Question about TechNet Plus and Windows 7 activation internationally.

I have a TechNet Plus subscription. I have someone that is willing to do some benchmarking and test some configurations for me on a system that I don't have. Problem is that he is in UK and I'm in USA. So a couple questions:

(1) Can I legally offer him to use one of my RTM keys for an install.

(2) If I do, can he activate it from the UK?

Thanks for any insight into this.

 

(1) yes
(2) yes

 

hey mate! can i benchmark my computer for you too? pretty please! lol

 

I'm 99.99999% certain that #1 is a violation of the EULA.

 

Not if he is doing it for testing purposes on that machine

 

I'd beg to differ. Read the terms of service for a single-user subscription to TechNet Plus. The software is licensed to the single individual who holds the subscription. (The more expensive "server subscription" might allow it, since that allows for multiple users to use the software.) I guarantee that if you called Microsoft and asked, "Hey, can I send some of my keys to a guy in Europe so that he can do some testing for me?" that the answer would be, "uh, no."

They keys aren't transeferable, for any purpose.

Now, I'm not the software cops and I couldn't personally care less if the guy sends his key to someone else. But since the OP specifically asked if it was legal, he ought to get the real answer, which is, no it's not.

 

wether its legal or not, how would M$ know? even if (very much doubt it) they did find out it was being used elsewhere the OP could just say its his comp and he has lent it to his mate...

 

I'm sure they won't know. As you say, how could they? But he specifically asked if it was "legal," and the answer is no. That's all I was saying. But yeah, actually sending the guy a key is pretty much risk-free in practice.

 

yer i got what you were saying and i couldnt be 100% sure but i'd have to say your right

wonder if he'd be nice enough to give us all a key since we've helped him out...

btw fountainhead your dp is very intimidating

 

I was joking, how the heck would the holder of the license be testing a machine in the UK. I mean they still have castles and kings, talk about being stuck in the dark ages.

 

Technet's individually-issued keys trace back directly to the subscriber. Microsoft knows where their subscribers are, and they can easily find out where a key is used for activation (the OP isn't lending an already built & activated PC to his friend in England: he's proposing to have him install & activate Windows over there). M$ is also well aware that people can and do use TechNet to obtain keys to be used overseas in ways much more nefarious than the OP's scenario.
Bottom line: if you're obtaining keys from your TechNet sub and passing them to people five time zones away, M$ may very well spot that and break either that key or all your keys. If it's the latter, that would be a huge pain in the butt...

 

Sounds really nice but it's really never happens! at least not in my case.
I use my brother's MSDN account.
M$ may say this and that about one key for one computer.That's just for the purpose of scaring people, nothing more.
Once is the activation is done, it is done. MS doesn't track your ip and the activation is done automatically on their end (aka no human interference)
I once used 1 key for 10 computers, guess what? Nothing happened!

 

I'm not looking to do anything that will get my account expunged. I absolutely don't want that. I guess I'll have to figure another way.

 

Pretty simplet solution out there. Just look for the thread about free windows 7 pro. If he is a student than he can pay $19 and have 4 licenses of his own.

 

if it's for testing only, does the test need to have it activated? win7 can be run without activation over months thanks to rearm. for testing out something that could be enough?

 

I don't see how Microsoft can concern themselves about where a key is activated from. Has anyone ever heard of people who travel to a lot of different countries on IT or general business trips or does every single professional worker only stay in their own country

I know of quite a few who travel around many different countries with their equipment doing all sorts of IT setups.

 

Don't even worry about it. Unless you take a picture and send it to Mircosoft, but even that, nothing is gonna happen.