Buying a secondhand PC with Windows 7 Enterprise - ok?

afroken23 · 16 Jul 2010 at 00:11

As per the title really, not sure if this is a silly question but as a home user is it legit to buy a secondhand PC with Windows 7 Enterprise installed? Thanks.

LeJosh · 16 Jul 2010 at 07:15

Edit - I was wrong.

MeatLoaf · 16 Jul 2010 at 07:19

Just make sure you get the media and the COA

paradigm · 16 Jul 2010 at 08:03

LeJosh said:
Well yeah because the license is attached to that pc not the owner.

Actually no, it's not.

Enterprise is ONLY licensed under VLK agreements, and as such the license would stay with the corporation that owns the agreement (be that select, open, etc).

stoofa · 16 Jul 2010 at 09:09

paradigm said:
Actually no, it's not.

Enterprise is ONLY licensed under VLK agreements, and as such the license would stay with the corporation that owns the agreement (be that select, open, etc).

As above.
Windows Enterprise belongs to the company who installed it.
Home users are not supposed to be installing it (so if this is a private sale sounds like somebody "borrowed" a copy of the OS from IT).
If it's a company selling then they cannot sell individual Enterprise licenses.

LeJosh · 16 Jul 2010 at 10:59

paradigm said:
Actually no, it's not.

Enterprise is ONLY licensed under VLK agreements, and as such the license would stay with the corporation that owns the agreement (be that select, open, etc).

So he 'technically' he shouldn't buy it or the person shouldn't be selling it?

Raumarik · 16 Jul 2010 at 11:08

LeJosh said:
So he 'technically' he shouldn't buy it or the person shouldn't be selling it?

Both.

edscdk · 16 Jul 2010 at 12:35

afroken23 said:
As per the title really, not sure if this is a silly question but as a home user is it legit to buy a secondhand PC with Windows 7 Enterprise installed? Thanks.

if its a branded PC it will ahve a COA on the side, as long as it has you will not have any problems...

edscdk · 16 Jul 2010 at 12:36

LeJosh said:
So he 'technically' he shouldn't buy it or the person shouldn't be selling it?

you can buy a pc with ent installed... assuming its got a coa on its fine..

paradigm · 16 Jul 2010 at 12:46

edscdk said:
you can buy a pc with ent installed

Proof required please.

As far as I was (and my suppliers are) aware, Enterprise is via Licensing Agreement only.

Windows 7 Enterprise
This edition targets the enterprise segment of the market and is sold through volume licensing to companies which have a Software Assurance contract with Microsoft. Additional features include support for Multilingual User Interface (MUI) packages, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support. Not available through retail or OEM channels, this edition is distributed through Microsoft Software Assurance (SA). As a result it includes several SA-only benefits, including a license allowing the running of multiple virtual machines, and activation via VLK.

edscdk · 16 Jul 2010 at 12:49

paradigm said:
Proof required please.

As far as I was (and my suppliers are) aware, Enterprise is via Licensing Agreement only.

hmmm, ok I did assume it was the same as vista...

still if it is a branded PC it WILL have a COA on it of some sort, worst case he jsut reinstalled the correct OS..

paradigm · 16 Jul 2010 at 12:51

edscdk said:
hmmm, ok I did assume it was the same as vista

It IS the same as Vista, that wasn't available via Retail or OEM either.

I think you are confusing Enterprise and Business/Professional editions.

Windows Vista Business was (for all intents and purposes) the same as Enterprise, bar the licensing model. The same goes for 7 Professional and Enterprise (bar full drive encryption through bitlocker), infact, with Windows 7, Ultimate is the same as Enterprise, bar the licensing model.

afroken23 · 16 Jul 2010 at 17:13

The pc I'm thinking of buying is custom built one, not a branded one. I'll have a chat with the seller, however if I'm not comfortable that I should be using it I'll buy one of the other Windows 7 versions.

Thanks for all the replies guys.