I have a customer who is going to be purchasing about 10 computers a week,
and shipping them to their customers all across the US. The hardware is all
going to be the same for the near term. I know I can do a PXE boot, and run
the imaging like that, but I keep running into the licensing thing. I can't
really have hundreds of computers with the same SW key, can I? I want this
to be legal, and need some advice here.

Thanks for your help.

"LoneWolf" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a customer who is going to be purchasing about 10 computers a week,
>and shipping them to their customers all across the US. The hardware is all
>going to be the same for the near term. I know I can do a PXE boot, and run
>the imaging like that, but I keep running into the licensing thing. I can't
>really have hundreds of computers with the same SW key, can I? I want this
>to be legal, and need some advice here.
>
>Thanks for your help.


You need to contact Microsoft directly about this.

If you are going to be providing that volume of computers then it may
be worthwhile to get yourself set up as an OEM and to use the SLP (=
BIOS locked) version of Windows XP.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

LoneWolf wrote:
> I have a customer who is going to be purchasing about 10 computers
> a week, and shipping them to their customers all across the US.
> The hardware is all going to be the same for the near term. I know
> I can do a PXE boot, and run the imaging like that, but I keep
> running into the licensing thing. I can't really have hundreds of
> computers with the same SW key, can I? I want this to be legal,
> and need some advice here.
>
> Thanks for your help.

Look into :

http://unattended.sourceforge.net/

Particularly their way of entering different keys.. It would also be a good
idea - being the OEM and likely using the OEM version of the software - for
you to keep a list of Computer Serial Numbers in correspondence to the CD
Key you use to install on that PC - in case something happens.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Who at Microsoft would I contact?

"Ron Martell" wrote:

> "LoneWolf" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >I have a customer who is going to be purchasing about 10 computers a week,
> >and shipping them to their customers all across the US. The hardware is all
> >going to be the same for the near term. I know I can do a PXE boot, and run
> >the imaging like that, but I keep running into the licensing thing. I can't
> >really have hundreds of computers with the same SW key, can I? I want this
> >to be legal, and need some advice here.
> >
> >Thanks for your help.
>
>
> You need to contact Microsoft directly about this.
>
> If you are going to be providing that volume of computers then it may
> be worthwhile to get yourself set up as an OEM and to use the SLP (=
> BIOS locked) version of Windows XP.
>
> Good luck
>
> Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
> --
> Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
> On-Line Help Computer Service
> http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
>

"LoneWolf" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Who at Microsoft would I contact?
>

Start with this web page.

Also, and depending on where you live, there may be a local Microsoft
office in your area which you could contact.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca