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Igor_Kavinski
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Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:33 am

I just had a very weird thing happen to me yesterday. In my four years of using Paypal for online shopping, I've never been charged automatically unless I agreed to the recurring payments option. I paid for my windows 8 upgrade through Paypal. Windows 8 seemed a bit wonky like applications not opening from the start menu when I choose "Run as Administrator" etc. So I figure why not re-install it as a clean copy? I boot the Windows 8 and re-install the thing. Upon first log on, it asks me if I want to activate it. I say go ahead and immediately I receive an SMS from my bank that I just got charged for $15 with the charge appearing as Paypal*Windows8* on my debit card. This has never happened to me before! How can they charge me without any authorization from my side? I always thought Paypal never debited your account unless you input your password. Anyone here experienced this?
 
vandy
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 2:15 am

Its stuff like this that I am very cautious about my paypal account. I've had mysterious charges to my credit card made by paypal in the past. I couldn't figure it out what it was and at the time I did not touch my paypal account for awhile. I didn't want to bother with Paypal custumer service and just notified my CC company (Amex) and had them take care of it. It was resolved quickly and I got my money back. You have to remember that Paypal is not a bank and they don't care ****.
Nowadays, I have a separate dedicated bank account linked to my paypal account for ebay transactions. You can never be too safe!
 
Welch
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:24 am

The whole setup with Windows 8 activations and requiring a live connection is pure stupidity. Its like Microsoft isn't paying attention to the gaming community/companies. We know a certain company that required an always on connection that came back to bite them in the ass once or twice :lol:. I'm sure someone has already come out with a way, or will shortly on how to force an activation or installation of Windows 8 without an internet connection. As a tech, the greatest thing about Windows 7 compared to XP was you could install the damn thing without a CD key in the moment, it would simply start a 30 day trail. Which allowed me to skip the CD Key portion until I knew everything was going to work on the hardware it was being installed on. If not, uninstall and move on, no wasted activation to put the CD Key on the list for "You must call to activate" BS.

I'm curious, why did you even bother with Windows 8? Even better yet, why the heck did you bother with a Windows 8 UPGRADE? Does the upgrade copy finally let you install from scratch with no previous windows 7 install, but simply requiring you to put in the previous version of window's CD Key? If not then upgrade is truely the useless pile of junk its always been, albeit the small price difference. Not worth the headache and problems an upgraded Windows can cause IMO.
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Igor_Kavinski
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 7:25 am

I went with the upgrade because I qualified for it. Having used Windows 8 release preview for a while, I had grown to like the Windows 8 way of doing things. I might have to consider getting a seperate debit card just for Paypal :x
 
drfish
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 9:13 am

Welch wrote:
Does the upgrade copy finally let you install from scratch with no previous windows 7 install, but simply requiring you to put in the previous version of window's CD Key?


Not quite - but you can do it with the Win8 key regardless of if you use upgrade or OEM media you don't need any proof of the previous version once you have the upgrade key.

This is the first time I've heard anything about a $15 activation charge though, that's crazy, it better just be a fluke... :o
 
vandy
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 10:03 am

Just double checked my invoice for my Win8 upgrade, the charge is handled by Arvato Digital Services, not Microsoft. Regardless of who the merchant is, it would not make sense that your Windows activation key be tied to your payment account. Yes, you bought Windows 8, they charge you and then give you the key but not "charge you upon activation". I would bet either Paypal or whoever is handling the merchant services for Microsoft accidentally charged you TWICE where the second charge coincided with the timing of your second activation.

@Welch, Windows 8 upgrade works pretty much the same as it was for Windows 7 upgrade. You can do a full clean install without prior versions installed or prior keys. To activate an upgrade (just like Windows 7), you need to change a reg key (bootmedia install = 0) and then cmd slmgr /rearm, activate, done. :) And yes you can install Windows 8 without an internet connection. You just need to activate online. What are you rambling about? OP was asking about being charged twice for his purchase, not your emotional opinions on Windows 8. That discussion belongs somewhere else.
 
onlysublime
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 2:12 pm

Welch wrote:
blah blah blah


If you can't provide any useful information and just want a soapbox to preach your dislike of Windows 8, then you're nothing but a troll. There are plenty of anti-Windows 8 threads for you to vent. nothing against people not liking windows 8. it's your right and your prerogative. but it gets annoying how every windows 8 thread gets filled with posts that have nothing to do with the thread so anyone looking for information have to wade through a bunch of junk to get to the information. unless someone asked you about why you don't like windows 8 or unless it's a thread about the merits of windows 8, you shouldn't be preaching.

and you shouldn't be telling people what they should or shouldn't be liking or what they should or shouldn't be doing. "I'm curious, why did you even bother with Windows 8? Even better yet, why the heck did you bother with a Windows 8 UPGRADE?". that smacks of elitist snobbery.
 
MadManOriginal
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 5:21 pm

This might seem obvious, but have you logged into Paypal to see how many charges there are? It would be strange to be charged upon activation rather than key purchase, but maybe you've only been charged once?
 
just brew it!
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:00 pm

This sounds more like a phishing scam (or someone hacked your Paypal account) than a Windows activation issue. I agree the timing seems suspicious though.
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derFunkenstein
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 9:16 pm

Igor_Kavinski wrote:
I went with the upgrade because I qualified for it. Having used Windows 8 release preview for a while, I had grown to like the Windows 8 way of doing things. I might have to consider getting a seperate debit card just for Paypal :x

I do that anyway. It costs me $3 to load money to it each time, but just having it separate from my "real" banking helps me sleep better at night.
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vandy
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Sun Nov 04, 2012 10:00 pm

derFunkenstein wrote:
Igor_Kavinski wrote:
I went with the upgrade because I qualified for it. Having used Windows 8 release preview for a while, I had grown to like the Windows 8 way of doing things. I might have to consider getting a seperate debit card just for Paypal :x

I do that anyway. It costs me $3 to load money to it each time, but just having it separate from my "real" banking helps me sleep better at night.


I have a system in place that works out great for me and has protected me a few times already. Get an ING account (its free) (savings + checking) and use that for PAYPAL transactions ONLY. The best part of it, you can link that with your Paypal account and be able to withdraw money from PP to your checking and get real cash out. Since ING is a real bank and insured, they actually care about their/your money and will at least help you resolve issues. Horror stories about PP abound so it is best to be safe. It will require some work setting up a system and procedures THAT WORK FOR YOU at first but in the end, the hassle is well worth it.

However, I always tell people to NOT use their debit cards, it is much safer to use a credit card instead. Get one that gives you cash back and you end up getting money back that adds up to your upgrade fund every year. ;) Never get a card that wants you to pay a annual fee!
 
Igor_Kavinski
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:07 am

DANG. I'm getting old. Had I checked the transaction details, it shows clearly that I was charged on 3rd November for the license I bought on 28th October. I got four licenses and total debit SMS received from bank also equal four. I got paranoid coz the timing of the activation coincided with the debit SMS I received from the bank. I had assumed that I had received the SMS for that transaction already. Just closed my claim with Paypal. Sorry guys :oops:
 
MadManOriginal
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Mon Nov 05, 2012 9:03 am

Good to hear.

*pats self on back*
 
BIF
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Tue Nov 06, 2012 4:38 pm

Thank you for getting back to us. People don't often close the loop, and that leaves everybody else hanging. I appreciate the OP's followup.
 
Welch
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:08 pm

@ OP
Glad to know, had me a bit worried that MS had some new pay for content plans like game companies and DLC or in-game items :P. "Want to activate Windows 8 again, please insert an additional $15". Damn glad that's not the case :). I apologize if my question earlier came off as elitist or snobby.

@onlysublime & vandy
I never intended to jump in on any damn soap box, reading my message again I can see where that could be how it was read, not the case. I legitimately asked the OP an honest question as I'm starting to see people purchase the upgrade and I'm curious why they did it. Sure this wasn't the prime location to ask that question, but it was the first post that I noticed regarding something upgrading specifically and made at 2:30am (not totally sane at that hour). Onlysublime, there is no need to be a smart ass with quotes, it sounds just like the elitist snobbery you accused me of. I do tend to go off topic at times and a simple "Don't you think that's a bit off topic" would suffice. Again, you guys are correct, wrong place, just think about how to say that next time please.
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Igor_Kavinski
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:35 pm

Paypal charged me two additional times on November 6, 2012. Another dispute case opened! ARRRGGHHHHH!!!!! This time it's really not my fault :(
 
Igor_Kavinski
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:34 am

Paypal's dispute specialist determined that nothing was out of order. So my dispute claim was rejected. I'm out 30 bucks. Anyone here wanna try doing a clean install of their Windows 8 upgrade and see if activating it results in something fishy? Or maybe I was just unlucky.
 
Ryu Connor
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Re: Windows 8 Activation charges

Thu Nov 08, 2012 8:57 am

Microsoft is not charging you to activate - full stop.

The first step to figuring this out is to stop looking in the wrong place.

This thread is not Microsoft or Windows related and was not either of those things even with the very first posting.

Please contact all relevant parties to resolve this mystery: Paypal, bank, and/or credit card provider.

If Paypal won't provide answers perhaps your banks fraud department will.
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