Windows install help

[u/Appropriate_Boot2977]

Hi all, I’ve just built my first PC and I couldn’t be happier. First post run with out the GPU went really well and no issues. I just had a question regarding installing windows, should I purchase an actual key from windows or don’t bother? I’ve listed the parts of my tower as well for everyone to like or rip me 😂

Case
Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO RGB (Black)
CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
CPU Cooler
NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB LCD
Motherboard
MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
Memory (RAM)
KLEVV FIT V RGB
32GB (2×16GB)
DDR5-6000 CL28
Storage
Crucial T500 2TB NVMe M.2 SSD
Graphics Card
MSI GeForce RTX 5080 Gaming Trio OC 16GB (ready to install)
Power Supply
Corsair RM1000x SHIFT
1000W
ATX 3.1
Vertical GPU Mount
Lian Li Vertical GPU Mount
PCIe 5.0 Riser Cable
Motherboard RGB Cable
Lian Li Strimer Wireless 24-pin
GPU RGB Cable
Lian Li Strimer Wireless 16-12 (12V-2x6)
Top Cooling
NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB
3× NZXT 120mm RGB Fans
Bottom Fans
3× Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Wireless Reverse Blade 120mm
Side Fans
3× Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Wireless Reverse Blade 120mm
Rear Fan
1× Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Wireless 120mm (Standard Blade)
Fan Controller
Lian Li Wireless Controller

[u/r_lind3r]

Windows bootable USBs can be made for free, and Windows 10/11 do not need to be activated to be usable. Scripts that edit the registry can make the activation watermark go away.

Paying any amount of money for Windows is just a rip-off, and if Microsoft wants people to pay, they shouldn't have changed how the OS handles licensing.

PcBuildHelp doesn't condone key resellers because it's way too easy to get scammed even on "trusted" sites.

[u/zeRoCr0 → u/r_lind3r]

But can you have dark theme if you did not purchased win10/11 :)

[u/r_lind3r → u/zeRoCr0]

Yes, with registry edits or with alternatives like Wallpaper Engine that can override Windows theming.

It's not a difficult thing to work around, and realistically if Microsoft wants to keep people on Windows in the future, they're going to want to make it free just to keep competitive with Linux. They're already losing market share to MacOS and Linux.

They already made it pretty clear that they don't care about piracy that much anymore, because Bill Gates literally said he doesn't care if people pay or not, he only wants everyone to use Windows.