Practical Limitations of OEM license for OS (Win 10)

ginjaninja · 19 Jul 2015 at 20:20

Looking to buy Win 10 Pro (For RDP server capability) for home pc.

As an enthusiast, i expect in time the PC to change...
I will upgrade GPU, add HDDs
I may even swap motherboard in the event of a fault

Will i need a retail license?
Or can i buy OEM safe in knowledge i can deactivate/ reactivate either automatically myself or by telephone call to MS?

thanks

Skeeter · 19 Jul 2015 at 21:01

You will need retail to transfer it to new hardware.

OEM should also not be installed by end users.

ginjaninja · 19 Jul 2015 at 21:41

Skeeter said:
OEM should also not be installed by end users.

but this cant be real life position....as loads of etailers sell oem licenses.

ginjaninja · 19 Jul 2015 at 21:43

Skeeter said:
You will need retail to transfer it to new hardware.

yes well thats the 64m $ qu.

what constitutes new hardware...ive heard oem people changing hardware and getting reactivated, so i dont think its that simple ..hence the question...

AtreuS · 19 Jul 2015 at 22:19

If you are only using it on one machine the automated microsoft phone activation will work using an OEM key.

Wether it is "legal" is another matter but as a home user on a single machine i certainly would not worry about it.

Skeeter · 20 Jul 2015 at 00:24

ginjaninja said:
but this cant be real life position....as loads of etailers sell oem licenses.

So? Its got nothing to do with who sells the license. OEM licenses should only be purchased by System Builders to install as pre-installed OS's on machines they build and then sell on to end users.

And OEM cannot be transfered to a new device. It is for a single device only. You can replace hardware with like for like hardware in the event of a failure.

This is to the letter of the licensing agreement. What you may be able to get away with beyond this is going to be hit and miss and you will only know by trying. Given the amount of utter garbage that has been posted under the guise of "fact" in this sub forum recetly I think its best to give advice based on what is actually correct, rather than speculation.

As an enthusiast building your own PC, you should buy Retail. Were only talking £20 or so difference.

Raiden85 · 20 Jul 2015 at 00:58

I have changed motherboards, CPU's GPU's HDD's etc with the same Windows 8 OEM license (same installation). Sometimes Windows 8 activated itself as soon as it was online if I hadn't changed motherboards for many months, and other times a quick 3 minute call to MS automated line activated my key everytime. Think I have done around 6 activations on my original 8 OEM licences.

I have done this on Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and it will probably be the same with 10.

Skeeter · 20 Jul 2015 at 07:58

8 had the Personal Use License so you were able to transfer it anyway.

ginjaninja · 21 Jul 2015 at 08:36

thanks for feedback....i think the difference between usb retail and oem dvd for win 10 pro is 115 vs 158.

The 'letter of the agreement' may be lost in the practicalities of user experience.
From the feedback ive read...the main difference seems to be no support on oem, but enthusiasts who know what there doing seem to buy oem.