CD-Key Question, need answered asap.

I had a laptop that was government owned/issues to me, when i got laid off they didnt ask for it back (but they asked me for all of my other equipment that had issued me) I reformatted the laptop because I wanted it for own personal use and before the reformat it had all the government restrictions and stuff on it.

The laptop came with XP Professional and the cd-key sticker was taped to the bottom of it. I am wanting to know if I re use that cd-key for another computer i am building for someone, if they can somehow trace it? Or if they even would keep records of it? I know microsoft can trace it and know where that computer is located but can the gorvernment company I was working for trace it in any way? I just dont want the people I am making the computer for to get in trouble, nor me for that matter.

Need replies asap. Thanks for any input and/or advice in advance.

If the license key is affixed to the case of the computer, it's most likely an OEM license and is thus not transferable.

While tracing is simply not done by Microsoft, transference of an OEM license constitutes theft.

hafa said:

If the license key is affixed to the case of the computer, it's most likely an OEM license and is thus not transferable.

While tracing is simply not done by Microsoft, transference of an OEM license constitutes theft.

Click to expand...

Is there any way to tell if it is OEM?

The sticker says label is not to be sold seperately.. Guessing I cant transfer it?

I dont see why it matters if its only being used by one computer in the long run. Or is that just one of microsofts laws?

bburrill2012 said:

The sticker says label is not to be sold seperately.. Guessing I cant transfer it?

I dont see why it matters if its only being used by one computer in the long run. Or is that just one of microsofts laws?

Click to expand...

Yep, that's an OEM license.

When you (or someone else) purchase a computer with a pre-installed software product, or a license for a given software product, you are bound by the terms of the End User License Agreement, or EULA, associated with said product.

Original Equipment Manufacturer, or OEM licenses are sold at a substantial discount compared to a retail license. As such, OEM licenses have the limitation that they are only to be used on the computer to which they've been assigned by the manufacturer. In this case, "computer" is defined as the motherboard.*

Unlike a retail license, the OEM license DOES NOT allow for transfer from on computer to another.

When you purchase a license to use software, you do not own the software, only a license (defined by the EULA) to use it.

*The OEM license allows for replacement of a faulty or damaged motherboard as long as the motherboard is an identical replacement part.

Okay thank you. So eventually microsoft would come after me or whoever has the computer. Or would it not even let me use the key at all?

bburrill2012 said:

Okay thank you. So eventually microsoft would come after me or whoever has the computer. Or would it not even let me use the key at all?

Click to expand...

To be frank, Microsoft has better things to do these days, but you may wish to approach this from an ethical perspective: do you really want to be a thief?

Windows has to be activated to be used beyond a very brief period of time (3 days or something like that) and activation involves Windows phoning home as it were to see if the license is being used in a valid fashion. If anything is amiss, the activation will fail and you will be instructed to call Microsoft directly (phone number will be provided) to resolve the problem. Activation is meant to only allow valid license uses of Windows to work and to leave all other copies in a reduced functionality state.

If you somehow got around that and gave that license to somebody else, they could go to http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/default.aspx and report you for giving them an illegitimate copy of Windows.

It is up to Microsoft to determine what actions to take depending on the information gathered. True, they will likely not do anything but they still could do something. This is assuming you even find a way to activate that copy of Windows when it wasn't installed on the original system it was bound to.

You would get away with it, Microsoft don't track down proper pirates, let alone those breaking licences. The only question is whether or not you care about licensing agreements.

So pretty much i can try and install it with the cd-key and if i go to activate it and it works then I can go live my life. Cuz i think if it were against their laws/policy then they wouldnt let me activate it anyway right??

Simple Explanation...

1) It is illegal.

2) It is morally and ethically wrong.

3) Microsoft doesn't have time to worry about it... Thus you won't have any problems other than with your own ability to sleep at night.

OCF does NOT support the actions you're about to take either... Having said that... I think we should let this thread drop.

ETA: Just to be perfectly clear... Just because you can install it and activate does NOT make it legal or ethical.

Take a hint.

Chill chill i was just askin. I didnt know all the rules and regulations. I dont plan on going through with it, just trying to save a friend some money on a machine he is barely going to use.

It isn't legal to transfer that license to another computer.

Since I've covered all the legalities of this, I'm closing the thread. We can't discuss anything beyond that anyway.