OEM products are they OK?

JENJEN30X · 31 March 2005 at 2:32PM

Hi, I have been looking for some software for my Pc and I keep seeing OEM products are these Ok or will I get ripped off?
Any advice appreciated.
Sorry if I have posted in the wrong section I didn't know where to put it.

Jenjen30x

superfurry · 31 March 2005 at 2:41PM

Yes, perfectly ok, and full working product usually. They're the ones that ship with a new PC, or a camera etc. They're the true product without the fancy box and maybe a manual pr leaflet as you'd get in PC World. The best way to buy software. Be careful of any licensing issues though, i.e. if you're buying a product specifically licensed for educational or charitable institutions. You should get a license and COA with it.

JENJEN30X · 31 March 2005 at 2:57PM

It's a virus protection software it says it has full 12 months subscription of updates.
Jenjen

Sput2001 · 31 March 2005 at 3:02PM

There's no reason why it shouldn't be absolutely fine.

Going_Digital · 31 March 2005 at 3:53PM

If you buy OEM software from a reputable supplier it will be fine. It is just that the manufacturers offer no support. For example if you buy MS Office OEM you can not call Microsoft for help.

Be warned there are lots of people advertising OEM software as a cover for pirated software. Many spam emails and faxes offer ridiculous priced so called OEM software that is no such thing.

JENJEN30X · 31 March 2005 at 4:02PM

Going_Digital wrote:

If you buy OEM software from a reputable supplier it will be fine. It is just that the manufacturers offer no support. For example if you buy MS Office OEM you can not call Microsoft for help.

Be warned there are lots of people advertising OEM software as a cover for pirated software. Many spam emails and faxes offer ridiculous priced so called OEM software that is no such thing.

Its from savapoint.com I presume they are a reputable supplier but I havent purchased from them before so I am not sure.
Cheers Jenjen

darkfour · 31 March 2005 at 4:11PM

Often OEM licences have something within the T&Cs that the licences aren't transferrable from one machine to another and that the licence to the product expires when the machine "dies". This is particularly true of Microsoft OEM software.

Basically you own the software to use it only on the machine it was bought with

RufusA · 31 March 2005 at 5:10PM

Re Savapoint might be worth searching this site as MSEers experience has been mixed to say the least. Here is a good summary thread:

Tell me about Savapoint

If you are after Anti-virus software then what about Grisoft's AVG. They do a free version for home users, with daily virus updates FoC. I've been using it for over 2 years, with a couple of free upgrades, and am very happy with it.

Free edition - AVG

HTH - Rufus.

Noonster · 31 March 2005 at 6:02PM

From what i have read above you are obviously talking about virusprotection.

In the last month i have bought 3 OEM McAfee Internet Security Suite disks from ebay.... RRP is £50 and i got them for £13.

I have installed one on mine, one on my dads, and one on my mates PC.
And they all work fine... and update as they should.

So in answer to your question YEP - OEM is good and will work, however as suggested above best stay away from education ones unless your in education.

RedDev11 · 31 March 2005 at 6:51PM

Just so you know, OEM doesnt just mean no cover from manufactors, it also means that once you install it on one PC, you cannot install it again, even if you buy another PC.

In practise that never works

OEM at a basic level is just cheaper without the packaging.

I always buy OEM.

Patr100 · 31 March 2005 at 7:31PM

Strictly speaking OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) software should only be purchased with hardware - not on it's own. It doesn't have to be a PC it can be a new hard disk -