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Thank you all for your purchases and donations.
We're still working on the logistics of this behind the scenes, but there are 4 machines now complete and ready; awaiting hardware to hopefully provide a couple stronger laptops, and 3-4 desktops depending on hardware.
There are 5 tickets that remain open- 4 are awaiting Sales for approval to transfer, and one on Tech 3.
What still remains:
2 * 1.5GB/20GB - NY, SEATTLE - $9/yr ($12/ea transferred, $15 for both) OVZ - NO FREE TECH SUPPORT
2 * 1.5GB/20GB - NY, ATLANTA - $14/yr ($12/ea transferred, $15 for both) OVZ
7 * 1G/10GB - CHI, ATL, LA - $22/yr ($12.50/ea transferred, $50 for the lot!) KVM
The first plans are still available from @VirMach's special deals page, but you don't get 2 for $15. No extra charge for the $14/yr units- in fact, I'm asking for the same amount so there will be no complaining if you order one without support.
The 1GB KVMs are no longer available through VirMach, and the not-New York factor tends to make them a bit more useful for many. Come one, come all- grab a VPS!
We've met my personal hardware goal (basically every spare machine I own) with @flatland_spider supplementing missing desktop drives. With any luck I'll have all next week to get those loaded and ready. Thanks, everyone!
We've still got a few goodies left!
Can you use a 250GB PATA drive? I have one sitting around here uselessly.
You mean EIDE? Possibly. 2.5 or 3.5?
3.5". Not sure if it's the same thing as EIDE. EIDE sounds older.
PATA is EIDE. The 40/80 carrier cable. I might have a home for that in an aging desktop that'd still work for screen-reading stuff. Need to check with my buddy to see if he tossed it after I gifted him my desktop.
this must be kept in top ten threads
I should be hearing back from Chris today about ensuring the 4 laptops currently rebuilt are out before Christmas. The desktops, I'm still waiting on hardware delivery. Thanks, everyone!
WANT TO HELP?
I CAN REALLY USE TRANSFERABLE/OEM LICENSES FOR WINDOWS 7 THAT ARE NO LONGER IN USE; SOME OF THIS HARDWARE LACKS WIN7+ STICKERS, AND I WANT EVERYTHING TO STAY COMPLETELY LEGAL. THANKS!
How much does such a license cost?
If worse comes to worst, you can buy Win10 OEM licenses for ~$10 a pop from SCDKey. They appear to be a legit company.
Depends. You can't really buy them for 7 now, and the company I agreed to do a lateral hardware trade of good stuff they could sell in exchange seems to be balking on the idea of their VLK being used on this hardware, now. Maybe they don't want competition that's free- I don't know.
Worst case, that's another $40 currently. Thanks. Just want to get all Ts dotted and Is crossed. Only problem is that some of these beasts are running Pro from that VLK (non-profit) now, not Home. Downgrading isn't very easy- little alone on ancient hardware that takes 3 hours to install. I've got the HP covered for 10, and it even has a 7 key, but the D??? series are all XP/Vista grade.
And the Win 10 Pro license is $14 ($199 from MSFT). Can OEM licenses be actually sold?
If you buy hardware with it, yes.
Seems to be a lot of OEM keys available online, not sure how legit they are but you can go as low as about £5.
You mean a shiny new PC right?
Yeah, well, these are being donated to folks who probably want to be able to use their computer. That won't work. They were almost all upgraded to 10 for free back in the day just to get a 10 license (I assume), but they don't have 7 stickers. I don't know how that'll work out. I had a VLK that I was given permission to use for 7 Pro, but they just balked on that, since they haven't done the hardware rebuild (and won't be getting a tax writeoff). I've put a call into disability resources to see if they have a key they can use for the machines, even if it means I need to reinstall a couple.
Long story short: These are running 7, were running 7, and a couple were upgraded to 10 before I got them. However, CoA stickers aren't all 7+, which may make donation problematic for a handful. They are former-government hardware, so I'm sure it could eventually be tracked down, but that could also be a headache.
It used to be quite a bit more liberal than that- but I haven't licensed Microsoft for years. NewEgg used to sell you a CD drive with an OEM key.
Nevermind. All Veterans/studens these are being donated to directly qualify for Dreamspark!
Won't work? Don't get you.
The keys all actually work, plenty of decent feedback on eBay. If that's the concern. If it's the legality, MS don't give a shit about what folks do with OEM 7's now.
Well, I just confirmed that all students qualify for Dreamspark with TMCC, so it doesn't matter. They can acquire an 8.1 license for free and use the "Downgrade" rights to run 7.
These donations are going through the school and VRC, so 'grey market" doesn't work. There's plenty of bureaucracy in play. Had I known it'd take 10x times longer to get the machines accepted than fixing them, I would have just asked to be able to put up fliers.
Fair enough.
Good to know the licenses are sorted, I was going to offer to buy a few so instead toss me your PayPal and I'll make a donation to the cause.
Cheers! I've actually got a bit of cash in the PP right now (~$60) to buy some missing hardware for the desktops (and support hardware, USB->PS2 adapters for some stuff), but I'd be happy to use it for such things.
BACK TO OUR NORMALLY-SCHEDULED DRAMA
I'd sent you all the old hardware lying about but a) it'd cost a fortune to send all the way from Westeros and b) it'd undoubtedly get destroyed on the way.
Not to mention that the white-haired girl looks like she's 12.
I have an old HP EliteBook that is still my main laptop. It came with Windows 7 Pro, but I have Linux on it and don't intend to reinstall Windows 7 Pro (I don't have a copy anymore anyway). I still have the original product key (hidden in the battery compartment), which I haven't given to anyone else. Would this product key be useful to you?
(By the way, are MS product keys country-specific? The laptop is from the EU.)
I'd have more faith in shipping it by dragon than via RoyalMail.
Elitebook bros unite. Mine is going to the cause, and I'm keeping the Dell.
The only problem with OEM keys is that they can't be transferred. I'd be happy to take it for the other HP- but it's already Win7 licensed. However, it needs a RAM, CPU, and HD to be useful. Maybe if I end up with another HP? Cheers!
For queen and country!
E: THANK YOU @NEKKI FOR YOUR GENEROUS GIFT. LET'S HOPE THE SPERM BANK ACCEPTS BY-PROXY DONATIONS.
Yeah, the old EliteBooks are great. I've just ordered a new battery for mine.
Okay, I see.
I don't know the situation about transferability with OEM licenses but I've bought (new) a few laptops with Windows pre-installed, and immediately installed a Linux distro without ever booting Windows or accepting the Windows EULA. Are those transferable? How would I do it? The laptops have stickers so if I can find a way to get the stickers off and send them to you, I'm up for that.
You generally can't. If they're the same manufacturer, sometimes they allow it, but then Microsoft isn't always happy with that. It doesn't matter, because these laptops will be going to people who have access to Windows for free with downgrade availability. Thanks!