motherboard = New “Microsoft: Upgraded windows Licence”

The thing is, if you could do the same with an OEM license as a retail one, it would kinda cut into their retail sales. OEM is cheap because it is supposed to be for a single specific computer rather than a lifetime (multiple PC) retail license.

People with OEM licenses feel they should be entitled to do what they want with their PC(s) - and they are. They just aren't allowed to install the software on what equates to multiple machines.

The people to blame when it goes pearshaped are those who bought an OEM license without forseeing the possibility that they might change core system components (mobo) during the lifetime of the OS. The only version of windows I bought an OEM copy of (excluding win95 that came with a pre-built pc) was windows 2000, due to the prohibitive cost of the retail edition.
 
Caged said:
You use Linux then?
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On one computer yes. My comment wasn't on how microsoft are con artists on the whole though (that's a whole other discussion), but was directed at having to purchase a new license because one component has been upgraded. And considering a motherboard is amongst the cheapest upgrades that can be made on computer...
 
wtf?

I have never activated winxp in all my years of using LEGAL copy's?

I have 3 legal copy's if anyone is wondering all i use is the cdkey and thats it i never get asked to activate anything?
 
Zephyrus said:
On one computer yes. My comment wasn't on how microsoft are con artists on the whole though (that's a whole other discussion), but was directed at having to purchase a new license because one component has been upgraded. And considering a motherboard is amongst the cheapest upgrades that can be made on computer...
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Then don't buy an OEM license.
 
Paa` said:
wtf?

I have never activated winxp in all my years of using LEGAL copy's?

I have 3 legal copy's if anyone is wondering all i use is the cdkey and thats it i never get asked to activate anything?
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Are your 3 copies on PCs built by major OEMs? Only copies of XP that don't need to be activated are the dodgy "corporate" versions floating around and OEM ones that are linked to big brand PCs that only auto-activate on that particular brand PC as far as I'm aware.
 
Phil99 said:
Are your 3 copies on PCs built by major OEMs? Only copies of XP that don't need to be activated are the dodgy "corporate" versions floating around and OEM ones that are linked to big brand PCs that only auto-activate on that particular brand PC as far as I'm aware.
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I was gonna say this too. Actually you can buy a volume license for Windows and install it without activating but it doesn't sound as if he has done that. He must either have bought machines with XP pre-installed, or his 'legal' copies aren't as legal as he thinks.
 
/me pats work's Campus agreement :)

Seriously bad news though, esp as I've just bought a new motherboard which I will be fitting later on in the week. If I was using a "standard" OEM licence I would essentially be getting screwed for another £80.

tbh I think now there should be an option for motherboard manufacturers to bundle OEM copies of XP with their hardware. I think most people would prefer to pay an additional £40-£50 on top of the price of their motherboard rather than having to fork out £60-£80 on a separate OEM copy, which technically you have to buy alongside an item of hardware anyway. This would also give the manufacturers the option to include their drivers and software with the XP installation.
 
tmileson said:
This is not a change and has always been the case.

If you buy an OEM PC the OEM license is tied to the PC. If you buy an OEM license with hardware it's tied to that hardware.

Surely it must have occured to people that an OEM version of Windows was just that, designed for OEMs and was half the price for a reason?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/17/microsoft_oem_shocker/
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dunno about being half the price compared to retail...Oi! spie i wants me money back ;)
 
In the uk, it doesnt matter whats in the small print, its the sale of goods and reasonable use / fit for purpose bits that matter, a conract if its small print is unreasonable then it is deemed unfair and invalid, we consumers have a lot more rights than we realise. If you buy copy of oem and use it on one pc then that is reasonable use.

I have, as must many of you, upgraded mboards and reformatted etc, sometimes i have to phone ms, they ask if its only on one pc i say yes, job done no problemo. The pain is trying to hear the indian call center person.

Heck i even had a 'cough' oem pc recovery disc, the pc of which i upgraded, actually still got the harddrive and maybe cdrw. But the lady seemed a bit suspicious on the phone, but at the end of the day i had paid for the license when i bought the original pc (i'm not using it now anyway cos it was such an early copy, still called whistler, some stuff refused to work properly. As long as you only use it on one pc, they cant reasonably argue. You havent signed up to a subscription service after all.

OEM copies just dont include the telephone support.

While i'm here, someone told me a full xp retail can be legally installed on two pc's is this correct?

disclaimer: all the above could well be wrong and i'm a No swearing!
 
From the Microsoft website

What is the difference between OEM product and Full-Packaged Product (FPP)?
OEM products are intended to be preinstalled on hardware before the end user purchases the product.* They are “shrink wrapped” and do not come in a box like the retail products do.* Full-Packaged Product (FPP) is boxed with CD(s), manuals, and the EULA and is sold in retail stores in individual boxes.* The End User License Agreements (commonly referred to as “EULAs”) for OEM and FPP products are slightly different.* One main difference is that an OEM operating system license (such as the license for Windows) cannot be transferred from its original PC to another PC.***However, the FPP version of Windows may be transferred to another PC as long as the EULA, manual and media (such as the backup CD) accompany the transfer to the other PC.* Also, when a customer purchases an OEM product, the OEM license requires the OEM to provide support for the product.

Rather than purchase completely new PCs, my organization performs in-place upgrades to the hardware on many of our computers. We often times only replace the motherboard, processor, and memory. Since the COA is still on the case and the OS is still installed on the hard drive, this computer is still licensed, right?

ANSWER. Generally, you may upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on your computer and maintain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software, with the exception of an upgrade or replacement of the motherboard. An upgrade of the motherboard is considered to result in a "new personal computer." Microsoft OEM operating system software cannot be transferred from one computer to another. Therefore, if the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect then a new computer has been created, the original license expires, and a new full operating system license (not upgrade) is required. This is true even if the computer is covered under Software Assurance or other Volume License programs.

If I upgrade some of my PC components, do I have to purchase a new operating system?
ANSWER.* The answer depends on the components that are upgraded or changed in the PC. The operating system licenses must remain with the device that retains the motherboard, chipsets, and chassis that include the serial number of the device. The operating system may be installed on a new/replacement hard drive as long as the operating system is first removed from the old hard drive.
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thats the end of my upgrading then, why do people always spoil my fun! better make sure i get the right motherboard first time

--and i'm probably in the minority that actually buys a copy(ies) :(
 
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Also a question on a similar vein to this, regarding licences :

i'm a full time student - i have the "Academic XP Pro Upgrade" package, so upgraded to XP Pro full retail for £62

when i finish my course in June 2007, will i have to uninstall the OS and buy a non academic version? (if i havent upgraded to vista by then, if its out)
 
SidewinderINC said:
Also a question on a similar vein to this, regarding licences :

i'm a full time student - i have the "Academic XP Pro Upgrade" package, so upgraded to XP Pro full retail for £62

when i finish my course in June 2007, will i have to uninstall the OS and buy a non academic version? (if i havent upgraded to vista by then, if its out)
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to be correct to the letter of law (microsoft ) i would say yes
 
^ thought as much :(

also back on the original topic, buying a new hard drive would require a new install, so whats to say you bought a new HDD rather than a new mobo?

surely they would authenticate you then?

not suggesting to do it, but are there ways of microsoft telling easily whether you bought a new motherboard or new hard drive? i assume there will be :(
 
To be honest i don't understand what all the fuss is about, i've bought OEM copies of XP for my last 2 PC's, fully aware that the license is tied to the mobo. I did my research at the time, called up microsoft and asked them directly, this isn't something new, that was a good 2 years ago.

End of the day, if you want to swap xp between machines, then get the retail version, don't expect to pay less and get as much as everyone else who paid twice as much.

Pretty open and shut case if you ask me, maybe people have been getting away with swapping OEM copies around for a while, but MS must have been aware of it and decided to clamp down. Hardly going to the end of the custom PC market like some here are making out, the retail copy isn't much more.

also back on the original topic, buying a new hard drive would require a new install, so whats to say you bought a new HDD rather than a new mobo?
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Thats fine, just re-input the key and it''l work fine. MS regard the mobo as the 'heart' of a pc, thats why they've chosen that, which imo is fair. I believe they told me you can make 5 minor hardware changes (RAM, CPU, HDD, Graphics etc) before they start asking questions, because by that point you pretty much have a new PC, however as long as the mobo remains the same you'll be ok.
 
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please find me another example where a fully paid for product cannot be used even though it is in fully working order.

If you buy the retail copy you are paying for something which is expensive and you dont want, ie the helpline.
Obviously its up to ms what they charge as they have no real competition and if you think this is good ok. However when you have a situation where the market is effectively owned by a monopoly then in the uk we usually have some sort of regulator making sure things dont get out of hand. As i said above though, they've only ever asked me if it is installed on one pc which i think is perfectly reasonable. At the end of the day they cant police the no upgrade bit anyway. As i understand it you can replace a defective motherboard anyone could have a defective mboard and how could ms check.

The fuss is really because it gives ms more bad press when they are trying to improve their public image and its just pointless and desperate money making.

This is just my opinion and of course i have to obey the rules, but I find this 5 minor upgrades bit unfair as well, if i pay for a license, i should be able to use the license as i see fit, within reason, which brings me back to one pc at anyone time. Its not a subscription, if it was most people wouldnt bother, its an attempt to work on a subscription basis by the back door. MS have for a while now had the desire to tie firms into subscription services, this gives them a nice steady income. Basically, xp and office 2003 do everything anybody needs and so ms will, as their products get better struggle to maintain their income. If you sell on a subscription basis you keep getting money for the same product over and over again.

The oem copy is not sold as subscription nore is it made clear at the time of purchase that it is tied to one motherboard, in addition oem software is generally none returnable, (but how that fits in with the distance selling regulations i dont know). A lot of firms in a lot of fields make certain conditions but not all are actually allowable.

phew, got that of me chest then who's for another beer, oye wake up you lot ;)
 
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