big line to invalidate one page of the contract.
But the contract told me to do so if I don't want my data send through the world for marketing purposes, and so I did.
And come on mate, I was gonna pay about 11.500 euros in total. I want to know what's fishy BEFORE the grim looking guys in black suits stand in front of my door.

 

Here's some background on the cheap keys, especially the Pro Plus in Guru3D's latest ad:
https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoft/comments/f0n0bv/cheap_windows_10_and_office_2019_pro_plus_keys/

Some of the posts have been removed by the moderators hence the [removed] tag.

Also, here's the official Microsoft How To Tell page:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/software-digital-downloads

 

I believe that is actually the location of the domain registrar; the hosting is in Hong Kong for urcdkey and a US-based host for urcdkeys.

 

What companies consider piracy and what the law considers piracy are different. These sites exist in Europe as it is felt keys, having been purchased, should be resaleable if not used. Rest of the world where companies have more lobbying power and have pushed against this, but of course they would - they get more money thanks to it.

Personally, never had a bad experience with these keys. Unfortunately UK leaving Europe, so these benefits (amongst many others) may not last much longer.

 

Does the EU allow "unbundling" of a volume subscription or does it require the resale of the subscription as a single unit?