Oem vs. retail

[AOpen]

i know there are probly 100 posts about this subject, but i havnt found them, so im just asking for a brief explanation over what the differance is.

[ataxy]

one is the cd in the box and all book and blah blah that comes with it, thats retail, the other is just the cd with a key and only comes with complete system if i am not mistaking

[Horde]

Basically, the retail version of an OS, is the manual for dummies, and the OEM Version, is the best version if you have common knowledge of computers.

[nikhsub1]

NOt quite guys. The EULA's are very different for OEM and for Retail. With OEM, once installed it is tied to the machine it was installed on, it can not be moved to a different machine, if you swap your motherboard, your OEM license is gone. With retail, you can transfer the OS to any machine you want.

[Maviryk]

Strange... I've installed my OEM version of XP on two different CPUs, motherboards, and countless HD setups... but I can still activate it...

But if what you're saying is true, shouldn't it have stopped me during activation?

[tenchi86]

Yes, OEM is basically the type of software you would get with something like a Dell. Though it is the Windows CD it is tied to its original hardware configuration. Personally I would never buy something like an OEM disk from newgg.com or anyother retailer for the simple fact that I don't like being limited that much by programs I pay for. Though keep in mind I am not saying with retail its ok legally or morally to run around installing it on multipul computers. Just saying the actually instillation cd is more open ended.

Edit: Also are you sure its an OEM disk? OEM means Orignal Equitment Manufactures. Meaning that a dell disk will be made by dell and configured to work only on their system. Usually has a ton of crap laoded with it to.

[brakezone]

If your oem windows will install on other computers than what it came with, your lucky.

In my case I bought windows xp pro upgrade back in 2000, so i've used one version of winxp across several computers. I do have to call microsoft everytime I change hardware, but they have always helped me reactivate after I explain the upgrade.

[nikhsub1]

Strange... I've installed my OEM version of XP on two different CPUs, motherboards, and countless HD setups... but I can still activate it...

But if what you're saying is true, shouldn't it have stopped me during activation?
You can physically install the OEM software illegally, which is what you have done by what you describe above. It is against the EULA. MS is actually very lenient though.

[RP Racing]

You can physically install the OEM software illegally, which is what you have done by what you describe above. It is against the EULA. MS is actually very lenient though.


Hmm. The way I understood, it can only be installed with the hardware it was bought with. I bought my OEM and they sent a case fan with it. Weird huh?

[>HyperlogiK<]

You can physically install the OEM software illegally, which is what you have done by what you describe above. It is against the EULA. MS is actually very lenient though.

If the core components of the system break, aren't you allowed to transfer the licence to a replacement machine, I'm sure that you used to be able to with M$?

[Alchemy1]

The way I understood it is that OEM is tied to that machine *legally* forever. As nikhsub1 said, you may be able to install it on another system with no problem or call MS and get another key because they are being nice. I just bought a retail copy so I would not have to worry about all of this. I got a brand new retail copy for $130. Most don't want to part with that much money for software, but I just didn't want to go through the headaches of doing it other ways.

[>HyperlogiK<]

A lot of headaches including setting up WINE/Cedega can be endured for the £180 it was orginally selling for over here.

[brakezone]

LOL your version of windows is tied to that case fan

[redduc900]

As was already mentioned, an OEM license, once installed, is not legally transferable to another computer under any circumstances. This is the best reason to avoid OEM versions; if the PC dies or is otherwise disposed of (even stolen), you cannot reuse your OEM license on a new PC.

MS provides no support for OEM versions, so if you have any problems that require outside assistance, your only recourse is to contact the vendor of the OEM license. This would include such issues as a lost Product Key or replacing damaged installation media (MS does make allowances for those instances when you can prove that the OEM has gone out of business). This doesn't mean that you can't download patches and service packs from MS... just no free live or email support for problems with the OS.

An OEM CD cannot perform an upgrade, as it was designed to be installed only upon an empty HDD.

If the OEM CD was designed by a specific manufacturer, such as eMachines, Sony, HP, Compaq, etc., it will most likely only install on the same brand of PC, as an additional anti-piracy feature. Further, such CDs are severely customized to contain only the minimum of device drivers, and a lot of extra nonsense that the manufacturer feels necessary for the specific model of PC for which the CD was designed. The "generic" OEM CDs, such as are sold to small systems builders, don't have this particular problem though, and are pretty much the same as their retail counterparts.

[nikhsub1]

If the core components of the system break, aren't you allowed to transfer the licence to a replacement machine, I'm sure that you used to be able to with M$?
From the MS site:

Generally, you may upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on your customer's computer and the end user may maintain the license for the original Microsoft® OEM operating system software, with the exception of an upgrade or replacement of the motherboard.

An upgrade of the motherboard is considered to result in a "new personal computer" to which Microsoft® OEM operating system software cannot be transferred from another computer. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced, for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created and the license of new operating system software is required.

If the motherboard is replaced because it is defective, you do NOT need to acquire a new operating system license for the PC.

The reason for this licensing rule primarily relates to the end-user license agreement (EULA) and the support of the software covered by that EULA. The EULA is a set of usage rights granted to the end-user by the PC manufacturer and relates only to rights for that software as installed on that particular PC. The System Builder is required to support the software on that individual PC. Understanding that end users, over time, upgrade their PC with different components, Microsoft needed to have one base component "left standing" that would still define that original PC. Since the motherboard contains the CPU and is the "heart and soul" of the PC, when the motherboard is replaced (for reasons other than defect) a new PC is essentially created. The original System Builder, therefore, can not be expected to support this new PC that they in effect, did not manufacture.

[DvBoard]

couldn't you also argue that as long as you have "some" of the original hardware it is not a "new" computer?

Sure MS specifies in this case, but really you shoudln't feel bad about it because as long as "something" is original then you've only upgraded, not bought brand new. Of course this can be totally out there if you take ti to extremes, but heck most people who are worried about this, prbly are more worried about feeling bad then MS hunting them down. at least i know i'm not worried about that last part.

Or you can just get a retail version threw your local college bookstore for cheap and not worry about it. :santa:

[tenchi86]

The main thing is usually when you buy a PC it comes with an OEM disk, and from my expericance if you try to use that disk on another PC it will refuse. If for some reason you bought and OEM disk from like Newegg then it would not come preconfigured for certian hardware because the disk is read only and cannot be edit after its ordered. Though they can block the instilation key. So basically don't count on a Dell windows disk working for you, other then that you will probably be ok either way, though try and go retail if you can.

[>HyperlogiK<]

There are Microsoft windows OEM version discs and then there are the recovery discs the computer OEMs provide. I have never heard of an OEM copy of windows not working on any machine, it's the recovery discs that won't, because they are drive images.

[tenchi86]

Yes, my mistake. I completly was forgetting the difference.