OEM vs Retail

[John in VA]

I am building a P4 system that will have WIN XP Pro as the
OS. Is there a difference in the installation and
operation of XP Professional OS using the OEM version vs.
the retail upgrade package?

 

[Chris Lanier]

Greetings

The OEM version has the following disadvantages/differences

1. 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.

2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.

3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You have to
get any needed support from your OEM, and that may range anywhere
between good and non-existent.

Assuming a generic OEM version, rather than one customized by a
specific OEM, in all other respects they are the same.

[Courtesy of Ken Blake MS-MVP]

 

[dps2k3]

Hi i have a slight problem with an oem windows xp cd, it
has a genuine labeled hologram, but i didnt get a cd key
or coa, is there any way i can get at the key and have the
ability to register windows with microsoft

 

[Chuck]

The "retail upgrade" is going to have to have a OS to upgrade from.

Greetings

The OEM version has the following disadvantages/differences

1. 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.

2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.

3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You have to
get any needed support from your OEM, and that may range anywhere
between good and non-existent.

Assuming a generic OEM version, rather than one customized by a
specific OEM, in all other respects they are the same.

[Courtesy of Ken Blake MS-MVP]

I am building a P4 system that will have WIN XP Pro as the
OS. Is there a difference in the installation and
operation of XP Professional OS using the OEM version vs.
the retail upgrade package?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

No. Having just an OEM CD is worthless. Contact the party
who sold you the CD for assistance in obtaining the Product Key.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

|
| Hi i have a slight problem with an oem windows xp cd, it
| has a genuine labeled hologram, but i didnt get a cd key
| or coa, is there any way i can get at the key and have the
| ability to register windows with microsoft

 

[Chris Lanier]

You need to contact who ever you bought it from. Microsoft doesnt sell OEM
copies to end users. The OEm provides support for missing/lost keys.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

What is the source of the CD?
If the CD came with a computer, the Product Key is on the computer.
If the CD was purchased with a piece of hardware, the Product Key is
on a sticker on the CD packaging and should have been affixed to the
computer at time of installation.

If you bought the CD and it was already installed on a computer, you
bought a coaster and a Product Key is not necessary.
OEM are normally permanently tied to the first computer installed and
can never be transferred regardless the condition of the original
computer.

Microsoft can not replace CDs or Product Keys for OEM products.
Contact the seller and/or Microsoft piracy as appropriate:
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/

 

[David Candy]

No. 4 It's cheap.

--
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.g2mil.com/Dec2003.htm

Greetings

The OEM version has the following disadvantages/differences

1. 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.

2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.

3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You have to
get any needed support from your OEM, and that may range anywhere
between good and non-existent.

Assuming a generic OEM version, rather than one customized by a
specific OEM, in all other respects they are the same.

[Courtesy of Ken Blake MS-MVP]

I am building a P4 system that will have WIN XP Pro as the
OS. Is there a difference in the installation and
operation of XP Professional OS using the OEM version vs.
the retail upgrade package?

 

[David Candy]

Or a genuine MS CD of a prior OS.

--
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.g2mil.com/Dec2003.htm

The "retail upgrade" is going to have to have a OS to upgrade from.

Greetings

The OEM version has the following disadvantages/differences

1. 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.

2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.

3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You have to
get any needed support from your OEM, and that may range anywhere
between good and non-existent.

Assuming a generic OEM version, rather than one customized by a
specific OEM, in all other respects they are the same.

[Courtesy of Ken Blake MS-MVP]

I am building a P4 system that will have WIN XP Pro as the
OS. Is there a difference in the installation and
operation of XP Professional OS using the OEM version vs.
the retail upgrade package?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

David;
Which is really the biggest since it is the reason many buy OEM
They do not think to ask and/or sales people conveniently not stating
the other differences.

The saying "You get what you pay for" has validity here.
More people need to ask "Why is it cheaper" before buying so they are
at least informed at what they spend their money.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
http://dts-l.org/index.html


No. 4 It's cheap.

 

[David Candy]

One imagines that this information needs to be told to people. I toy with the idea of buying an HP (or whatever) so I can then sue for goods not fit for the purpose sold. But... a lot of money for something I don't want. But I dream.

 

[qwerty]

No, the only differences I noticed is that OEM version
for XP will not do an upgrade install and it is about
half the price as the full retail version. Some retailers
will require you to buy "qualifying" hardware such as an
IDE drive cable or Mouse or will bundle it with the XP
cd. Shop around online for the best price.

I recently upgraded my home built P3 system to a P4 using
all new hardware except for the case. When I reinstalled
my OEM version of XP all I had to do was reactivate it.
So you can transfer XP to another PC as long as you
totally remove it from the other machine.

However, you will not be able to transfer XP to another
machine if it was originally bundled with a brand name PC
such as a Dell, HP, Gateway, etc. Here, to bypass the
activation requirement and satisfy Microsoft, XP is coded
to only work with the BIOS of that particular PC.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

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 best reason to 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 OEM license is to
transfer ownership of the entire PC.

2) Microsoft provides no 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 of PC, as an additional anti-piracy feature.
Further, such CDs are 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, 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

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Not if you abide by the EULA to which you agreed when you
installed it, though.

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

 

[David Candy]

MS don't track more than 120 days ago. Therefore you can't move it for another 120 days.

You can pirate 4 times a year. With only the last person able to reinstall.

 

[qwerty]

Yes, you can as long as it accompanies the "Hardware" it
was bought with. Hardware can be about anything that is
part of a PC, such as a Mouse, Hard drive, processor, or
even a power cord.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Reread your OEM EULA. It plainly states that the OEM license
becomes a permanent part of the MACHINE into which the qualifying
hardware component is installed.

While an OEM license may legitimately be purchased with almost any
hardware component, once installed, it cannot subsequently be moved,
even if the hardware component is.


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