How to find that windows XP cd given by PC seller is OEM

[Suresh Lohar]

I bought a PC in 2003, than PC dealer gave me a Widnows Xp CD with Microsoft
printed product Key,
but now I am confuse, whether that CD is retail or a OEM, how could I find
this.

Thanks

Your suggenstion please.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

From Start>Run type

winver

What do you see?

--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I bought a PC in 2003, than PC dealer gave me a Widnows Xp CD with
Microsoft printed product Key,
but now I am confuse, whether that CD is retail or a OEM, how could
I find this.

Explore the CD..
Look at the \i386\setupp.ini file (open it with a text editor.)
What is the PID.. Does it contain "OEM"?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I bought a PC in 2003, than PC dealer gave me a Widnows Xp CD with Microsoft
printed product Key,
but now I am confuse, whether that CD is retail or a OEM, how could I find
this.

Thanks

Simply look at the CD. An OEM CD will be clearly labeled with "For
distribution with a new PC only. For product support, contact the
manufacturer of your PC." Many OEM CDs will also display the brand name
of the computer with which they were purchased.


--

Bruce Chambers

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for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry

 

[Suresh Lohar]

HI,

I used run command and type winver, I found only registered to my name,

but when I checked setupp.ini file it show few numberand OEM.

So I am still confuse. any other help please.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I used run command and type winver, I found only registered to my
name,
but when I checked setupp.ini file it show few numberand OEM.

So I am still confuse. any other help please.

What are you confused about...
If the PID had the letters "OEM" at the end in the setupp.ini file on the CD
itself - it's an OEM CD.
Done.

 

[Suresh Lohar]

Thanks for your help sir.

Now one more querry I have, I post this mail to know only because I was
interested

to change my motherboard and CPU. what should I do now.

My old cpu I purchased in 2003:

82845 Intel GL motherboard

1.8 Ghz Inter Processor

Shall be happpy to hear from you

Thanks

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Thanks for your help sir.

Now one more querry I have, I post this mail to know only because I
was interested

to change my motherboard and CPU. what should I do now.

My old cpu I purchased in 2003:

82845 Intel GL motherboard

1.8 Ghz Inter Processor

Shall be happpy to hear from you

If you literally mean what you are stating, then you should check if you can
find a motherboard that fits your current case (power adapters and risers
that hold the motherboard off the metal of the case itself..) If not -
you'll need a new case and/or motherboard. You also need to find out if the
memory of the new motherboard you choose is the same as the memory your
current motherboard uses.. If so - you won't need new RAM, if not - you
will. Don't forget your cards - like Video, sound, etc.. You need to make
sure that you can fit all of the cards you have into your new motherboard as
well - or have an acceptable substitute. There is also the matter of SATA
and IDE that a lot of people do not think of.. If you have IDE now (likely
do) - and you don't get a motherboard that has IDE on it - you would need a
controller card or new drives - the latter of which really means you have
ended up replacing the whole machine by now. Then you can pick the highst
processor that new motherboard takes and purchase everything you need.
Install it and then put in your Windows XP CD, boot with it and perform a
repair installation.

In your situation, however - you would be better just getting a whole new
computer. OS included. Sell your old computer after performing a clean
install using the OEM CD and get a little money back.

Look at dealsites (below) to get some really good deals going on right now..
Techbargains is good to look at for *just* tech deals.. And Pricewatch so
you can shop around.

--
For Pricing/Opinions/Reviews on various products:
- http://www.dealsites.net/
- http://www.techbargains.com/
- http://www.pricewatch.com/
- http://www.resellerratings.com/
- http://www.epinions.com/
- http://www.couponfinders.com/

 

[Suresh Lohar]

Thanks for encouraging answer but still I forgot to mention some more
point...

My meaning of querry was that I have both windows XP and Office 2003 CD and
they are OEM, can I reinstall them after chanding motherboard and CPU, its
said
as per OEMEULA that afterchaning the m board, very difficult to activate OS
like XP

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Thanks for encouraging answer but still I forgot to mention some
more point...

My meaning of querry was that I have both windows XP and Office
2003 CD and they are OEM, can I reinstall them after chanding
motherboard and CPU, its said
as per OEMEULA that afterchaning the m board, very difficult to
activate OS like XP

The OEM thing and the EULA (when changing out components) are very strange
creatures and open to interpretation.

What part makes your computer the same computer as when you bought it
originally? Did you happen to purchase your OEM Windows XP with the CD
Audio Cable (I know some who have)? Did it come with the computer?

If you are merely replacing some components of the system - whose to say
what you think is your original computer and what isn't. To me,
personally - the motherboard/CPU/hard drive are the *meat* of the system.
Everything else is a peripheral.

From a technical standpoint - a pure *can it be done* POV.. Yes. You can
actually - if you ignore the EULA - transfer that copy to many machines. It
is entirely possible to even install and activate the same copy of Windows
XP on many machines at once - over the Internet - without any technical
problems and without any skilled hacking/cracking skills involved anywhere.

From a "you agreed to do this by agreeing to the EULA - which you do
everytime you install/use Windows XP" standpoint - that's where it gets just
as sticky as interpretation of many overly long and non-direct documents
over the centuries.