XP Home - OEM version

[Bill Martin]

If one buys an OEM version of XP, am I correct to assume you can still
download the various patches each month from Microsoft?

The license says Microsoft will not support the installation, but I'm not
sure what "support" means in this context. I understand they won't supply
specific phone support to you with an OEM XP, but do they provide the
patches, fixes, etc., that one normally downloads?

Thanks...

Bill

 

[Tom [Pepper] Willett]

Yes, you get the updates.

: If one buys an OEM version of XP, am I correct to assume you can still
: download the various patches each month from Microsoft?
:
: The license says Microsoft will not support the installation, but I'm not
: sure what "support" means in this context. I understand they won't supply
: specific phone support to you with an OEM XP, but do they provide the
: patches, fixes, etc., that one normally downloads?
:
: Thanks...
:
: Bill
:
:

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

If one buys an OEM version of XP, am I correct to assume you can still
download the various patches each month from Microsoft?

Yes.


The license says Microsoft will not support the installation, but I'm not
sure what "support" means in this context. I understand they won't supply
specific phone support to you with an OEM XP, but do they provide the
patches, fixes, etc., that one normally downloads?

Thanks...

Bill

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Yes.

Sorry, I sent that too fast. I had wanted to add the following:

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of an OEM version is that the license
ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed on, and it
may never be moved to another. Retail versions don't have this
restriction, but OEM versions do; it's one of the main reasons an OEM
version is considerably cheaper than a Full Retail version.

But you can usually buy a retail *Upgrade* copy of Windows XP for only
slightly more than a generic OEM copy, and it's a much better deal as
far as I'm concerned. It can do a clean installation as long as you
have a prior version's CD to show it when prompted. Most people have a
prior version, but worst case if you don't, you can get one
inexpensively someplace like eBay.

 

[Xandros]

MS means when they say they don't support an OEM is that they don't offer
technical support as they do with Retail versions. OEM stands for Original
Equipment Manufacturer. The OEM has a licensing agreement that says must
support the technical aspects of the version. Other than that an OEM is
supported through hotfixes and service packs.

 

[norm]

Sorry, I sent that too fast. I had wanted to add the following:

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of an OEM version is that the license
ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed on, and it
may never be moved to another. Retail versions don't have this
restriction, but OEM versions do; it's one of the main reasons an OEM
version is considerably cheaper than a Full Retail version.

But you can usually buy a retail *Upgrade* copy of Windows XP for only
slightly more than a generic OEM copy, and it's a much better deal as
far as I'm concerned. It can do a clean installation as long as you
have a prior version's CD to show it when prompted. Most people have a
prior version, but worst case if you don't, you can get one
inexpensively someplace like eBay.

When you use the prior version CD for retail upgrade, is its
installation key required?

Thanks
Norm

 

[Gordon]

When you use the prior version CD for retail upgrade, is its
installation key required?

No.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

When you use the prior version CD for retail upgrade, is its
installation key required?

The key of the previous version's CD? No.

 

[norm]

No.

Thanks to both replies.
Norm.