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General discussion

Some OEM questions...

by ksoiehawo Jun 6, 2005 1:34PM PDT

according to this forum I was reading,
when you buy a OEM version of Windows, you cannot change your motherboard and the following :

RAM Amount ( type does not matter)
CPU Speed (Stepping does not Matter,)
Network Card (not sure what is checked about it, but it is checked )
Graphics Card ( I believe only GPU Speed and RAM amount is checked )

I was going to get a OEM version, but if the above is true, I'm not going to get it...

and one more question, does the Retail version allow you to use it on AS MANY computers as wanted?

Discussion is locked

6 Posts
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OEM = NO 64bit Windows??
by ksoiehawo Jun 6, 2005 1:46PM PDT

I have also read in the same forum that OEM users of Windows will not be given a free upgrade to the 64bit version of WIndows and that the people who bought Retail will...

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OEM Revisited
by Merl Priester Jun 6, 2005 1:58PM PDT

OEM From Dell Gateway Compaq etc
May (MAY) me tied to the mainboard.

If you buy an OEM copy with hardware (in most instances a small free cable (newegg) you can install it and change the hardware just like retail.

If it has been a couple of months since you first activated it, most likely it will reactivate without calling. If it won;t just call and they will give you an activation code. I have NEVER been refused.

Second of all, I have replaced many mainboards with OEM that I installed in the first place and Windows didn't ask to be re-activated. Even with all the embedded hardware changes it didn't care on most change-outs.

Now if it has to have a repair install of Windows, you WILL have to re-activate it, but as I said even if it will not do it automatically, just call them and they will give you a code.

As far as upgrades, I don't know about M$ plans for 64bit updates, although I though I read that there would be no updates. OEM and Retail was it, but I may be wrong, there may be some updgrade paths I ahve not seen.

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I have the link, more questions...
by ksoiehawo Jun 6, 2005 2:17PM PDT
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/upgrade/default.mspx

It states that OEM users will have to check with the manufacturers, but what if I purchased the OEM version by itself with a piece of hardware. Cause on a site, I saw a bundle that allowed OEM versions to be bought with a 80mm Case Fan. Who would be the manufacturer of the system in that case?

and is this a REtail version, because it's about $100 cheaper than the Retail version at Futureshop (maybe futureshop is just overpriced):
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1104919&CatId=0
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I answered
by Merl Priester Jun 6, 2005 4:12PM PDT

I answered your question about OEM.
Don't know what your link to tigerdirect is for (377.00 for XP Pro.)

If you want retail then buy it.
OEM is just what it says. Who is the manufacturer if you buy it with a piece of hardware? You are.

If you want to upgrade from XP Pro to XP 64bit, you must give up your XP Pro product key. (screw that)
You can buy XP 64bit at newegg for about 156.00, I just did.

Here is a link.
http://www.newegg.com/ProductSort/SubCategory.asp?SubCategory=368

Why would you want to let M$ deactivate a good XP Pro version to get XP 64bit when you can buy 64Bit for almost the same price and still have XP Pro.

OEM Will move from hardware to different hardware legitimately, if you buy OEM and install it yourself.
If it is from HP Compaq etc it will be customized and may not transfer. (I belive I already covered all of this) read the posts.

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(NT) (NT) Thanks all for replies!
by ksoiehawo Jun 7, 2005 12:53AM PDT
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Answers
by Yew Jun 7, 2005 1:02AM PDT

You can change any of those things, just so long as you don't change them too quickly. I forget what the exact timeline is, but something like 3 hardware changes every 6 months or so.

Of course if you change too many things, then have to reactivate, it probably won't work. So you'd better hope you never have to reformat, etc. XP generates a special code based on certain unique information contained in various hardware devices. If that code is different from the original one with an OEM license, it's not going to activate.

And finally, no, the retail version does NOT allow you to use it on as many systems as you want, but it DOES allow you to transfer the license. So if you buy the retail version, load it on some system, then decide to build a new one, you can transfer the license from the old to the new.

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