OEM system builder license

[BMC858]

Hello,
I don't mean to ask a stupid question. I just want to do the right thing.
I built my home system a few years back. I bought Windows XP Pro (OEM system
builders) and installed it.
The MB just is dead.
I was given a Dell laptop with an OEM license of W2K Pro. The HD had been
wiped.
Can I install my WinXP on this laptop?
If not, am I eligible to buy for Windows XP Pro (OEM system builders)
version for it. I will need to also replace the HD, RAM on it.
Please don't tell me I have to buy a $299.00 retail version.
Btw, I have called Dell, asking for the original OEM disk and they said that
they would not be able to send me the disks cause Microsoft does not make
available W2K Pro anymore.
Thank you for your help.

 

[Alias]

Hello,
I don't mean to ask a stupid question. I just want to do the right thing.
I built my home system a few years back. I bought Windows XP Pro (OEM system
builders) and installed it.
The MB just is dead.
I was given a Dell laptop with an OEM license of W2K Pro. The HD had been
wiped.
Can I install my WinXP on this laptop?
If not, am I eligible to buy for Windows XP Pro (OEM system builders)
version for it. I will need to also replace the HD, RAM on it.
Please don't tell me I have to buy a $299.00 retail version.
Btw, I have called Dell, asking for the original OEM disk and they said that
they would not be able to send me the disks cause Microsoft does not make
available W2K Pro anymore.
Thank you for your help.

You're not supposed to install your OEM XP Pro on another computer but
if it's been over 120 days since your last activation/hardware change,
it will activate on line without any problems. This is a breech of the
EULA so it's your call whether you want to do it or not.

Alias

 

[John]

I don't mean to ask a stupid question. I just want to do the right thing.

Then you should contact Microsoft licensing department or their authorized
sellers.

I built my home system a few years back. I bought Windows XP Pro (OEM
system
builders) and installed it.
The MB just is dead.
I was given a Dell laptop with an OEM license of W2K Pro. The HD had been
wiped.
Can I install my WinXP on this laptop?

Yes but you must purchase XP license. If you're asking if you could use the
existing OEM license on this machine, the answer is NO. OEM license lives
and dies with your machine. If the PC is dead, the license RIP with it.

 

[BMC858]

Thank you for your post, Alias.
The way I see it. It's not my call. If it's a breech of the EULA it's a
breech and I will not do that. That's just plain wrong to do.

What about my other question?

 

[Alias]

Thank you for your post, Alias.
The way I see it. It's not my call. If it's a breech of the EULA it's a
breech and I will not do that. That's just plain wrong to do.

What about my other question?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116515

Get it while you can.

Alias

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Hello,
I don't mean to ask a stupid question. I just want to do the right thing.
I built my home system a few years back. I bought Windows XP Pro (OEM
system
builders) and installed it.
The MB just is dead.
I was given a Dell laptop with an OEM license of W2K Pro. The HD had been
wiped.
Can I install my WinXP on this laptop?
If not, am I eligible to buy for Windows XP Pro (OEM system builders)
version for it. I will need to also replace the HD, RAM on it.

Frankly, if you have to do all that, you're probably getting into the range
where a brand-new laptop is a competitive purchase.

Please don't tell me I have to buy a $299.00 retail version.
Btw, I have called Dell, asking for the original OEM disk and they said
that
they would not be able to send me the disks cause Microsoft does not make
available W2K Pro anymore.
Thank you for your help.

An equally important question is, *can you get XP drivers for the laptop*?

If you can't, there is no point in proceeding.

It's a Dell, so look at the service tag on the bottom, go to the Dell
Support site and use it. If the drivers are there, you're fine. If they
aren't, you won't get them anywhere.

HTH
-pk

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hello,
I don't mean to ask a stupid question. I just want to do the right thing.
I built my home system a few years back. I bought Windows XP Pro (OEM system
builders) and installed it.
The MB just is dead.
I was given a Dell laptop with an OEM license of W2K Pro. The HD had been
wiped.
Can I install my WinXP on this laptop?
If not, am I eligible to buy for Windows XP Pro (OEM system builders)
version for it. I will need to also replace the HD, RAM on it.
Please don't tell me I have to buy a $299.00 retail version.
Btw, I have called Dell, asking for the original OEM disk and they said that
they would not be able to send me the disks cause Microsoft does not make
available W2K Pro anymore.
Thank you for your help.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hello,
I don't mean to ask a stupid question. I just want to do the right thing.
I built my home system a few years back. I bought Windows XP Pro (OEM system
builders) and installed it.
The MB just is dead.
I was given a Dell laptop with an OEM license of W2K Pro. The HD had been
wiped.
Can I install my WinXP on this laptop?

No. The biggest disadvantage of an OEM copy of Windows is that the
license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed on,
and it may never be moved to another. It's the reason I almost always
recommend against buying OEM copies.

If not, am I eligible to buy for Windows XP Pro (OEM system builders)
version for it.

Yes, but I recommend against it, for the above reason. Here's my
standard message on this subject:

I strongly recommend the Retail Upgrade, not the Retail Full, and not
the OEM version. Although if you get a complete generic OEM version,
it contains the same software, its license ties it permanently to the
first computer it's installed on. It can never legally be moved to
another computer, sold, or given away (except with the original
computer). That means that if the computer dies, your Windows license
dies too.

The reason I recommend the Retail Upgrade over the Full is that it's
much cheaper and the requirement to use an upgrade version is to *own*
a previous qualifying version's installation CD, not to have it
installed. When setup doesn't find a previous qualifying version
installed, it will prompt you to insert its CD as proof of ownership.
Just insert the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts.
Everything proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.

Most people already own a previous qualifying version, but worst case
if you don't, you can inexpensively buy a copy of Windows 98 someplace
like eBay.

I will need to also replace the HD, RAM on it.
Please don't tell me I have to buy a $299.00 retail version.
Btw, I have called Dell, asking for the original OEM disk and

That's for a Full copy. See the above, where I recommend the retail
Upgrade, not the Full copy.

And by the way, why do you want XP Professional rather than XP Home,
which is cheaper? XP Professional and XP Home are exactly the same in
all respects, except that Professional has a few features (mostly
related to networking and security) missing from Home. For most (but
not all) home users, even those with a home network, these features
aren't needed, would never be used, and buying Professional instead of
Home is a waste of money. In general, unless you need to join a
domain, you probably don't need Professional.

For details go to
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Also note one other point not mentioned on any of those sites:
Professional allows ten concurrent network connections, and Home only
five.

 

[Mark Adams]

Hello,
I don't mean to ask a stupid question. I just want to do the right thing.
I built my home system a few years back. I bought Windows XP Pro (OEM system
builders) and installed it.
The MB just is dead.

Replace the mainboard, processor, and RAM on the desktop with currently
available hardware; this DOES NOT violate the EULA of your OEM Windows disk.
You'll have a much better desktop for less money than you would spend on the
laptop.