OEM XP Home Edition CD & Additional License Question

[Josh III]

I have two computers.

I recently fresh installed Windows XP HE using a Windows XP Home Edition
Full Install (OEM DSP) CD I purchased mailorder on one computer.

Can't I just buy a 2nd OEM License to install Windows XP on the 2nd
computer? Or would the XP CD have to be from a retail box before I could
get the 2nd license for it?

Going to this webpage and entering the Product Key from the XP OEM CD I
have, it says not elligible for 2nd license?

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/addlic.asp

Guess I will just have to find someone local with a retail box version of
the CD before I can purchase a 2nd license?

JoshIII
upstate south carolina

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Naturally, Microsoft cannot sell additional OEM licenses. Only
the OEM could possibly do this.

You'd have to ask the merchant/supplier from which you purchased
the first OEM license if they offer additional licenses for sale.
Odds are, they don't, as OEM licenses must be sold (to the end user)
with a qualifying piece of non-peripheral hardware.


Bruce Chambers

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You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
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[Josh III]

Naturally, Microsoft cannot sell additional OEM licenses. Only
the OEM could possibly do this.

You'd have to ask the merchant/supplier from which you purchased
the first OEM license if they offer additional licenses for sale.
Odds are, they don't, as OEM licenses must be sold (to the end user)
with a qualifying piece of non-peripheral hardware.

I guess I still don't understand the difference in the "retail box CD" and
the "out of box CD". Both are sealed, both have a COA & Product Key
obviously, but the out of box version simply comes less the green box.

They are only about $10 dollars difference between the two versions, so why
is a 2nd license not allowed with the out of box version?

...or am I correct thinking all out of box version XP CDs you purchase
sealed from a dealer (without qualifying hardware) never allow 2nd
licenses?

Thanks for the response! I will check the source's webpage to see if they
sell additional licenses with their OEM XP CD.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Actually, the difference in price between an OEM license and a
full retail license will more likely be somewhere near $100, unless
whomever is selling the OEM licenses is ripping you off.

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

 

[Bob Harris]

An OEM license is bound foreer to the PC upon which was first installed. It
is not tansferrable, and does not qualify for any family/bulk discounts to
the end user. It is cheaper than the full retail licnse, because it is less
versitile, AND because Microssoft is relieved of all responsibility for it.
It is the OEM who is suppsed to provide support for the license, but many
will only do so if the PC has not been substantially modified (e.g., no new
motherboard), or unless they do the modifications for you.

Since the general rule is one PC = one license, if you have a second PC you
need a second license. If it was purchased as a complete PC with an
operating system (e.g., Dell, Gateway, Compaq), they would have already
handled the licensing issues. However, if you wish to build your own PC,
you will need to but a full retail license (about $200). One possible cost
saving: If you own a license for 98, ME, oe 2000, as proven by having the
Microsoft CD, you can use a retail upgrade license, which costs about half
of the non-upgrade license. When you install the upgrade it will either
sense the previous Windows, or if a clean install, will ask you to insert
the old CD as proof.

 

[Josh III]

An OEM license is bound foreer to the PC upon which was first installed. It
is not tansferrable, and does not qualify for any family/bulk discounts to
the end user. It is cheaper than the full retail licnse, because it is less
versitile, AND because Microssoft is relieved of all responsibility for it.
It is the OEM who is suppsed to provide support for the license, but many
will only do so if the PC has not been substantially modified (e.g., no new
motherboard), or unless they do the modifications for you.

Since the general rule is one PC = one license, if you have a second PC you
need a second license. If it was purchased as a complete PC with an
operating system (e.g., Dell, Gateway, Compaq), they would have already
handled the licensing issues. However, if you wish to build your own PC,
you will need to but a full retail license (about $200). One possible cost
saving: If you own a license for 98, ME, oe 2000, as proven by having the
Microsoft CD, you can use a retail upgrade license, which costs about half
of the non-upgrade license. When you install the upgrade it will either
sense the previous Windows, or if a clean install, will ask you to insert
the old CD as proof.

Cost Analysis:

I can buy the Full Retail Home Edition Upgrade in the green box from Best
Buy for $99 .

I can go to www.ebargainsofware.com and order the OEM DSP Home Edition Full
Install for about $88.

I can go to PriceGrabber and find online sources of 2nd licenses (COA and
Product Key) for the retail box version of Home Edition for $56.

Question: I don't think I can use the Full Retail Home Edition Upgrade CD
to get the 2nd license for?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Yes, you'd be able to buy a second license for a retail Upgrade.

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

 

[Alex Nichol]

I recently fresh installed Windows XP HE using a Windows XP Home Edition
Full Install (OEM DSP) CD I purchased mailorder on one computer.

Can't I just buy a 2nd OEM License to install Windows XP on the 2nd
computer? Or would the XP CD have to be from a retail box before I could
get the 2nd license for it?

Going to this webpage and entering the Product Key from the XP OEM CD I
have, it says not elligible for 2nd license?

I think that is right

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/addlic.asp

Guess I will just have to find someone local with a retail box version of
the CD before I can purchase a 2nd license?

The discount is in any case small, and you would probably find it
cheaper just to buy a second complete copy at a discount source

 

[Alex Nichol]

I guess I still don't understand the difference in the "retail box CD" and
the "out of box CD". Both are sealed, both have a COA & Product Key
obviously, but the out of box version simply comes less the green box.

They are only about $10 dollars difference between the two versions, so why
is a 2nd license not allowed with the out of box version?

..or am I correct thinking all out of box version XP CDs you purchase
sealed from a dealer (without qualifying hardware) never allow 2nd
licenses?

An 'out of box' as you describe it is either being sold illegitimately,
or is an OEM one. Those are sold only with hardware (and usually the
price difference is bigger - you may be comparing with an Upgrade CD
where you get a discount for having bought an earlier version of windows
in the past).

In exchange for that discount over the full retail version, you are
restricted to clean installs; get no support from Microsoft; do not get
an additional license discount and most importantly have something
licensed only to the machine where first installed, so it may not be
transferred to a later machine.

 

[Josh III]

Thanks!

Even with a 2nd license, (COA and Product Key), I would still need the
Product Key for the Full Retail CD I already had (if using friend's Full
Retail CD for example).

I mean I would have to know the Product Keys for both the original retail CD
and the 2nd License?

I have only installed Windows XP (OEM CD) one time, so that does not qualify
me as an expert on licensing.

It took copywrite attorneys to come up with this process! I'm just an
"enginer"!

joshiii
upstate south carolina
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