Buying OS - Windows XP OEM version

[Deleted User]

knowledgepower1 wrote: »

I got mine free of charge online.

Probably not legal?

mrian_2

vlad_the_impaler wrote: »

At £13, it was either incomplete, damaged, or onw of the 100s of Chinese counterfeits on there. XP Pro is £100 piece of software.

If it is anything like the counterfeit Office 2003s I ahve seen, it will be an Enterprise copy. Did you actually activate it online after installation?

You will have no problem with this, it will not be counterfeit. It will be a previously activated coa which will activate again with no problem at all. It came from Germany because in Germany the courts ruled that Microsoft were acting illegaly in not allowing people to buy and sell second hand COA's. Sadly there is no ruling in the UK so if I advertise a genuine XP OEM on ebay they remove my listing but German sellers can list on ebay with no problem. £13 is a good price, I normally charge £25 for the genuine item.

prowla

Beware of some distributions that are tied to particular hardware (eg. Dell).

mrian_2

prowla wrote: »

Beware of some distributions that are tied to particular hardware (eg. Dell).

Why? oem is oem!

gjchester

mrian wrote: »

Why? oem is oem!

depends on the licenceing with Microsoft.

OEM is also only valid when purchased with hardware, buying a OEM copy by itself invalidates the licence.

Will microsoft ever know, probably not but if your going to pay good money and invalidate the licence before you even get it you may as well buy a pirate copy.

mrian_2

gjchester wrote: »

depends on the licenceing with Microsoft.

OEM is also only valid when purchased with hardware, buying a OEM copy by itself invalidates the licence.

Will microsoft ever know, probably not but if your going to pay good money and invalidate the licence before you even get it you may as well buy a pirate copy.

a) oem is oem. It does not matter wether it is Dell, HP, Compaq or Joe Bloggs.

b) Invalidates does not mean does not work and this does not apply in some other countries ie Germany.

c) Probably should read never. Pirate copies only work for a short time until Microsoft find out (by the amount of activations) Never ever buy Pirate copies of XP. Just stick to oem, It is that simple.

PROLIANT

The way around the problem with OEM is to buy a low-value peice of hardware e.g a cheap hard-disk, DVD Drive (£8) and there you go...legal.

mrian_2

PROLIANT wrote: »

The way around the problem with OEM is to buy a low-value peice of hardware e.g a cheap hard-disk, DVD Drive (£8) and there you go...legal.

OEM software is distributed with new PC systems and has the phrase, "For distribution with a new PC only," printed on the user manual, the Certificate of Authenticity, and/or the program disc. The software may also indicate the name of the PC manufacturer on the Certificate of Authenticity or the user manual. When OEM software is received with and/or used on a computer, it is licensed for use only on that computer - the software and the original computer are essentially "married" and are considered a single integrated unit. Under the terms of the software license, OEM software is to be transferred only as part of a complete transfer of the computer with which the software was originally used. Distributing used OEM software with general PC hardware (hard drive, motherboard, etc.) would not be authorized under the terms of this license.

[Deleted User]

Unfortunately, buying an OEM version no longer gives you a valid license unless you are a System Builder (registered with Microsoft, not just putting one together).

mrian_2

anewhope wrote: »

Unfortunately, buying an OEM version no longer gives you a valid license unless you are a System Builder (registered with Microsoft, not just putting one together).

Who needs a valid license? All you need is an oem (not pirate) version, this will activate and validate all day every day.
XP pro retail - £180 ??
XP pro oem - £ 85 ??
XP Pro oem 2nd hand - £ 25 ??

To me it is no contest, I am sure that the XP police will not come knocking on my door to see my license, anyway, I bought it from Germany (honest gov) and the courts have ruled there that the Microsoft license terms are unreasonable and unenforceful.