Licensing Options

[mendipjohn]

I have a Dell OptiPlex GX1 low profile machine which I purchased from eBay. It came with Windows 98 but no license key.

I want to install Windows XP and may eventually use it for business use. I know OEM licensing is supposed to be only for a new PC, but since its so much cheaper than buying a FPP, can I buy an OEM license and use it?

This is the only machine I want to license and I want to use XP Professional. Surely MS would rather have some of my dosh than none of it at all?

[boooggy]

well as long u use it for business u had to have a valid license. so as long u buy it oem i think it does not matter. cause it is valid......

[jcarle]

You may want to read this discussion on the issue.

[oofki]

When you buy an OEM OS it has to be accompanied by a piece of hardware. So buy yourself some ram while you are at it :-p or a new ahrd drive, anything really.

[mendipjohn]

Well I have fitted extra RAM and I did buy a new hard disk... when I got it.

I guess that is sufficient to justify purchasing an OEM license.

I gathered the important bits of the OEM license were as follows:

- installed as a fresh install

- cannot be used to upgrade a previous version of Windows

- may not be upgraded with an upgrade version of Windows

- system support is not provided by MS

- may only be used on one system and cannot be transferred to any other system

- system hardware may be upgraded

- may be reactivated as many times as necessary on the same machine

I am a registered OEM system builder so I knew some of those points already.

Now I am sure I read somewhere through Microsoft that a change of motherboard meant new license? I dont intend to ever modify this system much anyway, just ensuring that by purchasing and installing an OEM version, I am not responsible for piracy, infridgement etc. As I said, might become part of a business one day and I dont want flak from Microsoft or anyone else for a licensing fault, infringement of license agreement etc.