Microsoft OEM System Builder | Windоws 11 Pro | Intended use for new systems | Authorized by Microsoft

Product is exactly what was advertised. Remember its mounts on a new system and can only be used on that system. You can go to Microsoft store pay more but that includes tech support and being able to mount this windows Pro on a couple more times! I purchased a Lenovo ThinkCentre Micro Desktop with Keyboard & Mouse, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD Drive and I could never get windows to boot. It was locked at login telling me that it was not a new unit. I went into the bios and low and behold it was from late 2024. So I could use it I loaded Mint Linux and Ubuntu on same drive so I could use it and decided to get new ssd and a new windows operating system. As I write these words I am creating a recovery drive if I ever need to restore!

Got it as stated and is looking good not sure whats up with the other reviews. Its valid and easy to use.

This product was used on two home-built ASUS desktops and an ASUS Vivobook notebook computer. I make my computers to be dual boot; Windows (whatever version) and Linux (Mint). The way I switch operating systems is to shut down the computer, access the UEFI (BIOS), and change to the SSD or the partition of the operating system I want to use. This worked fine. I have done this sort of thing for years, dating back to Windows XP. Most of the time I leave these three computers running all the time under Windows (11). One morning last August (2024), I find all three computers were alive in Linux. I shut down and switched back to Windows, and the computers completed a compulsory update. Days later I try to switch to Linux to do (my) scheduled updates. Microsoft has locked me out of the UEFIs, so I cannot switch operating systems. Just swell. I can work around this with the desktop systems, but it is a Royal Pain. I have to get in the box, then pry out the lithium battery for the realtime clock and BIOS. After the BIOS' brains are scrambled, I reassemble the machine, set the clock, fix the "secure boot" vandalism, and switch (or not switch) operating systems. This works fine until Microsoft gets their tentacles on the computers again, via mandatory update. The notebook computer is another catastrophe. Getting inside is the thing is not much fun. I cannot find a lithium battery to pop out. It might not have one. I have an old HP money pit notebook that when you unplug the main battery, the BIOS wakes up says "Where the heck am I?" The ASUS Vivobook has no such feature. I have unplugged the battery overnight, and it still doesn't let go. The only way I can regain control is to unplug the SSD, and start the machine up without an SSD. That gets the BIOS' attention. I leave this computer running Linux. Someday, when I have time, I will rework the SSD to make it all Linux. The Vivobook has only one SSD. That is another joy brought to me from the Benevolent System "Administrators" of Microsoft. They will no longer allow me to back up Windows on another SSD. I have a 2 TB SSD, half Windows/half Linux. It looks like the only solution is Wipe the SSD and reinstall Linux on the entire 2 TB. Remember this when you contemplate buying your next Microsoft product. You think you own it, but do you really? Oh yeah, you pay for it. When it breaks you fix it, replace it, or junk it. But if you use it in a way that Microsoft does not approve, they will "fix" it for you. After all, they can do that. You really don't own it.

I purchased and used this disk to install Windows 11 Pro on my latest build. I had no issues. I used a portable DVD drive to do the install. Everything is working well. I will say that Windows 11 Pro has some quirks to it that, coming from Windows 10, really makes me scratch my head wondering "What were they thinking!". I actually prepared a document of my experiences in case I ever had to do it again. A month later we decided to upgrade my wife's laptop from Windows 10 to Windows 11, and I got to again employ many of the items identified in my earlier document. I have nothing against using OS downloads rather than an installation DVD, but I don't have any USB drives of sufficient capacity to hold an OS installation image, and I couldn't find any I thought reliable.

I know plenty of people end up having issues & the myriad of things that can crop up be it the OS, hardware or software. I used computers from the Atari 800 days, but my real experience as i see it started with my first 386 16/20 and i have owned and used as far as i remember everything since MS DOS 5 until i made a point of skipping 8 & 10 though i worked on and with computers using 8 & 10. So i have built and worked on a lot of PCs over the years and though i remember DOS days and NT 3.51 with a little sentiment. Win 7 pro & Win 11 pro never caused me any real trouble. Oh i have used Linux in a few distros over the years & played with IBM Dos & OS2 ect... Bottom line if you want to run modern hardware & live in the mainstream and create as little headaches as possible you NEED to run current windows or whatever ecosystem you might choose if it is your thing i am not here to argue. Win 11 has been very solid for me and while i go win 7 with the look and use styles where i can. My days of creating problems in order to cure my boredom are long gone. The good old days were not as good as things are now i assure you i do remember all of the issues very clearly and i build a computer now only when needed. Sure money is an issue going high end was never something i liked and when paid or doing a favor i have gone high end a few times, but mostly bang for buck. In my opinion Win 11 is fine. Sure little crap happens from time to time but everything has been easily resolved. Hey good luck as if you want support for any current hardware you will have to use windows 11.

I am 78 year old retired software engineer, who loves Linux. Been stuck on a laptop with a small hard drive, without enough room to have a dual boot system. Stuck writing a book using Word, that is now close to being finished. I wanted Linux back, and I still wanted to keep Windows. I bought a bare bone MINISFORUM Venus Series UM790 Pro Mini PC , added Crucial RAM 96GB Kit (2x48GB) DDR5 5600MT/s (or 5200MT/s or 4800MT/s) Laptop Memory, a fanxiang S880 4TB NVMe SSD, and a fanxiang S880 2TB NVMe SSD, for a really fast and cool running 5 inch by 5 inch by 2 inch computer. More computer power than an old tower, that will drive two big 32 inch 4 k monitors, and save electricity too. I thought about getting a product key cheap from the internet, but felt that is a bit unethical. I did not want to pay $199 from Microsoft but felt that $153.42 from Amazon was within my budget. I want Microsoft to get some money to keep protecting Windows 11 from hackers. so I downloaded Windows 11 Home, onto a 64 G jump drive, and installed an unactivated Windows 11 home system. I ran it for a week, making sure that everything worked while I still could return any hardware that broke. Everything worked just find. But I also went to youtube.com and learned about windows 11 Pro, with it's sandbox container. That looked interesting so I decided to upgrade from Home to Pro. Again, youtube helped me do that without downloading anything new, just adding a generic product key with my router turned off, and rebooting my system. The final step was opening the Windows 11 Pro Disk I received from Amazon, After reading some of the reviews, I mistakenly thought it was under the red tape holding the envelope together. I was very careful, using only my finger nails. but nothing at all was found. Instead, the product key is inside on a special sticker. Using only a dull fingernail I carefully scratched off a film covering the product code. The print is very very small. I needed a flashlight and a magnifying glass. I would think in this modern time, a cell phone could be used to do all the needed security layers. But this is to let people know, to have a magnifying glass handy, and do not scratch too hard. Once I entered the 25 digits, it activated in about 10 seconds. All is well, and I am happy to not have to do that too often. I have a love hate going with Microsoft, but they keep coming back to the marketplace, saying in business, and coming up with new things for all us users. When I was 20, I would avoid their products at all costs, but now with old age helping me to mellow out. I think I can be friends with Microsoft. Peace brother.

Microsoft has taken a commendable step toward understanding the essence of simplicity and elegance. The redesigned interface, with its centered Start menu and refined windowing system, reflects a certain aspiration—an attempt to achieve the seamless fluidity that makes great technology invisible. The installation on my new PC was swift, and the system feels fast and responsive. Yet, while Windows 11 impresses with its modern aesthetic, it occasionally succumbs to the complexities that have long plagued the platform. The Settings menu, though improved, feels inconsistent, and remnants of legacy design persist like whispers of an era that refuses to fade. Still, the effort to unify work and play is palpable. The integration with Android apps is a bold move, though the execution feels a step behind the vision. Widgets are a curious addition but lack the precision of a true personal assistant. Windows 11 shows promise, a platform growing into its potential. It’s not perfect, but it’s a worthy evolution—proof that even giants can learn to think differently.

If below instructions does not work then, error has to be with your pc. People have stated that it has ads and other complains. One this is not true for another if you are not sure then just download a ISO of windows 10 Home and then follow the steps below just like you would with the CD that can with the purchase. Follow Along if You Have Trouble Upgrading to Windows 11 Pro If you need to upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro and do not have a digital code, follow these steps. Note that a generic code must be used first to change Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro. Press the Windows key and R at the same time. This will open the Run window. Type: slui.exe 4 and press Enter. Select your country (e.g., United States). Call and provide your installation ID. This will speed up the process. While disconnected from the internet, click on "Enter confirmation ID." Enter the generic code below. After you restart your computer, it will take a minute to update. Go to the normal activation window for Windows 11. Type: slui.exe 3 (note: it is slui.exe 3 this time, not slui.exe 4). Ensure you are not connected to the internet during this process. Windows 11 Product Generic Code RTM Generic Key (Retail): VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T After entering the product code, the computer will restart. You can then confirm that the operating system is Windows 11 Pro. Since the generic code is not genuine, you will still need to register Windows 11 Pro with an official code that you have purchased.