What is the difference between windows 7 OEM and Retail?

anuraj · 30 Aug 2010 at 18:54

As the title asks, what is the difference between the two versions?

stulid · 30 Aug 2010 at 18:56

the retail copy comes in a nice shiny box, and can be reused in different builds.

the OEM is tied to the motherboard it is installed on, so can only be used for that particular pc,

anuraj · 30 Aug 2010 at 18:57

If I was going to build a new system what one would be better?

stulid · 30 Aug 2010 at 19:02

err,

depends how long you going to keep the pc for? upgrade the motherboard and CPU?

by the time you decide to do another large upgrade, win10 or something could be on the shelves.

RJC · 30 Aug 2010 at 19:02

I would go with Retail, also can be sold if not needed.

anuraj · 30 Aug 2010 at 19:45

It's ok I'm not going to build the computer this year I just wanted to clear some things up.

bushmins · 30 Aug 2010 at 22:02

Was this the same for xp oem? Ive installed xp oem on all my rebuild and upgrades. Even spoke to Microsoft who said as long as its only on one computer its ok.
Or are they taking harder measures for win7?

vsmora · 31 Aug 2010 at 02:11

Not new for W7, was the same system for XP OEM (and other Win/Office OEM versions for at least 10 years). All that's really changed over time is the terms of how it can/can't be supplied. Sounds like the MS phone rep confused themselves between OEM and retail.

wilko49 · 31 Aug 2010 at 03:03

XP OEM you were only allowed to install on one computer (one motherboard), and had to be sold with hardware - however, there was no check in place, so you could actually instal on as many different platforms as you liked.
The only sold with hardware requirement was removed for Vista onwards, but the check for motherboard details was added.

I successfully installed Vista on two motherboards of the same model, so it is not looking at anything unique to the individual board. I have also heard that Microsoft may release the motherboard lock if you call their support line and tell them you had to replace your motherboard.

Pawnless Endgame · 31 Aug 2010 at 08:12

It's been answered already, but here's an analogy if you play World of Warcraft. Using Blizzard's terminology, the code for OEM Windows is soulbound to the computer. The retail version doesn't bind. And before anyone takes a swipe at me, no I don't play WoW, but did use to many moons ago :-P

mast3r · 31 Aug 2010 at 09:56

OEM is the way to go.

scotty365 · 31 Aug 2010 at 10:26

I used my OEM XP on 4 systems - moving it from one to the next. Eventually during one of he builds it gave me a messege saying that it could not be used anymore - I rang a microsoft number where a distant foreign voice asked for the code and asked if was presently installed on any other computer - I said no and she read the new code to me which works to this day. I never had more than one computer at a time with it installed and had no problems except that 30 mins or so.

As for Win7 - I would go OEM, but there is no guarantee. This OS is definately bound to a particular computer build.

Invader675 said:
Heh heh, buying a copy of windows... what a funny idea.

Take from that what you will. Most people have problems with pirate software as vendors release new measures to combat it. Personally I want my OS to work and Win7 is worth the money.

CaptainCrash · 31 Aug 2010 at 10:27

mast3r said:
OEM is the way to go.

I disagree - there's only £15-£20 difference in price between Win7 HP OEM and retail, it seems a bit silly to restrict your future options unnecessarily.

If you're absolutely 100% sure that you'll never want to use the OS on a new system, then fair enough I suppose.

Burnsy2023 · 31 Aug 2010 at 11:15

mast3r said:
OEM is the way to go.

If you are not selling the machine you are building and licensing, you shouldn't' be using OEM. That includes the vast majority of people on here.

SiriusB · 31 Aug 2010 at 12:05

Then why does OcUK sell OEM? Most customers I suspect aren't building systems for other users.

CaptainCrash · 31 Aug 2010 at 12:55

SiriusB said:
Then why does OcUK sell OEM? Most customers I suspect aren't building systems for other users.

I don't think MS give a tinker's cuss to be honest, it would be easy enough for them to pull supplies of OEM packs from retail outlets if they were that bothered. And without wanting to get into the whole debate, if an OEM buyer suffered pangs of conscience, it would be easy enough to contrive a way in which they *were* technically in full compliance with the system builder's licence and still have use of the PC they'd built.

Perhaps MS have crunched the numbers, and decided it's better to have a certain number of people using OEM packs in a manner not strictly intended, rather than more people not paying at all, such as the gentleman earlier in the thread who now seems to have disappeared along with his post.

Participant · 31 Aug 2010 at 13:09

SiriusB said:
Then why does OcUK sell OEM? Most customers I suspect aren't building systems for other users.

You answered your own question with the word 'most' :confused:

.

SiriusB · 31 Aug 2010 at 14:18

CaptainCrash said:
I don't think MS give a tinker's cuss to be honest, it would be easy enough for them to pull supplies of OEM packs from retail outlets if they were that bothered. And without wanting to get into the whole debate, if an OEM buyer suffered pangs of conscience, it would be easy enough to contrive a way in which they *were* technically in full compliance with the system builder's licence and still have use of the PC they'd built.

Perhaps MS have crunched the numbers, and decided it's better to have a certain number of people using OEM packs in a manner not strictly intended, rather than more people not paying at all, such as the gentleman earlier in the thread who now seems to have disappeared along with his post.

Oh I know MS couldn't give a stuff. Just as OcUK doesn't give a stuff!

Robbie G said:
You answered your own question with the word 'most' .

The point was if it was even a remotely important issue OcUK and competitors would at least have some kind of check. As it stands anyone can buy OEM.

It wasn't an entirely serious point either!

Burnsy2023 · 31 Aug 2010 at 14:20

CaptainCrash said:
I don't think MS give a tinker's cuss to be honest, it would be easy enough for them to pull supplies of OEM packs from retail outlets if they were that bothered. And without wanting to get into the whole debate, if an OEM buyer suffered pangs of conscience, it would be easy enough to contrive a way in which they *were* technically in full compliance with the system builder's licence and still have use of the PC they'd built.

Perhaps MS have crunched the numbers, and decided it's better to have a certain number of people using OEM packs in a manner not strictly intended, rather than more people not paying at all, such as the gentleman earlier in the thread who now seems to have disappeared along with his post.

They were bothered enough to issue advice on this particular issue.

CaptainCrash · 31 Aug 2010 at 15:56

Burnsy2023 said:
They were bothered enough to issue advice on this particular issue.

Yes, I remember - it seems rather a long time ago now though, and IIRC it was a rather obscure advisory published on an *internal* (ie not publicly visible) MS web page, that only received widespread attention because a tech journo happened to stumble across it, following which it was gleefully plastered over various enthusiast websites (to predictable howls of indignation).

My point is really that MS could take much firmer steps to stop the practice if they were minded to do so, and the fact that the issue seems to have dropped off the radar again (in public perception at least) suggests that it's not top of their list of priorities.

edit: spelling