Rizocking. Thanks!

Okay I have bought it! Thanks everyone for all your help. I'm sure I will have a million more questions when it comes to build the thing.

An OEM license is fine if you're using the key you have on the original harware.

 

If you've changed the motherboard or hard drive it's less fine. (I've had this conversation with MS alot as one of their partners and they're not too sure what is acceptable for OEM licenses either).

 

Another problem you'll have is that if you don;t have OEM media, your license key won;t work, convenient, eh?

 

If you're using the original hardware (more or less) then the OEM license is valid and you'll be legal if you can find an OEM CD, otherwise you need the full version at £180 (that's my lowest price for it, anyway).

As you're buying hardware anyway you're entitled to buy whichever OEM copy of the OS you feel like with the hardware, XPx64 or Pro would be advisable. Don't buy the full version ever as it's possible to buy the OEM version with a new hdd or memory for the same money as the full version.

Buit as I keep saying, just because you've bought the OEM version, installing it doesn;t result in a legal OS.

It's slightly more legal than pirating though - you're paying MS money, Windows Genuine Advantage is quite happy that you've got a legal copy and windows update is similarly happy.

To be perfectly frank, I couldn't give a bollocks if I don't meet all the requirements for Microsofts OEM licensing. So long as it's a legal serial number and it's been bought then I don't see the problem. It's a bit like MS stating that OEM stuff isn't transferrable. That's crap as well. Just the same as I can transfer a CD drive or a sound card across when I replace my PC, I see no justifyable reason why I can't transfer a legal OS across as well. Sometimes MS are just to greedy for their own good.

Eeh, you are funny with your leaping through hoops justification about piracy. You were doing this about audio CDs before too, I remember. Just deal with it!

I don't like to. I take a simple approach in that if I've paid for software then it should be legal for me to do pretty much what I want with it short of obviously making loads of copies or installing it everywhere etc.

Yes but then you go on about how it's not piracy, it's morally justifiable blah blah blah. There's no need! Strictly speaking, it's illegal! Getoverit! No one will arrest you.

Technically it is piracy, but I do think it's morally justified. And I'm glad nobody will arrest me. Because that would suck :(

I would like Microsoft to link my software licenses to my .NET Live account, or whatever Passport's called now. Then I could use my software on any machine I logged into.

The justifiable reason is that it's not part of the license agreement.

 

I don;t agree with it but am explaining that this is the case.

 

OEM licenses are cheap for a reason. If you want to be transferring, you need a 'Fully Packaged Product' as the boys at MS say.

That's coming soon, according to my mate (well, the bloke I deal with) at MS.

The idea technically is that the system manufacturer is supposed to support the OS mainly, hence less support for Microsoft to dish out and hence a cheaper cost. Once I buy an OEM copy of Windows myself, that immediately rules that bit out as I'm the system builder. Therefore the innability to move the OS becomes silly as it's not as if I'm moving away from a supported system. If they said that OEM versions do not have access to direct MS tech support, then that'd be far better than trying to tie it permenantly to a particular system IMO.

I wasn't discussing your philosophy.

 

I'm dealing in facts. An OEM edition, installed on anything other than a new PC, does not necessarily give the end result of a legal OS.

 

They do need to clarify what new hardware would allow it to become legit but they don;t know themselves and that comes pretty much from the top of the UK MS tree.

Where does the OEM license leave someone who builds PCs for other people like I have? Do I have to be registered as an OEM system builder or VAT registered company to be able to also purchase an OEM copy of XP to give them or ... something else?

The PCs I've built have generally been complete builds with the exception of the keyboard, mouse and monitor but otherwise everything else that makes up a PC including a case is new. Where do I stand continuing to do this? I know you can't really answer this but it'd be nice if you could get an answer out of your contact at Microsoft.

Also as an extension of the above can I also not simply be my own vendor and supply and install a OEM copy of Windows installed on the new PC I built for myself with the same lack of new monitor, keyboard and mouse?

All rather confusing this is.

You don;t need to be registered.

 

If you're building complete systems from scratch and providing the customer with an OEM licensed edition of the OS, that's fine and perfectly legal.

I know what you mean. I recently built a complete system up for someone at work. Complete with screen, keyboard, mouse, printer etc. I bought an OEM copy of XP Home and installed that on it. It still needed activating and everything else. Now that's a new PC so is it legal to put OEM Windows on it?