Windows XP - OEM?

[Rick]

In shopping (online) for Windows XP, I see a number of
places that offer XP at a lower price for OEM versions. I
understand it when you purchase a system and it comes
preloaded with OEM (possibly customized) software, but
what does OEM mean exactly, what is the difference, when
you buy stand alone software (especially a Microsoft
operating system in what appears to be Microsoft
packaging) from a retailer? Thanks.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

OEM versions of Windows XP:

-- cannot upgrade over an existing Windows installation
-- cannot be transferred to a different computer in the future
-- the license cannot be sold or transferred to another user
-- are not eligible for free Microsoft technical support
-- must be purchased with some type of computer hardware
-- any problems whatsoever with the installation CD or Product Key
is not eligible for Microsoft support....you have to deal with the "seller".
-- cost less than "retail versions" due to the above limitations/risks

Should you purchase an OEM license version of XP?
http://www.tek-tips.com/gfaqs.cfm/pid/779/fid/4004

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


| In shopping (online) for Windows XP, I see a number of
| places that offer XP at a lower price for OEM versions. I
| understand it when you purchase a system and it comes
| preloaded with OEM (possibly customized) software, but
| what does OEM mean exactly, what is the difference, when
| you buy stand alone software (especially a Microsoft
| operating system in what appears to be Microsoft
| packaging) from a retailer? Thanks.

 

[user]

OEM = original equipment manufacturer

 

[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 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 installed 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/model of PC, as an additional anti-piracy feature.
Further, such CDs are often 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, eastern European web sites, 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

 

[user]

and yet, even after you purchase windows XP, as i did, u end up here. Or for
4 dollars a minute you can speak to a microsoft employee, akin to calling
the psychic hotline.

 

[Alex Nichol]

and yet, even after you purchase windows XP, as i did, u end up here. Or for
4 dollars a minute you can speak to a microsoft employee, akin to calling
the psychic hotline.

Support is the least of it - many people never contact support anyway.
The one that needs to be emphasised is that an OEM system is for
installation on no more than the initial machine, and may not ever be
transferred to another. While a retail one at the higher price may be
removed from that and installed on a new machine and so on. This may
not matter to some, but is a grievance to others who did not appreciate
the point

 

[Bob Dietz]

user wrote:




Support is the least of it - many people never contact support anyway.
The one that needs to be emphasised is that an OEM system is for
installation on no more than the initial machine, and may not ever be
transferred to another. While a retail one at the higher price may be
removed from that and installed on a new machine and so on. This may
not matter to some, but is a grievance to others who did not appreciate
the point

On the other hand, nothing in the OEM EULA prevents you from upgrading.
That includes but is not limited to motherboard, cpu, memory, processor,
hard disk ...

Bob

 

[Parish]

On the other hand, nothing in the OEM EULA prevents you from upgrading.
That includes but is not limited to motherboard, cpu, memory, processor,
hard disk ...

Good point; so how does MS differentiate between a new/different machine
and a (heavily) upgraded one?

 

[Bob Dietz]

Good point; so how does MS differentiate between a new/different machine
and a (heavily) upgraded one?

Sorry, I can't point you to a definitive page. But common sense tells
me that if every single bit of hardware has changed, eye-browse will be
raised. I also assume (maybe mistakenly?) that if a real upgrade path
has been followed and I have receipts, there won't be a problem.

Example 1:
Me on phone to MS:
"I decided to upgrade my machine last week. Bought the
following new hard-ware: motherboard, cpu, memory, video
card and HD. Model numbers and receipt numbers are..."

MS: "Say what. All last week? Sounds like a whole new machine."


Example 2:
Me on phone to MS: "I decided to upgrade my machine.
Bought a new motherboard, cpu and memory. Upgraded the
video card six months ago and the HD three months before
that. Here are the model and receipt numbers: ..."

MS: "Your new activation code is ..."

FWIW. I put my machine together from parts not quite a year ago.
Since then, the only hardware that's been upgraded has been the
video card and the CD-ROM. There's only been the initial
activation on my OEM copy of Windows XP Pro.

I expect to upgrade the CPU and memory something in the next year.

Bob

 

[Parish]

Sorry, I can't point you to a definitive page. But common sense tells
me that if every single bit of hardware has changed, eye-browse will be

Obviously if *all* was changed, but if the majority was changed, where's
the line drawn?

BTW, I wish MS would copy Apple's licensing (for home use) where you can
get a Family License for 50% more than the cost of a single licence.
This allows the OS to be installed on up to five machines in the same
house. The only limitation I can see is that the machines have to be in
the same house so it excludes, for example, children who go away to
colleg/uni - they have to buy their own licence.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Good point; so how does MS differentiate between a new/different machine
and a (heavily) upgraded one?

That is a point which has been discussed quite a lot, but never
officially clarified. As long as you do not push the system itself into
thinking 'this ain't Kansas any more', you should be OK. see more at
www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm. If you go over that and have to
reactivate - and end having to do it by phone - then you would I think
be likely to run into difficulty