What to look for online and on the high street

Windows 7 downloads

There are only two places you can legally download Microsoft software in the UK. One is Microsoft Store where you can buy directly from us. The other is the Ultimate Steal site - the software there is only available to students and staff at educational institutions.

Disks with lots of different programs

If you see lots of different Microsoft products being sold on all one disk, then you need to tread very carefully. We usually only offer one software product on each disk, so a "compilation" disk is likely to be fake.

Programs on filesharing sites

Many peer to peer (P2P) and BitTorrent sites offer Microsoft software for download. Sharing Microsoft program files in this way on these sites is always illegal. It may seem like a good way to get something for nothing, but you may end up with unwanted "nasties" such as viruses and malware - leaving your PC and your personal information vulnerable to attack. Did you know that a recent IDC white paper found that, "59% of key generators and crack tools downloaded from peer-to-peer networks contained either malicious or potentially unwanted software."

There are only two places you can legally download Microsoft software in the UK. One is Microsoft Store where you can buy software directly from us. The other is the Ultimate Steal site - the software there is only available to students and staff at educational institutions.

Recovery disks

You get a recovery disk when you buy pre-installed Microsoft software on a PC or laptop. It allows you to fix any problem you might have with your software over the life of the machine. If someone sells a recovery disk on its own, it's not a legally licensed copy of the software. So if you buy a recovery disk you won't be getting what you thought you paid for, particularly as - because your software is illegal - you don't get support, warranties or certain updates.

OEM/system builder software

This is Microsoft software designed to be pre-installed on laptops or PCs, but you can often see it for sale online on its own, usually in a pack. It may look like a great deal, but it's only meant to be used by computer shops or other IT businesses building machines for their customers. (Ie someone building systems, as the name suggests.) If you buy OEM system builder software, once you open the pack you are responsible for ongoing technical support; so if you have any problems with your software you're on your own.

The theory here is that if you are using packs of these licences you must be a PC builder supporting customers. If you're an end user, you should buy a PC with this kind of software already installed by a computer shop - that way you can go back to them if anything goes wrong.

Whenever you see "OEM" or "system builder" software advertised it should carry a disclaimer saying it isn't suitable for end users, and that you have to provide your own technical support if you install it. If there's no disclaimer, then the seller is misleading you into thinking you'll have some kind of support when actually you won't. So the bottom line is, if you want technical support, don't be conned into buying OEM/system builder software.

Academic products

We make versions of our software that are just for schools, colleges and universities. They're not meant to be used by businesses, and only home users that meet certain criteria can use academic versions of software. Some traders will try and gloss over the fact that they're selling academic versions of software, but if you don't meet the criteria then you're using the software illegally - and won't be getting what you thought you paid for.

Find out more about using academic software at home.