About Microsoft Certified Partner:

A Microsoft Certified Partner is an independent company that provides Microsoft-related products or services.

Microsoft Certified Partners are independent companies who can help customers with a range of IT projects and specific IT solutions. Whilst not as accredited to provide support to the same level as a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Support Services, many Microsoft Certified Partners offer support as part of their portfolio of offerings.

Microsoft Certified Partners provide Microsoft services on behalf of Microsoft worldwide spanning many fields including OEM, Education, Software providers and Technical Support. Microsoft partners also have 24-hour access to Microsoft Support, which enables them to give better customer relations and support to a customer. Every Microsoft Certified Partner has been in business for at least 5 years, has passed several tests, and has proven skills in their particular field. Microsoft rewards these partners with discounts in tools that are applicable to their activities. For example, in the educational field this might take the form of licenses to Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office.

In return for participation in the program, partners gain support services and tools from Microsoft, often at a significant discount to their face value. However, over the lifetime of the contract some risk is transferred from Microsoft to the MCP in return for the benefits of the association with Microsoft and the ability to sell the support services.^[1]

About Genuine Windows

Genuine Windows is published by Microsoft, properly licensed, and supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner. Only genuine Windows customers have access to all optional updates and downloads available from Microsoft, which are designed to help you get the most from your PC.

How are activation and genuine Windows connected?

Activation pairs your product key with your hardware configuration and helps verify that your copy of Windows hasn't been used on more computers than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. Usually, you need to activate Windows only once, unless you make a significant hardware change.

Genuine Windows, however, is a recurring process that checks your product key to make sure it's not blocked or being used on hardware that's different than what you were using when you activated Windows.

The genuine, or validation, check is performed when your computer attempts to download optional updates from Microsoft. For example, when your computer downloads updates, Windows checks to see if your product key is valid. If it is, Windows on your computer is genuine, and you're eligible to receive the latest updates from Microsoft. If it's not, your computer is running non-genuine Windows.

How do I know if I'm running genuine Windows?

The best way to know is to make sure to buy Windows or a PC with Windows preinstalled either directly from Microsoft or from a local or online retail store that you know and trust.

For other ways to check if you're running genuine Windows, visit the What to look for page on the Microsoft How to Tell website.

Special-purpose editions

N and KN editions

The features in the N and KN Editions are the same as their equivalent full versions, but do not include Windows Media Player or other Windows Media-related technologies, such as Windows Media Center and Windows DVD Maker.^[16] The cost of the N and KN Editions are the same as the full versions, as the Media Feature Pack for Windows 7 N or Windows 7 KN can be downloaded without charge from Microsoft.^[17]

VL builds

VL builds work with VLKs (volume license keys). Volume license keys can be used to activate multiple installations of the software without any mechanism (such as a product activation mechanism) checking the total number of installations. The license for the software will place restrictions on the use of the key. Typically, the license will limit the key to a fixed number of installations which must only be within the licensee's organization and also place the licensee under an obligation to keep a record of the number of installations, keep the key confidential and possibly even require that the licensee organization makes itself available for a software licensing audit to verify that its use of the key is within the terms of the license.