Windows 7 OEM , switching mainboard question

[xsistor]

Anyone have any experience replacing their mainboard with OEM win7? what was the process?

Thinking of upgrading my mainboard but the thing holding me back is the issue. I've heard that MS does a telephone activation just to discourage it and sort of have a 'don't tell and we wont ask' policy. I also hear that you can use the key that comes with the Win 7 oem to reinstall to new mainboards 3 times before requiring microsoft to sort out activation for it. But I have no experiencing trying any of this and want to know if anyone has done this themselves.

 

[Duke]

Change board, then use the automated phone activation if required.

 

[Confused]

Windows 7 OEM/Retail Question #873 of week ending 4th December 2011...



An OEM licence is tied to the motherboard it was first installed on.

Upgrading the motherboard is against the EULA.

Replacing it for a like-for-like warranty replacement is allowed under the EULA.


It *will* activate, but this will be against the licence terms that you have paid for.

 

[CaptainCrash]

An OEM licence is tied to the motherboard it was first installed on.

Upgrading the motherboard is against the EULA.

It *will* activate, but this will be against the licence terms that you have paid for.

Where does it state any of this in the Windows 7 OEM EULA?

 

[madindehead]

Could someone please make a sticky on OEM Windows. Someone who knows what they are talking about preferably.

 

[Surveyor]

Where does it state any of this in the Windows 7 OEM EULA?

An OEM licence is technically tied to the PC it was activated on.

Activation associates the use of the software with a specific computer. During activation, the software will send information about the software and the computer to Microsoft. This information includes the version, language and product key of the software, the Internet protocol address of the computer, and information derived from the hardware configuration of the computer.

However you can re-use the licence if you change the motherboard despite what it says in the EULA, I've done it, but you have to confirm as part of the activation process that the licence is only used on 1 PC.

 

[Surveyor]

Could someone please make a sticky on OEM Windows. Someone who knows what they are talking about preferably.

If you want to read the EULA then put the details in here.

For OEM software you need to select "Pre-installed on your computer from the computer manufacturer" in the first drop down box.

 

[CaptainCrash]

An OEM licence is tied to the PC it was activated on.

You can re-use the licence if you change the motherboard, I've done it, but you have to confirm as part of the activation process that the licence is only used on 1 PC.

Yes indeed, but the point I'm making (and have bored people with elsewhere) is that nowhere in the OEM EULA does it state that you may not change the computer's motherboard.

Microsoft have expressed their *opinion* that "a new motherboard" equals "a new computer" for the purposes of an OEM licence, but as they haven't put anything to that effect into a legally binding contract (ie the EULA itself), end users are perfectly free to disregard that opinion if they choose. At least until a court says they can't, which seems an unlikely prospect.

 

[Surveyor]

Yes indeed, but the point I'm making (and have bored people with elsewhere) is that nowhere in the OEM EULA does it state that you may not change the computer's motherboard.

Microsoft have expressed their *opinion* that "a new motherboard" equals "a new computer" for the purposes of an OEM licence, but as they haven't put anything to that effect into a legally binding contract (ie the EULA itself), end users are perfectly free to disregard that opinion if they choose. At least until a court says they can't, which seems an unlikely prospect.

And effectively I agreed with what you said.

I stated what it says in the EULA, tying the licence to the original PC/motherboard/other components, but confirmed that Microsoft do allow you to re-activate an OEM copy of Windows using a different motherboard.

 

[CaptainCrash]

And effectively I agreed with what you said.

Ah, OK, sorry, I misunderstood the first part of your response.

Could someone please make a sticky on OEM Windows.

I don't think anyone ever reads stickies, do they?

 

[Surveyor]

Ah, OK, sorry, I misunderstood the first part of your response.

No problem.

I've edited my post slighly to make it a bit clearer.

 

[xsistor]

Right guys, thanks for clearing it all up

 

[Burnsy2023]

Could someone please make a sticky on OEM Windows. Someone who knows what they are talking about preferably.

There is one, written by me and it's been at the top of this forum for years but nobody reads it.

 

[madindehead]

There is one, written by me and it's been at the top of this forum for years but nobody reads it.

My bad. Apologies Not that I need it, but as this thread shows, plenty people do

 

[CaptainCrash]

edit: never mind, it's probably me jumping to the wrong conclusions again.

 

[stoofa]

An OEM licence is technically tied to the PC it was activated on.



However you can re-use the licence if you change the motherboard despite what it says in the EULA, I've done it, but you have to confirm as part of the activation process that the licence is only used on 1 PC.

What you can do legally and what you can do illegally are two entirely different things.
From the point of the EULA you CANNOT move the OEM license from one motherboard to another.
No ifs and buts - just the facts.
Now if you call Microsoft up and ask them to activate the software after you have installed it on a different motherboard then of course they will.
However this does NOT make your licence legal - he people you speak to over the phone are not Microsoft employee's and do not speak on behalf of Microsoft.
They cannot over-rule the EULA agreement.

By all means move your OEM copy but you might just as well download yourself and illegal pirate version of the OS - you wasted you money buying Windows in the first place.

 

[stoofa]

And effectively I agreed with what you said.

I stated what it says in the EULA, tying the licence to the original PC/motherboard/other components, but confirmed that Microsoft do allow you to re-activate an OEM copy of Windows using a different motherboard.

No they do not.
Are you talking about ringing up the activation phone number?
OK, next time try the following:

I've been asked to phone to reactivate my machine.
Please can I have the number
xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Is this copy of Windows on more than one machine?
Well, I upgraded my machine, replaced the motherboard etc and now I'd like to reactivate my copy of Windows.

Let me tell you now this conversation will end up with you NOT getting Windows reactivated.
Lie or don't disclose all of the information to these people on the phone then of course reactivation will take place.
However as I said before, you are running license illegal and you totally wasted your money ever buying Windows as you are no more license legal than a ******* pirate.

I need a dricing license to drive a car.
Guess what happens if I don't hold a license yet attempt to start up and drive the car?
Yup - I can drive, not legally but I can drive.

Exactly the same situation.

 

[pingwing]

However as I said before, you are running license illegal and you totally wasted your money ever buying Windows as you are no more license legal than a ******* pirate.

I need a dricing license to drive a car.
Guess what happens if I don't hold a license yet attempt to start up and drive the car?
Yup - I can drive, not legally but I can drive.

Exactly the same situation.

Bit over the top, though it *technically* is true that the method of getting it reactivated on another motherboard breaks the EULA, it does not seem fair to call someone a "******* pirate" because they don't want to pay for another licence for their operating system (especially in the eventuality of a motherboard actually going pop and the replacement needing a new key). Pirating the os implies a really negative attitude towards the OS (that its not worth paying for) when paying for it once and expecting to be able to use it regardless of hardware failures is a very different attitude...

The driving license analogy isn't really applicable either as your licence isn't made obsolete every 5 or so years (for some people it probably should be but thats another expensive matter) and you don't need to renew it every time you buy a new car, or get something on it replaced...

Realistically the EULA of windows is just a bit silly, by the reactions of microsoft even they know it has to be to a degree, so calling someone a pirate because of an irritating system to ensure people buy the OS is a bit mean.

 

[Burnsy2023]

Pirating the os implies a really negative attitude towards the OS (that its not worth paying for) when paying for it once and expecting to be able to use it regardless of hardware failures is a very different attitude...

I'm not sure where you're getting that implication from

The driving license analogy isn't really applicable either as your licence isn't made obsolete every 5 or so years (for some people it probably should be but thats another expensive matter) and you don't need to renew it every time you buy a new car, or get something on it replaced...

You need to renew the photo every 10 years

 

[pingwing]

I'm not sure where you're getting that implication from



You need to renew the photo every 10 years

With pirating you are trying to get something without paying, implying there's not monetary value to the product and therefore it's a bit worthless... Just felt it was unfair to say that about someone who had payed good money for the OS in the first place.

I'v got 5 years to patiently wait to get rid of the long hair on mine (but thats just a normal obligation of the licence, you don't have to pay for a whole new one)