What is Win XP Pro SP2 OEM?

[Stephen Ford]

What does OEM mean when applied to an O/S like Win XP Pro?

 

[Alias]

What does OEM mean when applied to an O/S like Win XP Pro?

There are two kinds of OEMs. One, like HP and Dell, is a branded OEM and
is locked to the BIOS of the computer and usually come loaded with trial
crap you would be better off not having on your computer. The other is a
generic OEM which, supposedly, should not be transfered to another
computer and cannot do upgrades. The latter is MUCH cheaper than the
retail box versions and, if you only plan to put it on one computer, the
best buy and it has exactly the same stuff as a retail version.

Alias

 

[Bernard Liengme]

You forgot to add: the second type is ILLEGAL

 

[John John]

It's illegal? Since when? Who made it illegal? The Queen of England?
The Pope? If it's illegal why is Microsoft selling it?

John

 

[Alias]

You forgot to add: the second type is ILLEGAL

False. I have three, all three were bought from vendors who got it from
Microsoft, NewEgg being one of them.

Where do you get this information from, your imagination?

Alias

 

[Timothy Daniels]

There are two kinds of OEMs. One, like HP and Dell, is a branded
OEM and is locked to the BIOS of the computer and usually come
loaded with trial crap you would be better off not having on your
computer. The other is a generic OEM which, supposedly, should
not be transfered to another computer and cannot do upgrades...

Do you mean that it cannot be used to upgrade an earlier OS
to the OEM OS? Or do you mean that the installed OEM OS
cannot be upgraded?

*TimDaniels*

 

[Alias]

Do you mean that it cannot be used to upgrade an earlier OS
to the OEM OS? Or do you mean that the installed OEM OS
cannot be upgraded?

*TimDaniels*

I mean it can't be used to upgrade from Win 98, for example. Generic
OEMs must be clean installed. You can use a Vista full retail or upgrade
retail to update from an OEM XP to Vista.

Alias

 

[Ron Martell]

What does OEM mean when applied to an O/S like Win XP Pro?

See http://onlinehelp.bc.ca/oem_software.htm

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Bruce Chambers]

What does OEM mean when applied to an O/S like Win XP Pro?

"OEM" means the same when applied to WinXP Pro as it does to any other
piece of software: Original Equipment Manufacturer.

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 non-peripheral
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 main reason some people
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 free 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 on-line 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:



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

 

[Noncompliant]

"OEM" means the same when applied to WinXP Pro as it does to any other
piece of software: Original Equipment Manufacturer.

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 non-peripheral 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 main reason some people 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.

Regarding a generic OEM installation of XP. Define "PC". Believe the OEM
EULA says "computer". In that case, define "computer". When adding,
removing, or modifying a "PC" or "computer", when does it become another
"PC" or "computer" in regards to the OEM EULA?

I've never seen a clear cut answer that was valid when tested in reality in
regards to activation of XP.

 

[Alias]

Regarding a generic OEM installation of XP. Define "PC". Believe the OEM
EULA says "computer". In that case, define "computer". When adding,
removing, or modifying a "PC" or "computer", when does it become another
"PC" or "computer" in regards to the OEM EULA?

I've never seen a clear cut answer that was valid when tested in reality in
regards to activation of XP.

You can update to your heart's desire. I have one computer and the
following have been updated and it activated on line:

Motherboard
Processor
RAM
DVD drive
CPU
Video card
Sound card
Floppy drive
Keyboard
Mouse
NIC

The only things left are the hard drive, the monitor and the case. It's
running a generic OEM XP Home. After updating the above, I did a clean
install.

Alias

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Regarding a generic OEM installation of XP. Define "PC". Believe the OEM
EULA says "computer". In that case, define "computer". When adding,
removing, or modifying a "PC" or "computer", when does it become another
"PC" or "computer" in regards to the OEM EULA?

I've never seen a clear cut answer that was valid when tested in reality in
regards to activation of XP.

Nor will you, most likely.

According to its EULA, an OEM license may not be transferred from
one distinct PC to another PC. Nothing is said about prohibiting one
from repairing or upgrading the PC on which an OEM license is installed.

Some people mistakenly believe that the motherboard is the key
component that defines the "original computer," but the OEM EULA does
not make any such distinction. Others have said (tongue in cheek) that
one could successfully argue that it's the PC's case that is the
deciding component, as that is where one is instructed to affix the OEM
CoA label w/Product Key. Again, the EULA does *not* specifically define
any single component as the computer. Licensed Microsoft Systems
Builders, who are allowed to distribute OEM licenses with computers they
build and sell, are _contractually_ obligated to "define" the computer
as the motherboard, but this limitation/definition can't be applied to
the end user until the EULA is re-written.

As you well know, Microsoft has, to date, been very careful _not_
to *publicly* define when an incrementally upgraded computer ceases to
be the original computer. The closest I've ever seen a Microsoft
employee come to this definition (in a public forum) is to tell the
person making the inquiry to consult the PC's manufacturer. As the OEM
license's support is solely the responsibility of said manufacturer,
they should determine what sort of hardware changes to allow before the
warranty and support agreements are voided. To paraphrase: An
incrementally upgraded computer ceases to be the original computer, as
pertains to the OEM EULA, only when the *OEM* says it's a different
computer. If you've built the system yourself, and used a generic OEM
CD, then _you_ are the "OEM," and _you_ get to decide when you'll no
longer support your product.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



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

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Nor will you, most likely.

According to its EULA, an OEM license may not be
transferred from one distinct PC to another PC. Nothing
is said about prohibiting one from repairing or upgrading
the PC on which an OEM license is installed.

Some people mistakenly believe that the motherboard
is the key component that defines the "original computer,"
but the OEM EULA does not make any such distinction.
Others have said (tongue in cheek) that one could successfully
argue that it's the PC's case that is the deciding component,
as that is where one is instructed to affix the OEM CoA label
w/Product Key. Again, the EULA does *not* specifically
define any single component as the computer. Licensed
Microsoft Systems Builders, who are allowed to distribute
OEM licenses with computers they build and sell, are
_contractually_ obligated to "define" the computer as the
motherboard, but this limitation/definition can't be applied to
the end user until the EULA is re-written.

As you well know, Microsoft has, to date, been very careful
_not_ to *publicly* define when an incrementally upgraded
computer ceases to be the original computer. The closest I've
ever seen a Microsoft employee come to this definition (in a
public forum) is to tell the person making the inquiry to consult
the PC's manufacturer. As the OEM license's support is solely
the responsibility of said manufacturer, they should determine
what sort of hardware changes to allow before the warranty
and support agreements are voided. To paraphrase: An
incrementally upgraded computer ceases to be the original
computer, as pertains to the OEM EULA, only when the *OEM*
says it's a different computer. If you've built the system yourself,
and used a generic OEM CD, then _you_ are the "OEM," and
_you_ get to decide when you'll no longer support your product.

Thanks for that clear and frank explanation, Bruce.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Thanks for that clear and frank explanation, Bruce.

*TimDaniels*

You're welcome.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



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