Windows Licensing Questions

[Appletax]

These are Bryce's install DVDs:

Windows Installer CDs
A copy of:

Windows 98 SE
Windows 2000 Workstation/Small Business
Windows XP Home OEM/Retail/Genuine Advantage
Windows XP Professional OEM/Retail/VLK 32bit/64bit
Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit / 64bit (contains all Vista versions)
Microsoft Office 2000, XP, 2003, 2007



1) All I need is an OEM version of Windows XP (System Builders version?) and it will accept and activate ANY BRANDED (e.g. HP/Dell) product key? (as long as the key matches the correct edition).

2) All I need is Windows Vista Ultimate to reinstall Windows with an OEM product key? (contains all editions)
a) Must it be Ultimate? I have Vista Business SP2 from technet.
b) Must it be Retail or OEM to accept an OEM product key?
c) Would you enter, for example, a Home Premium OEM key into this Vista Ultimate disc and then installer will automatically choose the
correct edition to install for the product key used?



-- I know the MS license terms want you to use the OEM's recovery discs to reinstall Windows, but this is not always an option. I have used a Windows XP Home SP3 disc to reinstall Windows on an HP system and MS accepted and activated it. Considering this, I believe it's ok to use an OEM (System Builders?) disc to reinstall Windows as long the computer already has a legal product key.

 

[meanderer]

We NEED a sticky for this question, I just saw another thread asking for torrents of these discs which is essentially the same question.

yes, the EULA may require you to install your customer's PC using your customer's media. However, PC makers don't provide such discs in package anymore and has started to rely on customer to make such disc themselves when the computer arrives, which most customers promptly ignore and go on and screw up the PC to the point of no return. In a sense, there's NO WAY we can obtain some of these media....

What most of us here would do is to copy a OEM disc when we come across one and use that for subsequent services. Since your customer's machine has an license sticker, MS will let you pass as long as you install the right version with their key and will activate it for you should you run into problems.

Another way I read from someone here is to subscribe to (Technet?) It is some Microsoft program that will provide you iso's of many of their products. That of couse, is going to cost some money. However, members here tend to defend this cost as "worthy".

 

[Appletax]

1) What most of us here would do is to copy a OEM disc when we come across one and use that for subsequent services.

2) Another way I read from someone here is to subscribe to (Technet?) It is some Microsoft program that will provide you iso's of many of their products. That of couse, is going to cost some money. However, members here tend to defend this cost as "worthy".

1) Copy a disc such as Windows Vista Home Premium OEM for HP/Dell etc because branded discs are tied to the OEM's BIOS??? ==== That would require you to get A TON of different discs

2) This is something I was really wondering about -> Some say you can take a RETAIL version of Windows (xp - 7) and it will ACCEPT AND ACTIVATE retail As WELL AS OEM product keys. If this is true than this would be a godsend lol.


So -> I could get Windows Vista Ultimate x64 and x86 and they would accept all OEM product keys (HP/DELL etc)
AND -> would install every EDITION of Vista from the one Ultimate disc (basically a universal disc)
True or false?

 

[Appletax]

Hello galvatron999,

It is completely legal to install it and it will work. As of Windows Vista, OEM and Retail media accept each other's types of product keys, so it should work and is completely legal and does not violate the terms of the Microsoft Windows 7 End-User License Agreement, however it may void the warranty of your software from HP. Use the product key on the COA, not the SLP key installed into the computer unless you have the SLP certificate.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...l/thread/6f8f03eb-8aca-4ac4-86f6-fd57d0fbeb93