Windows XP oem

punisher46

punisher46

punisher46

Associate
Joined
21 Oct 2002
Posts
410
Can someone tell me if I buy the Windows XP oem version from overclockers is it a legal license?

Reading up it seems it's only licensed properly if bought with a PC from a hardware vendor...

Thanks
 
Perfectly legal. Howerver you will only be able to use the OEM version for one build at a time. I.e you cant swap mobos and use the same OEM key.
 
Burnsy2023 said:
Yes, but you aren't licensed and therefore not legal.

Burnsy
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Well, microsoft activated it for me so as far as i am concerned all is ok! Do you think the police would prosecute me for it? Surely Microsoft reactivating it is good enough for any court in the land? Its not as if i was trying to be dishonest. All i wanted was to get windows activated after having a few dodgy mobos over the years!!
 
longshanks said:
Well, microsoft activated it for me so as far as i am concerned all is ok! Do you think the police would prosecute me for it? Surely Microsoft reactivating it is good enough for any court in the land? Its not as if i was trying to be dishonest. All i wanted was to get windows activated after having a few dodgy mobos over the years!!
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Hello longshanks, you may have an activated copy of Windows Vista but it doesn't necessary mean that you are licensed, as already been stated and in this case you are not.

You may say that if Microsoft themselves activated Windows Vista for me, how can I off just violated the terms of the EULA? They gave you a new code because you had lied to them, if you had said the truth that you changed your motherboard for a performance upgrade, they will then say to you, you will have to go out and purchase a new copy of Windows Vista. Their is a certain amount of trust Microsoft give its customers concerning this and if you wish to abuse this then that is up to you. :)
 
Fire Wizard said:
Hello longshanks, you may have an activated copy of Windows Vista but it doesn’t necessary mean that you are licensed, as already been stated and in this case you are not.

You may say that if Microsoft themselves activated Windows Vista for me, how can I off just violated the terms of the EULA? They gave you a new code because you had lied to them, if you had said the truth that you changed your motherboard for a performance upgrade, they will then say to you, you will have to go out and purchase a new copy of Windows Vista. Their is a certain amount of trust Microsoft give its customers concerning this and if you wish to abuse this then that is up to you. :)
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I have not lied to them!! If you read my post properly you will have seen that i said, "All i wanted was to get windows activated after having a few dodgy mobos over the years!!"
Dodgy meaning broken mobos!! Not upgrades.

Anyway, that was on my old pc. I now have Vista on a new PC!!
 
longshanks said:
I have not lied to them!! If you read my post properly you will have seen that i said, "All i wanted was to get windows activated after having a few dodgy mobos over the years!!"
Dodgy meaning broken mobos!! Not upgrades.

Anyway, that was on my old pc. I now have Vista on a new PC!!
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Hello longshanks, in that case then, I do apologize. Replacing your motherboard due to a fault is perfectly ok and you still have the right to use your existing license. :)

I will read much more carefully next time, so once again, sorry. :)
 
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I have noticed that there is small number of guys on here that always go on about the EULA as if it was a special Commandment from god!! I suppose most of us on here know a bit about what it means but probably 90% of people who use PC's and ring up to get re-activated don't even have a clue about it!! I bet they haven't even read the info that comes with the windows software!

I can't see anyone (Jo public) being fined etc etc for not reading / abiding by the letter of the EULA.
 
longshanks said:
I bet they haven't even read the info that comes with the windows software!
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I read all legal contracts that I agree to and I suggest other people do the same.

longshanks said:
I can't see anyone (Jo public) being fined etc etc for not reading / abiding by the letter of the EULA.
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Most people don't care, but some do, and it's worth advising those people. Not only that, but just becuase there is no punishment or no chance of getting caught doesn't mean that you should go ahead and do immorral or illegal acts.

Why spend money on a licence if you are going to render it void? You agreed to a contract and IMO have an obligation to keep your terms.

Burnsy
 
longshanks said:
I have noticed that there is small number of guys on here that always go on about the EULA as if it was a special Commandment from god!! I suppose most of us on here know a bit about what it means but probably 90% of people who use PC's and ring up to get re-activated don't even have a clue about it!! I bet they haven't even read the info that comes with the windows software!
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You'd be surprised. It is a bit heavy and a lot of it is just blurb but as Burnsy said, you'd be silly to agree on something if you didn't know exactly what you were getting.
 
Burnsy2023 said:
Why spend money on a licence if you are going to render it void? You agreed to a contract and IMO have an obligation to keep your terms.
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This is my argument too. A copy that you pay for and then use against the terms of the EULA is just as dodgy as downloading one from your website flavour of the week.
 
longshanks said:
I have noticed that there is small number of guys on here that always go on about the EULA as if it was a special Commandment from god!! I suppose most of us on here know a bit about what it means but probably 90% of people who use PC's and ring up to get re-activated don't even have a clue about it!! I bet they haven't even read the info that comes with the windows software!

I can't see anyone (Jo public) being fined etc etc for not reading / abiding by the letter of the EULA.
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I'm so sorry that I too fall into the "small number".
However I think you would be surprised about just how many people do care about license agreements.
Some of us are legal and want to remain so.
I have 2 PC's, 2 Laptops and a PDA in the house and every single one of those machines is 100% legal with reagrds licenses.

I have morals and I stick to them - I don't agree with any kind of theft, any taking of something you aren't entitled to.
If people aren't going to stick to the OEM license agreement that they agreed to when they installed the OS then don't bother buying it.
You might just as well go and download yourself a free copy as the two would be as legal as one another.

People ringing up and getting their software reactivated is not illegal - you can do it as often as you like, so long as the motherboard remains the same.
If somebody is buying an OEM copy of an OS then the chances are they have also built their own machines so are quite capable of reading the license agreement that they agree to by installing it.

Longshanks:
Seems you are extremely unlucky or maybe extremely lucky?
You said that you asked MS to reactivate your product after having a few dodgy motherboards over the years.
You've managed to have your MB fail within warranty each time and on each occasion had a new/different motherboard sent back under warranty?
Blimey - pretty amazing run of luck.
But of course if that is the case then MS will of course reactivate the product for you.

However as has been said above, just because MS activate an OS does not neccessarily make it legal.
Give me one OEM copy of Vista, 4 PC's and 2hrs and I bet I could get the same copy of Vista activated on each of those 4 PC's.
Wouldn't automatically make three of those installations legal.
 
longshanks said:
I have noticed that there is small number of guys on here that always go on about the EULA as if it was a special Commandment from god!!
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Hello longshanks, theirs a certain amount of a legal aspect to these forums so that's certainly one reason why a few people are always stating how it actually is and not how they would like it. I also have morals. :p:)
 
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I am not saying to go 'illegal' i am just saying how the EULA is metioned as if it is a commandment!! All my software is legal and i think that anyone who uses pirate software is ripping off the hard work that the developers have had to go through to get a product developed.
 
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