OEM Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stan
  • Start date Start date
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Stan

I have a computer with an OEM copy of Windows XP. If the
computer is destoried, can the OEM copy be used to build a
new computer?
 
No. An OEM license is forever tied to the first computer
configuration it was installed and activated on. Only a
"retail version" of Windows XP can be moved to a different
computer. That is one reason an OEM version is cheaper....
lack of flexibility.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I have a computer with an OEM copy of Windows XP. If the
| computer is destoried, can the OEM copy be used to build a
| new computer?
 
I understand what you are saying. Just another question.
If the computer is upgraded (ie, hard drive), can the
software still be used?
 
Yes, you can perform upgrades but not a motherboard upgrade.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

------------------------------------------------------------------


|I understand what you are saying. Just another question.
| If the computer is upgraded (ie, hard drive), can the
| software still be used?
 
Would you care to backup your misinformation with facts.

Read the OEM EULA.
It is different from the Retail EULA which has greater flexibility.
One of the many reasons you pay less for your OEM.
 
Yes, repairs are supported.


| I understand what you are saying. Just another question.
| If the computer is upgraded (ie, hard drive), can the
| software still be used?
| >-----Original Message-----
| >No. An OEM license is forever tied to the first computer
| >configuration it was installed and activated on. Only a
| >"retail version" of Windows XP can be moved to a
different
| >computer. That is one reason an OEM version is
| cheaper....
| >lack of flexibility.
| >
| >--
| >Carey Frisch
| >Microsoft MVP
| >Windows XP - Shell/User
| >
| >Be Smart! Protect your PC!
| >http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
| >
|
----------------------------------------------------------
Click to expand...
| ---------------
| >
| > | >
| >|I have a computer with an OEM copy of Windows XP. If
| the
| >| computer is destoried, can the OEM copy be used to
| build a
| >| new computer?
| >.
| >
 
Carey Frisch said:
Yes, you can perform upgrades but not a motherboard upgrade.
Click to expand...

Who says?

A motherboard upgrade of an OEM edition of WinXP at most requires a repair
install and possibly a reactivation.
 
Greetings --

No. OEM versions must be sold with a piece of hardware (normally
a motherboard or hard drive, if not an entire PC, although Microsoft
has greatly relaxed the hardware criteria for WinXP) and are
_permanently_ bound to the first PC on which they are installed. An
OEM license, once installed, is not legally transferable to another
computer under any circumstances. This is the main reason some people
avoid OEM versions; if the PC dies or is otherwise disposed of (even
stolen), you cannot re-use your OEM license on a new PC.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:




You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
Greetings --

Yes, you can perform repairs and/or upgrades to the PC and
continue to use the OEM license.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:




You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
Greetings --

No, Carey's perfectly correct. Please don't mistake your lack of
vocabulary for someone else's lack of knowledge.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:




You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
Being succinct and correct has nothing to do with a lack of
vocabulary.
By the way when did MVP give one the permission to practice
contract law.
 
Opinicus said:
Who says?

A motherboard upgrade of an OEM edition of WinXP at most requires a repair
install and possibly a reactivation.
Click to expand...

Technically, that's true for the generic oem versions, but one from a big
oem may be tied to the bios, so it won't even run if the mobo is changed.

As far as MS is concerned, there's some discussion as to what constitutes a
new computer, and what I've been hearing is that if a mobo is replaced under
warranty, that's fine, but if it's an upgrade and not under warranty that
nixes the deal. Practically, if it's over 120 days it should activate over
the Internet anyway.

If you've built your own computer, you are the oem, so it would be
interesting for them to say that any upgrade isn't under "your"
warranty...but in one instance a person bought & installed and activated XP.
A few days later it was discovered that mobo model was incompatible with
other things the person had to have, so a new mobo was installed. Activation
was denied. If XP hadn't been activated immediately, there wouldn't have
been a problem, since it all happened within the 30 days and the activation
would have used the second mobo's specs.

I didn't follow the story to its conclusion, but I would bet that the person
simply called back for activation and said, "I repaired it" and didn't give
gory details.
 
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