To OEM or not to OEM

[AMG]

If I get the OEM version, I know that a restriction in the license means it
cannot be transferred to another computer.

I need to get clarification on the following:

1) What happens if my computer crashes and I am told I have to reformat the
hard drive and re-install Windows? Am I forced to buy a new license?

2) What if I want to have a backup hard drive, or upgrade my existing hard
drive to a bigger one? If it's the same computer and only the hard drive is
upgraded or a second one added, does that mandate a new license?

 

[Max]

1) No.
2) No.

 

[Colon Terminus]

If I get the OEM version, I know that a restriction in the license means
it
cannot be transferred to another computer.

I need to get clarification on the following:

1) What happens if my computer crashes and I am told I have to reformat
the
hard drive and re-install Windows? Am I forced to buy a new license?

2) What if I want to have a backup hard drive, or upgrade my existing hard
drive to a bigger one? If it's the same computer and only the hard drive
is
upgraded or a second one added, does that mandate a new license?

My experience was that after I replaced a dead motherboard Microsoft
required me to purchase a new license.

 

[Alias]

My experience was that after I replaced a dead motherboard Microsoft
required me to purchase a new license.

And the reason you stupidly told the help desk drone what happened is?
You are NOT required to tell MS *anything* about your hardware when
activating by phone except that it's the same computer.

Did you buy a new license? Peruse your EULA and I would bet the farm
that the word "motherboard" isn't used once, much less does it state
that replacing a motherboard constitutes a new computer.

Alias

 

[C.B.]

If I get the OEM version, I know that a restriction in the license means
it
cannot be transferred to another computer.

I need to get clarification on the following:

1) What happens if my computer crashes and I am told I have to reformat
the
hard drive and re-install Windows? Am I forced to buy a new license?

2) What if I want to have a backup hard drive, or upgrade my existing hard
drive to a bigger one? If it's the same computer and only the hard drive
is
upgraded or a second one added, does that mandate a new license?

No and no. However, you may be required to reactivate the OS after replacing
the hard drive. I replaced my hard drive twice and didn't have to reactivate
but many people have done the same and were forced to reactivate.
Your OEM license is tied to the motherboard. If you replace your
motherboard with a new one of the same type you will, in all likelihood, be
required to reactivate. Dell toasted my motherboard during a BIOS update and
once they replaced it I was not required to reactivate.
If you replace the motherboard with a make and model different from the
original you may or may not be required to purchase a new license.

C.B.

 

[Mick Murphy]

All you miss out on with an OEM disk(besides being unable to tranfer), is
Microsoft Support, lol.
So, you are NOT missing much!

 

[Alias]

If you replace the motherboard with a make and model different from
the original you may or may not be required to purchase a new license.

C.B.

Can you quote the EULA where it says that? I mean the EULA that comes
with Vista, not the one on the web for systems developers.

Alias

 

[Bill Yanaire]

No and no. However, you may be required to reactivate the OS after
replacing the hard drive. I replaced my hard drive twice and didn't have
to reactivate but many people have done the same and were forced to
reactivate.
Your OEM license is tied to the motherboard. If you replace your
motherboard with a new one of the same type you will, in all likelihood,
be required to reactivate. Dell toasted my motherboard during a BIOS
update and once they replaced it I was not required to reactivate.
If you replace the motherboard with a make and model different from
the original you may or may not be required to purchase a new license.

C.B.

All you need to do is call Microsoft and say you had to reinstall the OS on
your computer. Once you say that the OS is the only copy, they will
activate it for you.

 

[the wharf rat]

Your OEM license is tied to the motherboard. If you replace your

Bullshit.

 

[Bill Yanaire]

hehehe...why? Just take out your copy of Vista that you said you have on
the shelf (sure!) and read the EULA yourself.
But we all aren't going to hold our breadths.
Frank

Problem is Alias can't read. That's why he lives in an institution
situated on a Sheep farm. Alias needs to have everything translated.
Remember, Alias uses Ubuntu so he isn't very smart. I'll bet the
Sheep are smarter than Alias. At least they don't use Ubuntu!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

If I get the OEM version, I know that a restriction in the license means it
cannot be transferred to another computer.

I need to get clarification on the following:

1) What happens if my computer crashes and I am told I have to reformat the
hard drive and re-install Windows? Am I forced to buy a new license?

No. You can reformat and reinstall as often as you want to.

2) What if I want to have a backup hard drive, or upgrade my existing hard
drive to a bigger one? If it's the same computer and only the hard drive is
upgraded or a second one added, does that mandate a new license?

No. It's the same computer.

 

[Adam Albright]

Problem is Alias can't read. That's why he lives in an institution
situated on a Sheep farm. Alias needs to have everything translated.
Remember, Alias uses Ubuntu so he isn't very smart. I'll bet the
Sheep are smarter than Alias. At least they don't use Ubuntu!

This is the week Frank lets YOU mess with the sheep, right?

To be honest Bill you're way too easy to make fun of. Maybe you should
consider hiring somebody that can do better than the feeble responses
you're capable of. It got to be embarrassing for you to get bitch
slapped so often. Maybe you can hire a eight year old after school and
let him write your replies. They got to be better than yours.

 

[C.B.]

All you miss out on with an OEM disk(besides being unable to tranfer), is
Microsoft Support, lol.
So, you are NOT missing much!

You're right. Although I could purchase a retail version the support
offered by Microsoft is a joke. The support period is extremely limited and
no better than the support provided by the OEM.
I always buy an extended warranty (usually three to five years) with a
computer and therefore enjoy support for the OS for the length of the
warranty. If I do an upgrade of the OS or purchase the full edition of the
OS from the same computer vendor during the warranty period I always
continue to get support for the upgraded OS for the remainder of the
warranty period.

C.B.

 

[Alias]

I have and no mention of "motherboard". I was telling *him* to look at
it, dumbfuck.

When you can hold you're "breadth", alert the media.

Now comes the man who thinks infantile insults are funny:

This is the week Frank lets YOU mess with the sheep, right?

To be honest Bill you're way too easy to make fun of. Maybe you should
consider hiring somebody that can do better than the feeble responses
you're capable of. It got to be embarrassing for you to get bitch
slapped so often. Maybe you can hire a eight year old after school and
let him write your replies. They got to be better than yours.

You can't reason with Bill and Frank. They aren't capable of logic.

Alias

 

[Bruce Chambers]

If I get the OEM version, I know that a restriction in the license means it
cannot be transferred to another computer.

I need to get clarification on the following:

1) What happens if my computer crashes and I am told I have to reformat the
hard drive and re-install Windows? Am I forced to buy a new license?

No, of course not.

2) What if I want to have a backup hard drive, or upgrade my existing hard
drive to a bigger one? If it's the same computer and only the hard drive is
upgraded or a second one added, does that mandate a new license?

Again, no, of course not.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Adam Albright]

When you can hold you're "breadth", alert the media.

Maybe we all should chip in and buy Frank a dictionary. On second
thought, he wouldn't know how to use it.

 

[Spanky deMonkey]

Maybe we all should chip in and buy Frank a dictionary. On second
thought, he wouldn't know how to use it.

Maybe we should all chip in and buy Adam some manners. On second thought he
wouldn't know what to do with manners. Just FYI

 

[Adam Albright]

Maybe we should all chip in and buy Adam some manners. On second thought he
wouldn't know what to do with manners. Just FYI

You reap what you sow punk. If you insist on acting like a shit for
brains smart ass little turd, then that's how you get treated.

 

[Mick Murphy]

Who really cares! F*** off!

 

[Brian W]

No. You can reformat and reinstall as often as you want to.





No. It's the same computer.

A System Builder OEM licence does not specify that any part of the system
cannot be upgraded, therefore even changing the motherboard is still
technically an 'upgrade'.
..