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Thread: System Builders Licence

  1. #1
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    System Builders Licence

    Happy New Year to all who read this post.
    I want to build my own system. In the eyes of Microsoft, am I classed as a system builder and able to install a system builders copy of Windows XP. These are sold on the same site I use to purchase computer parts. As I understand it these copies are sold to system builders and not so expensive as the full blown retail version. I have looked at Mirosofts licence site but I find it all a bit to say the least!!!

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    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
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    • directhex's system
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    yes, you're licensed to install an OEM copy

    however:

    1) technical support is offered by the system builder (you) to the end user (you), not by microsoft. i.e. you get no tech support
    2) OEM licenses are per-computer (defined as a motherboard) and cannot be transferred to a different computer

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    Buy one. Save some money.

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    Thanks for the reply and your explanation. Its good to get a straight answer for once. I have heard that the operating system can only be reloaded a certain amount of times before it can no longer be reactivated, is this true. I was thinking about, if it had to be reload after a hardware problem and so forth. Thanks for you help.

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    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
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    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 5900x
      • Memory:
      • 64GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Seagate Firecuda 520
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ricardo View Post
    Thanks for the reply and your explanation. Its good to get a straight answer for once. I have heard that the operating system can only be reloaded a certain amount of times before it can no longer be reactivated, is this true. I was thinking about, if it had to be reload after a hardware problem and so forth. Thanks for you help.
    it's true in that after a while it will refuse to allow you to activate online

    it's false in that you are licensed to do as many reinstallations on the same "computer" as you like, and can activate by phone as many times as you like

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    Seething Cauldron of Hatred TheAnimus's Avatar
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    i've been told by the nice MS people that its okay to transfer OEM when replacing the motherboard because of anticipated failure. De-activated it first.

    Your well within the license to replace the motherboard if its failing.
    throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)

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    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
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    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 5900x
      • Memory:
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      • Storage:
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheAnimus View Post
    i've been told by the nice MS people that its okay to transfer OEM when replacing the motherboard because of anticipated failure. De-activated it first.

    Your well within the license to replace the motherboard if its failing.
    that's detailed within the license itself, and is why i continue to use my XP licenses after my board popped on xmas eve

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    Goron goron Kumagoro's Avatar
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    when you say de-active what exactly do you mean? I have never actually heard of deactivating until recently.

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    • azrael's system
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    I think they need to allow you to change the motherboard really, otherwise all these etailers wouldn't make as much money as no one could afford to upgrade if they had to buy windows everytime.

    You don't need to deactivate, you just call microsoft to reactivet once you have reinstalled it.

  10. #10
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
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    They do the de-activating - it just means un-tying the license from your old motherboard and tying it to the new one instead. You don't need to do it in advance as obviously you don't always have warning of a motherboard failure.

    It will be interesting to see if MS still define 'device' as 'motherboard' for Vista.

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    Senior Member ajbrun's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by azrael View Post
    I think they need to allow you to change the motherboard really, otherwise all these etailers wouldn't make as much money as no one could afford to upgrade if they had to buy windows everytime.
    Then what would be the point of the OEM license? Do you really want to play £250+ for an operating system?

  12. #12
    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
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    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
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      • Memory:
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      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G3
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      • NZXT H210i
      • Operating System:
      • Ubuntu 20.04, Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 34GN850
      • Internet:
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    Quote Originally Posted by kalniel View Post
    It will be interesting to see if MS still define 'device' as 'motherboard' for Vista.
    They do.

    Quote Originally Posted by azrael View Post
    I think they need to allow you to change the motherboard really, otherwise all these etailers wouldn't make as much money as no one could afford to upgrade if they had to buy windows everytime.
    oem for 1 board, retail for many. it's not complicated

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    OEM software used to have to meet a certain criteria before it could be sold, ie a piece of kit had to be purchased at the same time. To get round this criteria, shady retailers used to send a small or dud pcb.

    AFAIK this criteria no longer stands, however I don't know of anyone who has purchased just an oem o/s without other upgrades, so I can't say for certain.

    What a lot of people don't realise or understand is that at no point does an M$ o/s actually belong to you, you purchase the right to own a copy of the o/s for it's intended use, but you do not own the software, basically you lease it.
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  14. #14
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
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    Well I've only seen two bits of communication from MS about that - one is saying that registered system builders can buy OEM for system builders versions of windows without hardware - but they must themselves only sell it with a fully assembled system. The other is that OEM is only for sale with a complete system..

    Scan have passed on the conditions that came with their software, which say it's either with a complete system, or with a non-peripheral component of a system, which they listed as being CPU, motherboard, HDD, PSU or RAM I think. Now it just says something like: "a component that will be an integral part of the fully assembled computer system on which the individual software license will be installed."

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    Anthropomorphic Personification shaithis's Avatar
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    Most places would ship you a power cord with the OEM software as its an integral part that the system couldn't function without.

    Did it a few times in the past but never has the 1 motherboard limit imposed previously (last time was Win XP X64 OEM).

    I hate to admit it but this now means that I will get a copy of our Corporate version when it arrives, rather then me giving MS any money. The OEM versions are WAY too restrictive and the retail versions are WAY to expensive.
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  16. #16
    Goron goron Kumagoro's Avatar
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    I think it would have been a better idea if you could use your code for 32 bit or 64 bit. Not doing this just slows down the transition.

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