Hey everyone! I recently upgraded from unactivated Windows 10 to unactivated Windows 11. I purchased a discounted product key for Windows 11 Pro from Groupon, but after I bought it, they directed me to a sketchy third-party site where I received a product key via email. The key didn't work because I needed a different one to upgrade from Home to Pro first. They provided that key, which I used in Windows' 'change key' interface to upgrade. Now, while everything seems fine, I'm feeling paranoid about whether anything potentially malicious could have been installed during this process. I didn't download anything from the third-party site, just entered their key. I've heard about KMS keys, and I'm worried that if I used one, it might have connected my computer to their network and pose a security risk. Is there any chance that using a generic key or a KMS key could have silently installed something harmful? Any advice would really help! Thanks!
3 Answers
The key you used to upgrade is probably a generic one available from Microsoft, so it’s not likely to be malicious by itself. That said, it’s always a good practice to run a virus scan just to be sure your system is safe. Better to be cautious!
If you didn't download anything and just entered the key, the upgrade shouldn’t install anything harmful. However, keep an eye on your system and run some security checks to be on the safe side!
You seem to be thinking about it the right way! While the upgrade key might not be harmful, a KMS key could theoretically link back to someone else's network. Keeping your antivirus updated is a smart move.
But the key they provided for the upgrade doesn't seem to be publicly listed anywhere I can find. That’s what makes me nervous.