Yes, that is correct. OEM versions of Windows XP cannot be
transferred to a different computer.
--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
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| Just to be clear on this: I bought a Dell laptop that recently was destroyed in a spectacular motorcycle
accident. My Windows XP Pro license evaporated when that computer ceased to be a computer and became instead a
piece of road debris. Is that right?
|
| "Bruce Chambers" wrote:
|
| > Greetings --
| >
| > There are some very important reasons that an OEM license costs so
| > much less than a retail license. OEM licenses are very limited:
| >
| > 1) 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. The only
| > legitimate way to transfer the ownership of an installed OEM license
| > is to transfer ownership of the entire PC.
| >
| > 2) Microsoft provides no free support for OEM versions. If you
| > have any problems that require outside assistance, your only recourse
| > is to contact the manufacturer/builder of the PC or the vendor of the
| > OEM license. This would include such issues as lost a Product Key or
| > replacing damaged installation media. (Microsoft does make allowances
| > for those instances when you can prove that the OEM has gone out of
| > business.) This doesn't mean that you can't download patches and
| > service packs from Microsoft -- just no free telephone or email
| > support for problems with the OS.
| >
| > 3) An OEM CD cannot be used to perform an upgrade of an earlier
| > OS, as it was designed to be installed _only_ upon an empty hard
| > drive. It can still be used to perform a repair installation (a.k.a.
| > an in-place upgrade) of an existing WinXP installation.
| >
| > 4) If the OEM CD was designed by a specific manufacturer, such as
| > eMachines, Sony, Dell, Gateway, etc., it will most likely only install
| > on the same brand/model of PC, as an additional anti-piracy feature.
| > Further, such CDs are often severely customized to contain only the
| > minimum of device drivers, and a lot of extra nonsense, that the
| > manufacturer feels necessary for the specific model of PC for which
| > the CD was designed. (To be honest, such CDs should _not_ be
| > available on the open market; but, if you're shopping someplace like
| > eBay, eastern European web sites, swap meets, or computer fairs,
| > there's often no telling what you're buying until it's too late.) The
| > "generic" OEM CDs, such as are manufactured by Microsoft and sold to
| > small systems builders, don't have this particular problem, though,
| > and are pretty much the same as their retail counterparts, apart from
| > the licensing, support, and upgrading restrictions.
| >
| >
| > 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
| >
| > | > >I have Windows ME installed, in an upgrade from W95.
| > > I would like to make a clean start with XP on a new HDD. I
| > > understand
| > > that if I buy a HDD I am eligible to purchase an OEM copy of Windows
| > > XP
| > > with it.
| > > Apart from the label and possible absence of documentation, are
| > > there
| > > any differences between the OEM and full retail version? I was
| > > concerned
| > > by the recent string on XP Recovery CDs, and wouldn't want to get
| > > into
| > > that box.
| > > Can anyone help please?
| > >
| > > Vince
| > >
| > >
| > >
| >
| >
| >
