can I surrender a preinstalled vista OEM license & claim the cost

  • Thread starter Thread starter Puppy Breath
  • Start date Start date
I have a small business in the UK and money is an issue, all my PC's have
been purchased from new with OEM licenses and all my software has been
purchased from new for each individual machine, I do not have any kind of
volume license as my company is very small

I need to purchase a new machine to replace one, which I have for want of a
better phrase "worn out", finding replacements for the failing hardware is
proving to be impossible so the machine needs to be replaced.

however I cannot find a suitable machine which does not have vista pre
installed, this would not normally be a problem except that the applications
I use for my business will not run under vista

the applications may eventually run under vista but I need to purchase the
new machine fairly soon and cannot wait, nor is it economic for me to change
to a different application suite

consequently I cannot use a preinstalled OEM version of vista

now if I don't use the software I should be able to surrender it and claim
the cost of it back, as I could with every other version of windows

the money reclaimed would likely go towards a purchase of XP for the new
machine as XP will quite happily run my applications, so Microsoft would
still profit from the situation

I realise that the manufacturer would probably not support the new machine
should it develop a fault, and it would be up to me to install XP and source
drivers for the machine but I am prepared to take that risk

what is the correct procedure for surrendering an OEM vista license and
treating a newly purchased PC as a bare bones system
 
You could buy a barebones system and load whatever on to it, or you could
buy from a supplier like Dell, as they will tailor to the customer needs..

esme said:
I have a small business in the UK and money is an issue, all my PC's have
been purchased from new with OEM licenses and all my software has been
purchased from new for each individual machine, I do not have any kind of
volume license as my company is very small

I need to purchase a new machine to replace one, which I have for want of
a
better phrase "worn out", finding replacements for the failing hardware is
proving to be impossible so the machine needs to be replaced.

however I cannot find a suitable machine which does not have vista pre
installed, this would not normally be a problem except that the
applications
I use for my business will not run under vista

the applications may eventually run under vista but I need to purchase the
new machine fairly soon and cannot wait, nor is it economic for me to
change
to a different application suite

consequently I cannot use a preinstalled OEM version of vista

now if I don't use the software I should be able to surrender it and claim
the cost of it back, as I could with every other version of windows

the money reclaimed would likely go towards a purchase of XP for the new
machine as XP will quite happily run my applications, so Microsoft would
still profit from the situation

I realise that the manufacturer would probably not support the new machine
should it develop a fault, and it would be up to me to install XP and
source
drivers for the machine but I am prepared to take that risk

what is the correct procedure for surrendering an OEM vista license and
treating a newly purchased PC as a bare bones system
Click to expand...

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/
 
the machine I need is a laptop, finding a barebones laptop in the UK at least
is virtually impossible, I have looked at DELL's machines and I might be able
to get near the configuration I want, however there are machines from other
suppliers that would be a more exact match but they have Vista pre installed,
all I want is to purchase the machine that meets my needs and have XP on it

now if for example I wished to put some variant of linux on a new machine I
would be able to surrender the license and claim the cost back providing I
had not used the system

all I'm asking is what is the correct procedure for achieving this
regardless of supplier
 
esme said:
I have a small business in the UK and money is an issue, all my PC's have
been purchased from new with OEM licenses and all my software has been
purchased from new for each individual machine, I do not have any kind of
volume license as my company is very small

I need to purchase a new machine to replace one, which I have for want of a
better phrase "worn out", finding replacements for the failing hardware is
proving to be impossible so the machine needs to be replaced.

however I cannot find a suitable machine which does not have vista pre
installed, this would not normally be a problem except that the applications
I use for my business will not run under vista

the applications may eventually run under vista but I need to purchase the
new machine fairly soon and cannot wait, nor is it economic for me to change
to a different application suite

consequently I cannot use a preinstalled OEM version of vista

now if I don't use the software I should be able to surrender it and claim
the cost of it back, as I could with every other version of windows

the money reclaimed would likely go towards a purchase of XP for the new
machine as XP will quite happily run my applications, so Microsoft would
still profit from the situation

I realise that the manufacturer would probably not support the new machine
should it develop a fault, and it would be up to me to install XP and source
drivers for the machine but I am prepared to take that risk

what is the correct procedure for surrendering an OEM vista license and
treating a newly purchased PC as a bare bones system
Click to expand...

Find a small computer store that will build you a computer to suit and
avoid the Dells and HPs of the world like the plague.

Alias
 
thank you for your advice, however finding a small computer store that can
build me a laptop in the UK is impossible, I believe "white book" kits for
building laptops exist but no one in the UK currently supplies them otherwise
I'd be strongly tempted to do it myself
 
thank you for your suggestion however they are not located in the UK, and
they do not appear to provide barebones laptop kits
 
thank you all for your help however I believe I have found the answer to the
original question I asked regarding the correct procedure for surrendering a
windows licenseand obtaining a refund

I went to http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/default.aspx and
examined the EULA for each version of vista

all the EULA's have the following phrase on page 1 of the agreement

"By using the software, you accept these terms. If you do not accept them,
do not use the software. Instead, return it to the retailer for a refund or
credit. If you cannot obtain a refund there, contact Microsoft or the
Microsoft affiliate serving your country for information about Microsoft’s
refund policies. See www.microsoft.com/worldwide. In the United States and
Canada, call (800) MICROSOFT or see www.microsoft.com/info/nareturns.htm."

now the North American policy says OEM versions are not eligible for a
refund from Microsoft and you need to contact the suppliers of the equipment

so assuming that the UK version is similar then I need to contact the
supplier for a refund,

thank you all for your help I believe this issue can be closed now
 
OEM versions of Windows are sold and supported by the computer manufacturer.
Your only option with OEM software is to work with the supplier to do this.
 
esme said:
thank you for your suggestion however they are not located in the UK,
and they do not appear to provide barebones laptop kits
Click to expand...

Quite a lot of uk vendors do laptops without operating systems,
Novatech being the largest (probably)!
 
esme said:
thank you for your advice, however finding a small computer store that can
build me a laptop in the UK is impossible, I believe "white book" kits for
building laptops exist but no one in the UK currently supplies them otherwise
I'd be strongly tempted to do it myself
Click to expand...

Oh, sorry, I missed the laptop part. I guess you're stuck looking for
one that has XP on it then. It would seem to me that someone would have
one from before Vista. I know they're still selling them in Spain.

Alias
 
Thank you for that information

I'd just tracked that down myself as well, always the way you ask the
question and two seconds later you find the answer
 
esme said:
I have a small business in the UK and money is an issue, all my PC's have
been purchased from new with OEM licenses and all my software has been
purchased from new for each individual machine, I do not have any kind of
volume license as my company is very small

I need to purchase a new machine to replace one, which I have for want of
a
better phrase "worn out", finding replacements for the failing hardware is
proving to be impossible so the machine needs to be replaced.

however I cannot find a suitable machine which does not have vista pre
installed, this would not normally be a problem except that the
applications
I use for my business will not run under vista

the applications may eventually run under vista but I need to purchase the
new machine fairly soon and cannot wait, nor is it economic for me to
change
to a different application suite

consequently I cannot use a preinstalled OEM version of vista

now if I don't use the software I should be able to surrender it and claim
the cost of it back, as I could with every other version of windows

the money reclaimed would likely go towards a purchase of XP for the new
machine as XP will quite happily run my applications, so Microsoft would
still profit from the situation

I realise that the manufacturer would probably not support the new machine
should it develop a fault, and it would be up to me to install XP and
source
drivers for the machine but I am prepared to take that risk

what is the correct procedure for surrendering an OEM vista license and
treating a newly purchased PC as a bare bones system
Click to expand...


Paul-B is quite correct Novatech will supply a laptop without an OS:

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/home.html
 
I have a small business in the UK and money is an issue, all my PC's have
been purchased from new with OEM licenses and all my software has been
purchased from new for each individual machine, I do not have any kind of
volume license as my company is very small

I need to purchase a new machine to replace one, which I have for want of a
better phrase "worn out", finding replacements for the failing hardware is
proving to be impossible so the machine needs to be replaced.

however I cannot find a suitable machine which does not have vista pre
installed, this would not normally be a problem except that the applications
I use for my business will not run under vista

the applications may eventually run under vista but I need to purchase the
new machine fairly soon and cannot wait, nor is it economic for me to change
to a different application suite

consequently I cannot use a preinstalled OEM version of vista

now if I don't use the software I should be able to surrender it and claim
the cost of it back, as I could with every other version of windows

the money reclaimed would likely go towards a purchase of XP for the new
machine as XP will quite happily run my applications, so Microsoft would
still profit from the situation

I realise that the manufacturer would probably not support the new machine
should it develop a fault, and it would be up to me to install XP and source
drivers for the machine but I am prepared to take that risk

what is the correct procedure for surrendering an OEM vista license and
treating a newly purchased PC as a bare bones system
Click to expand...

I know that xp contained a provision in the EULA that if you did not
accept the terms of said EULA and returned all the materials, you were
supposed to get a refund from the manufacturer. I have no idea whether
vista contains the same provision, but I would be surprised if it was
removed. Perhaps MS has an online copy of the vista EULA?
 
You're welcome. This is going to be a problem with laptops as very few
manufacturers will change the factory configuration. I have warned all my
customers that I don't expect to be able to supply laptops with XP for very
much longer. It is still possible but there is the added expense of
purchasing a copy of XP along with the laptop, then the time to install XP.
 
esme said:
now if I don't use the software I should be able to surrender it and claim
the cost of it back, as I could with every other version of windows

the money reclaimed would likely go towards a purchase of XP for the new
machine as XP will quite happily run my applications, so Microsoft would
still profit from the situation

I realise that the manufacturer would probably not support the new machine
should it develop a fault, and it would be up to me to install XP and source
drivers for the machine but I am prepared to take that risk

what is the correct procedure for surrendering an OEM vista license and
treating a newly purchased PC as a bare bones system
Click to expand...


This has been done; google for it. Typically associated with going from
win -> linux...

But be warned; it will take far more time than you save. It's a 'proof
of concept' rather than a practical thing. If sitting on the phone for
8 or 16 hours, writing letters, and all that, is worth a $50 coupon, go
for it.

You won't get anywhere near what a new license will cost you; and the
OEMs are within their rights to offer to take the whole system back
rather than to give you money back for the license.

--Yan
 
esme said:
I have a small business in the UK and money is an issue, all my PC's have
been purchased from new with OEM licenses and all my software has been
purchased from new for each individual machine, I do not have any kind of
volume license as my company is very small

I need to purchase a new machine to replace one, which I have for want of a
better phrase "worn out", finding replacements for the failing hardware is
proving to be impossible so the machine needs to be replaced.

however I cannot find a suitable machine which does not have vista pre
installed, this would not normally be a problem except that the applications
I use for my business will not run under vista

the applications may eventually run under vista but I need to purchase the
new machine fairly soon and cannot wait, nor is it economic for me to change
to a different application suite

consequently I cannot use a preinstalled OEM version of vista

now if I don't use the software I should be able to surrender it and claim
the cost of it back, as I could with every other version of windows

the money reclaimed would likely go towards a purchase of XP for the new
machine as XP will quite happily run my applications, so Microsoft would
still profit from the situation

I realise that the manufacturer would probably not support the new machine
should it develop a fault, and it would be up to me to install XP and source
drivers for the machine but I am prepared to take that risk

what is the correct procedure for surrendering an OEM vista license and
treating a newly purchased PC as a bare bones system
Click to expand...

Who is your OEM? Local mom-n-pop shop, or one of the big name OEMs?
You do need to go back to your OEM provider for this. Other helpful
information:

There is a proposal for Dell to change their policy on this:
http://www.dellideastorm.com/people/tinyang/articles

OEM Windows return stories:
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/110706-dell-windows.html
http://www.netcraft.com.au/geoffrey/toshiba.html

Good luck!

--
Priceless quotes in m.p.w.vista.general group:
http://protectfreedom.tripod.com/kick.html

Most recent idiotic quote added to KICK (Klassic Idiotic Caption Kooks):
"So when I see it, I slam it! Even if it discredits myself, I have no
problem with that. As long as you all go down, that's all that maters."

"Good poets borrow; great poets steal."
- T. S. Eliot
 
I recently bought a computer from a company called pc specialists and you
can have them custom built, including not having any windows operating
system on it.
 
Kerry said:
You're welcome. This is going to be a problem with laptops as very few
manufacturers will change the factory configuration. I have warned all
my customers that I don't expect to be able to supply laptops with XP
for very much longer. It is still possible but there is the added
expense of purchasing a copy of XP along with the laptop, then the time
to install XP.
Click to expand...

He can always call and ask Dell and see if they can do it for him.
There is always the possibility. I just got my laptop replaced with a
brand new one (it is still being put together). My old one had XP on it
and the first thing I asked when speaking with the agent was "The new
one will come with Vista pre-loaded correct?". He said yes and I made a
special request to have XP loaded on it instead due to some applications
not working properly under Vista. This really comes down to the games I
play but still... He did place a request for me and based on the order
detail it looks like it may of happened but he made no guarantees for
me. They may still load vista on the laptop for all I know. If that
happens then I will look at it then swap the hard drives and send back
the old laptop with the new drive. He said I could do that if I wanted to.
 
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