win xp oem number

[Colin Barnhorst]

"Shouldn't" is in the mind of the customer. Obviously the customer wants
things to always turn out the way he wants. But reality is whatever is in
place at Microsoft. If you want to talk Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda, go ahead.
It won't change what is.

 

[norm]

"Shouldn't" is in the mind of the customer. Obviously the customer
wants things to always turn out the way he wants. But reality is
whatever is in place at Microsoft. If you want to talk Woulda, Shoulda,
Coulda, go ahead. It won't change what is.

I agree, but quite possibly the customer deserves better than he is
getting, and that is my only concern. Have a good one.

 

[Gordon]

A mobo contains enough of the hardware characteristics that MS uses to
determine what constitutes a new computer for MS to consider the OEM
license invalid. This is at the discretion of the agent. The mobo itself
is not a hardware characteristic but devices on the mobo are. If at the
time you replace a mobo you also replace the cpu, add more or different
ram, etc. you in fact have a new computer. Keeping the same case and hard
drive is insufficient.

Did you actually read Ken's reply?
I quote:
"But that is not correct. The EULA does *not* specify what constitutes
a different computer.

Also read
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/a...
or http://tinyurl.com/384gx5

which says,

"If you acquired Windows Vista pre-installed on a computer from a
major manufacturer (sometimes referred to as an Original Equipment
Manufacturer or OEM), Windows Vista will require re-activation if you
replace the motherboard with a motherboard not provided by the OEM."

It's about Vista in particular, not XP, but I assume if they say it
about Vista, the same very likely applies to Windows XP. Since
replacing a motherboard requires reactivation, that implies that
replacing the motherboard and using the same OEM copy of Windows *is*
permitted by the EULA. "

 

[FrankFL]

A mobo contains enough of the hardware characteristics that MS uses to
determine what constitutes a new computer for MS to consider the OEM license
invalid. This is at the discretion of the agent. The mobo itself is not a
hardware characteristic but devices on the mobo are. If at the time you
replace a mobo you also replace the cpu, add more or different ram, etc. you
in fact have a new computer. Keeping the same case and hard drive is
insufficient.

That is BS my OEM's are tied to the hardware that I bought them with. One
a harddrive and another with a flash drive, and two more with RAM.

 

[Alias]

Did you actually read Ken's reply?
I quote:
"But that is not correct. The EULA does *not* specify what constitutes
a different computer.

Also read
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/a...
or http://tinyurl.com/384gx5

which says,

"If you acquired Windows Vista pre-installed on a computer from a
major manufacturer (sometimes referred to as an Original Equipment
Manufacturer or OEM), Windows Vista will require re-activation if you
replace the motherboard with a motherboard not provided by the OEM."

It's about Vista in particular, not XP, but I assume if they say it
about Vista, the same very likely applies to Windows XP. Since
replacing a motherboard requires reactivation, that implies that
replacing the motherboard and using the same OEM copy of Windows *is*
permitted by the EULA. "

I've replaced a motherboard twice on the same computer and both times XP
was activated on line without any problems.

Alias

 

[John John]

With all due respect, Colin, that is simply not the case. It is up to
the OEM to decide what constitutes a new computer. On a a computer that
is still under warranty an OEM can replace a motherboard with a
different type of board and the OEM license will still be valid. These
scenarios have been addressed by Microsoft in various papers and
articles and for OEM licensing Microsoft has never stated that a
different motherboard equates a different computer, one is allowed to
replace a broken motherboard while keeping his Windows license. With
the pace of things in the computer industry it would be to exaggerated,
if not preposterous, to claim that the license can only be valid if the
board is replaced with an identical board. Two years after you purchase
a computer the original board may no longer be available and it is
perfectly normal or conceivable that a different board might be used to
replace a broken one. Typical papers:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457078.aspx
http://search.technet.microsoft.com...rand=technet&locale=&refinement=00&lang=en-us

John

 

[Alias]

That is BS my OEM's are tied to the hardware that I bought them with. One
a harddrive and another with a flash drive, and two more with RAM.

I have three generic XP OEMs and bought NO hardware with them. Two were
purchased in Spain, the other from NewEgg in the USA.

Alias

 

[Shenan Stanley]

A mobo contains enough of the hardware characteristics that MS uses
to determine what constitutes a new computer for MS to consider the
OEM license invalid. This is at the discretion of the agent. The
mobo itself is not a hardware characteristic but devices on the
mobo are. If at the time you replace a mobo you also replace the
cpu, add more or different ram, etc. you in fact have a new
computer. Keeping the same case and hard drive is insufficient.

That is BS my OEM's are tied to the hardware that I bought them
with. One a harddrive and another with a flash drive, and two
more with RAM.

Just so you realize - particularly in your case - the only 'tie' is due to
your interpretation of the EULA. There is no physical/code key related tie
between your OEM version of Windows XP and any of the devices you mention.
In fact - there is no tie likely between the product key you got for each
one of those purchases and the CD you also received - meaning you could
interchange the product key and CDs at will. (SP2b may be an exception to
that.)

This is not - never has been - a TECHNICAL issue. It may turn into one if
anyone ever decides keeping track of the first set of hardware that a
product key (OEM in particular) in a database and checking that when
activating is practical... *shrug*

This is all an interpretation. Many would say that having bought your OEMs
with some piece of hardware (even just a hard disk drive) - is against the
EULA (Google - you'll see this argument is so old it is laughable.) Some
places sell it without hardware at all. Others used to sell licenses of
Windows (OEM) with CD Audio cables.

My point - this argument is moot for many reasons. It's been going on for
various applications/OSes for over a decade and it will likely be going on
for many decades more unless it becomes less of a 'agreement' issue and more
of a technical one.... And even then, it will be gotten around just like
every other technical limitation (protection scheme) has been throughout the
history of ... everything.

 

[Alias]

Just so you realize - particularly in your case - the only 'tie' is due to
your interpretation of the EULA. There is no physical/code key related tie
between your OEM version of Windows XP and any of the devices you mention.
In fact - there is no tie likely between the product key you got for each
one of those purchases and the CD you also received - meaning you could
interchange the product key and CDs at will. (SP2b may be an exception to
that.)

It's not.

Alias