Unused Licenses. What can I do with them?

[CM786]

Hi guys,

This summer I will be upgrading a few stand alone PCs to work with our Server, hence the OS will need to be upgraded to XP Professional.

The PCs originally came with XP Home OEM. Can I just transfer the COA on the case to another PC, install XP OEM and ring Microsoft for an activation code?

I think the answer is NO - would be too simple that way,!

Thanks

[plexer]

Nope as the oem belongs to that base unit I believe.

But an XP Pro upgrade licence is about £30 so just buy those instead of XP Pro OEM which is going to be £78'ish.

Ben

[CM786]

Yep.. buying the XP Pro from Ramesys - £30

Oh well... just thought I would ask.

Thanks for the help!

[plexer]

The XP Pro that you are buying from Ramesys is only an upgrade licence so the machine has to have a valid windows license anyway.

[john]

OEM lives and dies with the PC it was first used on. You will find in most cases its cheaper to get XP Pro OEM from the word go than XP home and then upgrade licences.

[ITWombat]

Doesn't OEM licensing have its own restrictions?

[Simcfc73]

I'm building machines this summer which is a pain in the arse as I need to buy XP home OEM licenses as well as getting extra numbers on my school agreement. Still works out better value though.

My account manager at IT Index refused to sell me OEM licenses last year because I wasn't a system builder so I'm getting them from CCL now. They still list them on their website though as being available.

[john]

OEM licences have to be purchased with a piece of hardware, they have relaxed the rules now so a plain simple 99p mouse will allow you to buy an OEM Operating System. You should never be able to get a copy without some hardware.

[Simcfc73]

Just to add to my previous ramblings.

I have just been told by my licensing company that I can buy Windows 98 OEM licenses from here.

http://www.getitonline.co.uk/acatalo...16_00_194.html

Not sure about it personally.

A new evil from MS

“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.”