Windows 7 OEM/Retail

Use OEM as often as you like, just uninstall it when you need to swap pc. Retail is also only 1 pc at a time on one license.
 
OEM is tied to the original board it was installed / activated on and Retail can be moved between pc's belongs it is uninstalled form the previous PC.

There was a version which allowed you to install on 3 pc's but normal retail can only be installed on one at any one time.
 
Are you looking at changing the motherboard?

As OEM does allow for most component changes bar the motherboard.

Also with retail you can sell this separately in the future.
 
I probably will be changing if i upgrade as it will be a whole new build.

I think retail is the way to go thanks again!
 
OEM: Your licence is tied to the first PC it was installed on, computer being defined as the motherboard you can change all other hardware bar the motherboard.

Retail: Your licence can be used on an unlimited amount of computers as long as its only on one PC at a time.
 
86gtv said:
I probably will be changing if i upgrade as it will be a whole new build.

I think retail is the way to go thanks again!
Click to expand...
Get the Retail version...


I wouldn't touch any the OEM versions as i would not want to buy a new windows key everytime time i upgraded ;)

Example of my vista Ultimate full retail version
Bought it for my main gaming system on release
used it through two motherboard upgrades on my main gaming system and then when i changed to w7 my vista retail was used to replaced windows XP on my HTPC.
And now i have w7 on my HTPC my vista retail is being used to replaced windows XP on the family PC
 
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If you are buying Windows 7 get retail for sure! You can transfer it to any PC as long as you don't use it at the same time.
 
Single PC new build? Go for OEM with W8 around the corner.
Otherwise go retail, then transfer the license to another PC when you upgrade to W8.
 
Inferno99 said:
Single PC new build? Go for OEM with W8 around the corner.
Otherwise go retail, then transfer the license to another PC when you upgrade to W8.
Click to expand...

Note though, if you buy a W8 update then if you use that to update from W7 OEM you will have W8 OEM (assuming its the same as in previous upgrades) while W7 retail will upgrade into W8 retail - OEM status of a license persists across version upgrades.

That said, I've got W7 retail, just upgraded mboard/CPU and while it rebooted in W7 smoothly and sorted out the drivers with no issues it tried and failed to revalidate last night (now got the black screen and "this does not have a genuine license" message) - hoping it was just an issue with the MS licensing servers as revalidation was complaining that the process was failing to complete and that it will work when I try again today!
 
deshepherd said:
That said, I've got W7 retail, just upgraded mboard/CPU and while it rebooted in W7 smoothly and sorted out the drivers with no issues it tried and failed to revalidate last night (now got the black screen and "this does not have a genuine license" message) - hoping it was just an issue with the MS licensing servers as revalidation was complaining that the process was failing to complete and that it will work when I try again today!
Click to expand...

Just tried again and my Win7 reactivated without any problems ... the MS license check servers must have been down last night - phew!
 
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