Another (awkward) licensing question

[Guest]

OEM licenses are only supposed to be sold with hardware - which is not a
problem for me. However, if I already possess OEM licenses, is there anything
to stop me from using them on existing computers? If I apply them to
exisiting computers which aren't brand new, are they valid?

I don't see this being likely to cause any activation problem, but I just
wondered if it might cause a problem if a customer were to be audited.

I'm thinking particularly of a site where most of the computers were
supplied by me, but a few older models are still running earlier Windows
versions. I want to bring them into line with the rest, but it would not be
sensible to have some computers running XP OEM and some XP retail.

Sometimes I think this licensing business makes C# look simple.

 

[Ron Martell]

OEM licenses are only supposed to be sold with hardware - which is not a
problem for me. However, if I already possess OEM licenses, is there anything
to stop me from using them on existing computers? If I apply them to
exisiting computers which aren't brand new, are they valid?

I don't see this being likely to cause any activation problem, but I just
wondered if it might cause a problem if a customer were to be audited.

I'm thinking particularly of a site where most of the computers were
supplied by me, but a few older models are still running earlier Windows
versions. I want to bring them into line with the rest, but it would not be
sensible to have some computers running XP OEM and some XP retail.

Sometimes I think this licensing business makes C# look simple.

If you have a new (e.g. never before installed on any computer) OEM
license that was acquired legitimately then that can be installed onto
an already existing computer.

However an OEM version will not install as an upgrade so it will have
to be a clean install. You can use the FASTW from the Windows XP CD
to save the user's data files and configuration settings to a network
drive or removable backup device.

Good luck

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

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Guest]

That's fine thanks. Wouldn't be upgrading anyway.