{"video_id":"yJkRd9py5mA","title":"Are you paying too much for Windows?","channel":"Linus Tech Tips","show":"Linus Tech Tips","published_at":"2025-05-04T14:53:29Z","duration_s":767,"segments":[{"start_s":0.12,"end_s":7.52,"text":"reading the comments on our build videos you would think that half of our audience Works in Microsoft's licensing","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":5.319,"end_s":12.559,"text":"department but what about Windows lus are you stealing Windows and okay I get","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":10.4,"end_s":18.16,"text":"it multi-billion dollar corporations are precious and must be protected at all","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":15.039,"end_s":20.68,"text":"costs but for the average user throwing","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":18.16,"end_s":25.4,"text":"10% of your PC budget at an operating system that then turns around and spies","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":23.119,"end_s":30.039,"text":"on you and crams ads down your throat it's kind of a tough pill to swallow","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":27.679,"end_s":35.84,"text":"especially with your throat full of ads so what are the Alternatives here well","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":33.559,"end_s":42.48,"text":"as it turns out there are at least a dozen different ways to buy or not buy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":39.2,"end_s":45.64,"text":"Windows ranging from free to almost","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":42.48,"end_s":48.48,"text":"$200 and we tried all of them so you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":45.64,"end_s":53.32,"text":"won't have to we also tried to tell you about our sponsor hetner they now take","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":51.32,"end_s":57.719,"text":"payments in dollars instead of just Euros so you can access their cloud and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":55.92,"end_s":61.28,"text":"dedicated servers without the messiness of currency conversion learn more about","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":60.079,"end_s":67.439,"text":"how to access their North American servers with our link down below and use","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":63.44,"end_s":68.92,"text":"code lt24 to get $20 off before I get","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":67.439,"end_s":73.24,"text":"myself into any trouble here I want to make it clear that as a business we","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":71.36,"end_s":78.119,"text":"absolutely pay for the software that helps us make money including Windows so","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":76.439,"end_s":83.4,"text":"with that in mind let's start with the most official of sources","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":80.6,"end_s":86.92,"text":"microsoft.com where huh I guess even they can't believe anyone wants to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":84.759,"end_s":93.24,"text":"actually pay for Windows so they bury the link way down here and what a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":90.72,"end_s":99.399,"text":"$140 that's got to be the Canadian price and no how is it that the download","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":96.68,"end_s":103.88,"text":"license direct from Microsoft is the exact same price as the full retail","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":101.56,"end_s":112.24,"text":"version one that has to absorb both the retailer markup and the included USB","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":107.24,"end_s":115.88,"text":"stick and what is Windows 11 Fami oh I","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":112.24,"end_s":118.32,"text":"see it's French","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":115.88,"end_s":122.88,"text":"new why did we buy French Windows it's all they had in stock I see well that's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":120.32,"end_s":128.399,"text":"fine we can just install it and then add a language pack by the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":126.32,"end_s":132.08,"text":"way here's a neat little trick Microsoft likes to pretend that you can't install","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":130.599,"end_s":135.72,"text":"without an internet connection but if you hit shift F10 once the installer","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":134.0,"end_s":141.16,"text":"gets past the first reboot you should get a command prompt where you can type","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":137.72,"end_s":143.16,"text":"in UB back slash bypass nro with no","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":141.16,"end_s":147.64,"text":"spaces and hit enter the system will reboot again and this time you can tell","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":145.239,"end_s":151.84,"text":"it you don't have any internets and you can use a local account instead of being","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":149.48,"end_s":155.12,"text":"forc to sign into a Microsoft account when you're doing something stupid like","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":153.2,"end_s":158.12,"text":"installing Windows over and over again from different sources for a YouTube","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":156.48,"end_s":164.159,"text":"video that's going to save you a ton of time that you would otherwise burn waiting for updates once we booted up","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":161.36,"end_s":169.599,"text":"Windows 11 FEI as expected it activated without issue bringing us to Method","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":166.519,"end_s":172.12,"text":"number two buying retail Windows from a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":169.599,"end_s":176.92,"text":"retailer in this case Best Buy it was still","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":174.239,"end_s":180.72,"text":"$140 but at least we got free shipping and they had it in English it's worth a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":179.159,"end_s":184.239,"text":"mention by the way that just like with Windows 10 you don't actually have to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":182.599,"end_s":188.36,"text":"punch in your product key to get through the installation process that way you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":186.48,"end_s":192.239,"text":"can quickly set everything up install all your drivers and then only punch in","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":190.56,"end_s":196.44,"text":"the product key once it's time to activate as before we had no issues","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":194.72,"end_s":200.319,"text":"authenticating with Microsoft servers and the only difference is that this box","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":198.519,"end_s":205.879,"text":"made an extra stop at a store before reaching our hands now I couldn't help","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":203.28,"end_s":211.08,"text":"but noticing guys I haven't really saved any money yet Ah that's more like it if","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":209.76,"end_s":216.28,"text":"if you've spent any time building computers you'll probably recognize this","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":213.439,"end_s":221.12,"text":"system builder or OEM envelope these are meant to be sold to system builders that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":218.159,"end_s":225.36,"text":"are assembling new PCS for resale the advantage is that the system builder","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":222.76,"end_s":229.64,"text":"saves a few bucks on the license but it does come with some trade-offs for","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":227.12,"end_s":234.0,"text":"starters that integrator is now the one responsible for user support so if you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":231.84,"end_s":238.68,"text":"have one of these you don't get to call Microsoft but hey I mean at least it","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":236.519,"end_s":242.76,"text":"comes with this sick coaster does Microsoft really think people are","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":240.159,"end_s":247.48,"text":"installing Windows from a DVD in current year we did oh that must have taken a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":245.159,"end_s":252.28,"text":"while yep the other trade-off with this sort of license is that it is bound to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":249.72,"end_s":256.759,"text":"the first computer it's installed on the retail license by contrast can be moved","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":254.76,"end_s":261.479,"text":"to an entirely different machine if you need to now a lot of shops will just","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":259.16,"end_s":265.24,"text":"sell these to anyone that asks sometimes with a rule that you have to buy a piece","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":263.24,"end_s":269.479,"text":"of Hardware with the license but it tends to be pretty poorly regulated","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":267.199,"end_s":275.6,"text":"which is probably why the discount isn't that deep on it anymore it cost us about","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":271.919,"end_s":277.199,"text":"$120 on Amazon which seems a lot higher","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":275.6,"end_s":281.759,"text":"than it used to be back when we got them from our Distributors at","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":279.08,"end_s":285.919,"text":"NC on the subject of things being a better deal I'm getting kind of tired of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":283.72,"end_s":291.32,"text":"spending money here you probably are too so uh come on over here did you know","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":288.759,"end_s":296.44,"text":"that you can install and use Windows 11 indefinitely without spending a dime and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":294.199,"end_s":301.8,"text":"you don't even need a special hat to do it that's right anyone with a licensed","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":299.36,"end_s":305.88,"text":"copy of Windows 10 on their PC can upgrade to Windows 11 for free provided","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":304.479,"end_s":310.16,"text":"that you meet Microsoft's Hardware requirements and in most cases you can","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":308.44,"end_s":314.16,"text":"even make it work if you don't we're going to link to an article in the video","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":311.639,"end_s":318.72,"text":"description also until recently you could even activate a fresh install of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":316.16,"end_s":324.039,"text":"Windows 11 using a Windows 7 or a Windows 8 key and you can still do a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":321.72,"end_s":328.319,"text":"fresh install using a Windows 10 key the only caveat is that they have to be the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":325.72,"end_s":332.24,"text":"same addition speaking of keys why not keep yours on one of our wristlet","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":330.08,"end_s":336.28,"text":"keychains from LTT Store.com we've got four different colors and with a metal","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":333.8,"end_s":341.039,"text":"latch they last for a very long time so convenient but lonus you might say I","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":339.28,"end_s":345.4,"text":"don't have a Windows 10 system or a product key and I already bought one of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":342.759,"end_s":350.319,"text":"those cool keychains well remember how we said you don't need a product key to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":347.36,"end_s":353.96,"text":"install Windows these days well that's kind of all there is to it you can","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":352.0,"end_s":358.96,"text":"download everything you need to make a USB installer for Windows for free","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":356.6,"end_s":363.16,"text":"directly from Microsoft then when you're installing it just click I don't have a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":361.199,"end_s":367.68,"text":"product key while you're installing we did a whole video about this a while","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":365.0,"end_s":372.639,"text":"back blowing several million mines in the process and all these years later","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":370.52,"end_s":376.44,"text":"Microsoft still hasn't closed the loophole leading me to the conclusion","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":374.4,"end_s":381.36,"text":"that they are well aware of it and have decided that the advantages of remaining","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":378.96,"end_s":386.759,"text":"the dominant PC software platform outweigh the cost of not collecting that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":384.16,"end_s":391.479,"text":"sweet sweet licensing money at least from home users now there are some","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":389.0,"end_s":395.36,"text":"trade-offs of course for starters most of the personalization options are gray","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":393.72,"end_s":398.84,"text":"out so you'll have to use a clever workaround to change your desktop","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":397.0,"end_s":403.24,"text":"background and you can't use the settings app to modify colors themes the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":400.919,"end_s":407.16,"text":"start menu taskbar lock screen fonts and so on you can't even turn on dark mode","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":405.36,"end_s":410.56,"text":"which is a bit of a bummer and you'll eventually get that activate Windows","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":408.96,"end_s":414.96,"text":"watermark in the corner that many of you are so quick to comment about but big","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":413.039,"end_s":420.12,"text":"deal you might say I can put up with that to save some cash unfortunately it","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":418.199,"end_s":424.68,"text":"has other downsides the biggest one being that you may miss out on some of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":422.039,"end_s":428.16,"text":"the less critical Windows updates and that little Watermark that you were","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":426.12,"end_s":432.16,"text":"going to ignore may actually cause problems with graphics performance","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":430.199,"end_s":435.919,"text":"including interfering with g-sync and variable refresh rate gaming I sincerely","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":434.56,"end_s":439.0,"text":"doubt that's something that Microsoft has done intentionally but there are","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":437.56,"end_s":443.56,"text":"plenty of reports of these issues out in the wild so they are something you want","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":440.72,"end_s":448.919,"text":"to look out for now everything we've looked at so far sits in at worst a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":445.879,"end_s":451.039,"text":"moral gray area but that's about to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":448.919,"end_s":457.24,"text":"change so if your virgin ears can't handle it you best click away fetch me","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":453.639,"end_s":459.199,"text":"try corn hat if it's piracy you be after","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":457.24,"end_s":465.24,"text":"the tool you're looking for be called Microsoft activation scripts sorry let's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":462.639,"end_s":470.8,"text":"drop the accent I was shocked when I found out how simple it is to Pirate","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":467.759,"end_s":472.759,"text":"Windows 11 you just paste a oneliner","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":470.8,"end_s":476.919,"text":"into Powershell insert standard disclaimer about never blindly trusting","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":474.879,"end_s":483.24,"text":"random commands you find on the internet confirm a couple of options and that's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":479.599,"end_s":485.599,"text":"it activated Windows it's not official","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":483.24,"end_s":490.039,"text":"it's not terms of service compliant and depending on your jurisdiction it could","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":487.08,"end_s":494.4,"text":"be out right illegal but there is no obvious difference as far as we can tell","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":492.68,"end_s":498.72,"text":"between the legit Windows that we activated and this one in terms of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":496.24,"end_s":502.24,"text":"features or performance and if you're worried about this script doing","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":500.4,"end_s":507.759,"text":"questionable things to your computer you can review all the code for it yourself","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":504.639,"end_s":510.36,"text":"right on GitHub which you may recall was","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":507.759,"end_s":514.959,"text":"acquired by Microsoft back in in 2018 meaning that they could have removed","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":512.279,"end_s":518.959,"text":"this tool at any time but not only have they not done that there's even","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":516.839,"end_s":525.08,"text":"anecdotal evidence to suggest that Microsoft support has used Mas to fix","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":522.68,"end_s":529.279,"text":"customer activation issues which what about window what about","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":527.279,"end_s":533.6,"text":"Windows I'm getting rid of the Hat I get it I get it you're upstanding citizens","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":531.64,"end_s":537.08,"text":"you don't want to Pirate anything you just want to pay a little less for the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":535.72,"end_s":542.36,"text":"privilege of handing your personal information over to a giant Corporation","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":539.64,"end_s":547.8,"text":"all right how's 20 bucks sound what about 10","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":544.079,"end_s":549.6,"text":"$1 as it turns out there are a ton of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":547.8,"end_s":554.6,"text":"third-party websites selling Windows licenses at pretty much whatever price","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":552.04,"end_s":561.36,"text":"you are willing to pay we tried three of them the boybo store g2a.com and allkey","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":558.56,"end_s":565.92,"text":"shop.com boyb store seems to be selling licenses from a Microsoft partner in","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":563.16,"end_s":571.079,"text":"France while g2a and all key shop aggregate offers from multiple sellers","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":567.8,"end_s":572.92,"text":"that have far less clear Origins we were","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":571.079,"end_s":577.88,"text":"able to activate all of these keys without any issues but that doesn't mean","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":575.36,"end_s":582.6,"text":"that we're going to endorse any of them while the activation keys themselves may","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":580.16,"end_s":586.48,"text":"be legit the means of obtaining them often isn't and by supporting these","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":584.72,"end_s":591.8,"text":"kinds of Market places you may be supporting organized networks of credit","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":588.6,"end_s":593.56,"text":"card thieves and fraudsters frankly I'd","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":591.8,"end_s":597.76,"text":"be a lot more comfortable if youjust pirated Windows and it kind of seems","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":595.92,"end_s":602.2,"text":"like Microsoft feels the same way given that they have offered the down load and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":599.88,"end_s":607.519,"text":"don't bother registering option for years now by the way while we're at it I","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":605.24,"end_s":611.72,"text":"would strongly recommend against using any Windows installer that you obtain","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":609.48,"end_s":616.12,"text":"anywhere other than Microsoft's website there are some cool ISO hacks out there","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":614.36,"end_s":620.16,"text":"in fact we featured them before that will do things like strip out extra","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":617.839,"end_s":624.32,"text":"bloat but it just feels like an unnecessary risk unless you 100% know","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":622.8,"end_s":629.399,"text":"what you're doing or you're just installing it to Tool around with like","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":625.959,"end_s":631.04,"text":"we did coming back on topic if none of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":629.399,"end_s":636.279,"text":"the options we've given so far right for you Goldilocks I can give you a couple","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":633.959,"end_s":639.76,"text":"of more if you're a student or teacher you can talk to your it Department you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":638.04,"end_s":643.8,"text":"may be able to get a license for cheap or even free depending on your school's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":641.68,"end_s":648.48,"text":"agreement with Microsoft though that license might expire once you graduate","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":646.44,"end_s":652.04,"text":"and if you're buying for an organization rather than for yourself you may want to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":650.2,"end_s":656.24,"text":"look into volume licensing and Key Management Systems to make your life a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":653.76,"end_s":659.32,"text":"little bit easier finally if you're the kind of person who enjoys the bleeding","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":657.72,"end_s":663.16,"text":"edge you may want to check out the Windows Insider program some of the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":661.16,"end_s":666.519,"text":"features they roll out are pretty cool and some of them never even make their","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":664.88,"end_s":671.2,"text":"way into the mainline builds so it can be the only way to see Microsoft's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":669.2,"end_s":675.56,"text":"vision for the future of Windows and keep your fingers on the pulse of the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":672.48,"end_s":679.56,"text":"development process the second final","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":675.56,"end_s":682.8,"text":"option C intro oneliner I got to it is","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":679.56,"end_s":684.44,"text":"to not install Windows try out Linux","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":682.8,"end_s":687.68,"text":"don't worry about which Dro you picked the first time no matter which way you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":686.079,"end_s":691.279,"text":"go it's probably not going to be quite right and someone's going to be waiting to tell you all the ways you're wrong","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":689.959,"end_s":696.399,"text":"and how your choice reflects on you as a person um but give it a shot as for me","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":694.959,"end_s":700.92,"text":"I'm waiting for valve to release that new Steam OS before I dive down that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":698.36,"end_s":706.36,"text":"rabbit hole again which should be anytime","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":703.32,"end_s":707.72,"text":"now well this is getting awkward uh","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":706.36,"end_s":712.079,"text":"while we wait why don't you check out our sponsor manscaped this holiday","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":710.279,"end_s":717.16,"text":"season make sure your ornaments are jingling and jangling freely with","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":714.0,"end_s":719.6,"text":"manscapes performance package 5.0 Ultra","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":717.16,"end_s":723.32,"text":"the lawnmower 5.0 Ultra is ver versatile enough to plow your driveway however you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":721.48,"end_s":728.32,"text":"like thanks to interchangeable trimmer and foil blades three length setting","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":725.44,"end_s":731.519,"text":"Combs and an LED Guiding Light then you can make sure your chimneys are ready","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":729.68,"end_s":736.72,"text":"for old s Nick with their weed whacker 2.0 and its blades that are designed","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":733.88,"end_s":740.36,"text":"specifically for your ears and nose finally take care of your Christmas tree","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":738.72,"end_s":744.079,"text":"with their crop Soother aftershave lotion and their crop preserver","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":742.12,"end_s":747.24,"text":"anti-chafing deodorant plus keeping with the festive Spirit it even comes with a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":745.76,"end_s":754.6,"text":"few free gifts so head over to manscaped.com LT 20 and use code lt20 to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":751.48,"end_s":756.24,"text":"get 20% off and free shipping if you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":754.6,"end_s":760.88,"text":"guys liked this video why not check out our look back at Windows 8 was it really","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":758.88,"end_s":766.72,"text":"as terrible as you remember your best click away fetch me TR corn damn it I","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":763.36,"end_s":766.72,"text":"put it on backwards","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0}],"full_text":"reading the comments on our build videos you would think that half of our audience Works in Microsoft's licensing department but what about Windows lus are you stealing Windows and okay I get it multi-billion dollar corporations are precious and must be protected at all costs but for the average user throwing 10% of your PC budget at an operating system that then turns around and spies on you and crams ads down your throat it's kind of a tough pill to swallow especially with your throat full of ads so what are the Alternatives here well as it turns out there are at least a dozen different ways to buy or not buy Windows ranging from free to almost $200 and we tried all of them so you won't have to we also tried to tell you about our sponsor hetner they now take payments in dollars instead of just Euros so you can access their cloud and dedicated servers without the messiness of currency conversion learn more about how to access their North American servers with our link down below and use code lt24 to get $20 off before I get myself into any trouble here I want to make it clear that as a business we absolutely pay for the software that helps us make money including Windows so with that in mind let's start with the most official of sources microsoft.com where huh I guess even they can't believe anyone wants to actually pay for Windows so they bury the link way down here and what a $140 that's got to be the Canadian price and no how is it that the download license direct from Microsoft is the exact same price as the full retail version one that has to absorb both the retailer markup and the included USB stick and what is Windows 11 Fami oh I see it's French new why did we buy French Windows it's all they had in stock I see well that's fine we can just install it and then add a language pack by the way here's a neat little trick Microsoft likes to pretend that you can't install without an internet connection but if you hit shift F10 once the installer gets past the first reboot you should get a command prompt where you can type in UB back slash bypass nro with no spaces and hit enter the system will reboot again and this time you can tell it you don't have any internets and you can use a local account instead of being forc to sign into a Microsoft account when you're doing something stupid like installing Windows over and over again from different sources for a YouTube video that's going to save you a ton of time that you would otherwise burn waiting for updates once we booted up Windows 11 FEI as expected it activated without issue bringing us to Method number two buying retail Windows from a retailer in this case Best Buy it was still $140 but at least we got free shipping and they had it in English it's worth a mention by the way that just like with Windows 10 you don't actually have to punch in your product key to get through the installation process that way you can quickly set everything up install all your drivers and then only punch in the product key once it's time to activate as before we had no issues authenticating with Microsoft servers and the only difference is that this box made an extra stop at a store before reaching our hands now I couldn't help but noticing guys I haven't really saved any money yet Ah that's more like it if if you've spent any time building computers you'll probably recognize this system builder or OEM envelope these are meant to be sold to system builders that are assembling new PCS for resale the advantage is that the system builder saves a few bucks on the license but it does come with some trade-offs for starters that integrator is now the one responsible for user support so if you have one of these you don't get to call Microsoft but hey I mean at least it comes with this sick coaster does Microsoft really think people are installing Windows from a DVD in current year we did oh that must have taken a while yep the other trade-off with this sort of license is that it is bound to the first computer it's installed on the retail license by contrast can be moved to an entirely different machine if you need to now a lot of shops will just sell these to anyone that asks sometimes with a rule that you have to buy a piece of Hardware with the license but it tends to be pretty poorly regulated which is probably why the discount isn't that deep on it anymore it cost us about $120 on Amazon which seems a lot higher than it used to be back when we got them from our Distributors at NC on the subject of things being a better deal I'm getting kind of tired of spending money here you probably are too so uh come on over here did you know that you can install and use Windows 11 indefinitely without spending a dime and you don't even need a special hat to do it that's right anyone with a licensed copy of Windows 10 on their PC can upgrade to Windows 11 for free provided that you meet Microsoft's Hardware requirements and in most cases you can even make it work if you don't we're going to link to an article in the video description also until recently you could even activate a fresh install of Windows 11 using a Windows 7 or a Windows 8 key and you can still do a fresh install using a Windows 10 key the only caveat is that they have to be the same addition speaking of keys why not keep yours on one of our wristlet keychains from LTT Store.com we've got four different colors and with a metal latch they last for a very long time so convenient but lonus you might say I don't have a Windows 10 system or a product key and I already bought one of those cool keychains well remember how we said you don't need a product key to install Windows these days well that's kind of all there is to it you can download everything you need to make a USB installer for Windows for free directly from Microsoft then when you're installing it just click I don't have a product key while you're installing we did a whole video about this a while back blowing several million mines in the process and all these years later Microsoft still hasn't closed the loophole leading me to the conclusion that they are well aware of it and have decided that the advantages of remaining the dominant PC software platform outweigh the cost of not collecting that sweet sweet licensing money at least from home users now there are some trade-offs of course for starters most of the personalization options are gray out so you'll have to use a clever workaround to change your desktop background and you can't use the settings app to modify colors themes the start menu taskbar lock screen fonts and so on you can't even turn on dark mode which is a bit of a bummer and you'll eventually get that activate Windows watermark in the corner that many of you are so quick to comment about but big deal you might say I can put up with that to save some cash unfortunately it has other downsides the biggest one being that you may miss out on some of the less critical Windows updates and that little Watermark that you were going to ignore may actually cause problems with graphics performance including interfering with g-sync and variable refresh rate gaming I sincerely doubt that's something that Microsoft has done intentionally but there are plenty of reports of these issues out in the wild so they are something you want to look out for now everything we've looked at so far sits in at worst a moral gray area but that's about to change so if your virgin ears can't handle it you best click away fetch me try corn hat if it's piracy you be after the tool you're looking for be called Microsoft activation scripts sorry let's drop the accent I was shocked when I found out how simple it is to Pirate Windows 11 you just paste a oneliner into Powershell insert standard disclaimer about never blindly trusting random commands you find on the internet confirm a couple of options and that's it activated Windows it's not official it's not terms of service compliant and depending on your jurisdiction it could be out right illegal but there is no obvious difference as far as we can tell between the legit Windows that we activated and this one in terms of features or performance and if you're worried about this script doing questionable things to your computer you can review all the code for it yourself right on GitHub which you may recall was acquired by Microsoft back in in 2018 meaning that they could have removed this tool at any time but not only have they not done that there's even anecdotal evidence to suggest that Microsoft support has used Mas to fix customer activation issues which what about window what about Windows I'm getting rid of the Hat I get it I get it you're upstanding citizens you don't want to Pirate anything you just want to pay a little less for the privilege of handing your personal information over to a giant Corporation all right how's 20 bucks sound what about 10 $1 as it turns out there are a ton of third-party websites selling Windows licenses at pretty much whatever price you are willing to pay we tried three of them the boybo store g2a.com and allkey shop.com boyb store seems to be selling licenses from a Microsoft partner in France while g2a and all key shop aggregate offers from multiple sellers that have far less clear Origins we were able to activate all of these keys without any issues but that doesn't mean that we're going to endorse any of them while the activation keys themselves may be legit the means of obtaining them often isn't and by supporting these kinds of Market places you may be supporting organized networks of credit card thieves and fraudsters frankly I'd be a lot more comfortable if youjust pirated Windows and it kind of seems like Microsoft feels the same way given that they have offered the down load and don't bother registering option for years now by the way while we're at it I would strongly recommend against using any Windows installer that you obtain anywhere other than Microsoft's website there are some cool ISO hacks out there in fact we featured them before that will do things like strip out extra bloat but it just feels like an unnecessary risk unless you 100% know what you're doing or you're just installing it to Tool around with like we did coming back on topic if none of the options we've given so far right for you Goldilocks I can give you a couple of more if you're a student or teacher you can talk to your it Department you may be able to get a license for cheap or even free depending on your school's agreement with Microsoft though that license might expire once you graduate and if you're buying for an organization rather than for yourself you may want to look into volume licensing and Key Management Systems to make your life a little bit easier finally if you're the kind of person who enjoys the bleeding edge you may want to check out the Windows Insider program some of the features they roll out are pretty cool and some of them never even make their way into the mainline builds so it can be the only way to see Microsoft's vision for the future of Windows and keep your fingers on the pulse of the development process the second final option C intro oneliner I got to it is to not install Windows try out Linux don't worry about which Dro you picked the first time no matter which way you go it's probably not going to be quite right and someone's going to be waiting to tell you all the ways you're wrong and how your choice reflects on you as a person um but give it a shot as for me I'm waiting for valve to release that new Steam OS before I dive down that rabbit hole again which should be anytime now well this is getting awkward uh while we wait why don't you check out our sponsor manscaped this holiday season make sure your ornaments are jingling and jangling freely with manscapes performance package 5.0 Ultra the lawnmower 5.0 Ultra is ver versatile enough to plow your driveway however you like thanks to interchangeable trimmer and foil blades three length setting Combs and an LED Guiding Light then you can make sure your chimneys are ready for old s Nick with their weed whacker 2.0 and its blades that are designed specifically for your ears and nose finally take care of your Christmas tree with their crop Soother aftershave lotion and their crop preserver anti-chafing deodorant plus keeping with the festive Spirit it even comes with a few free gifts so head over to manscaped.com LT 20 and use code lt20 to get 20% off and free shipping if you guys liked this video why not check out our look back at Windows 8 was it really as terrible as you remember your best click away fetch me TR corn damn it I put it on backwards"}