[onlyone-jc]

Hi.

I was just wondering if it's illegal to install an OEM copy of Vista on to a Mac? I'm only asking, since OEM copies are meant to be for system builders, and so I'm not sure. Would you need a retail copy for it to be legal? Or, is an OEM copy fine?

Thanks,
onlyone-jc.

[peeb]

It's legal, as long as you trash any other copies that you have from the same disk. It's possible that the EULA might say something about not doing it, but those are questionable from a legal standpoint.

[onlyone-jc]

So, if I have only the original OEM copy of the disk, and install it on only one computer, it is just as legal as the retail version?

Thanks,
onlyone-jc.

[mac128k-1984]

OEM versions of windows are legal, and you can purchase them at newegg, you are correct that technically they are for "system builders" but keep in mind unlike the retail flavor you cannot transfer the license, its tied to the computer it was activated on.

[onlyone-jc]

Thanks, peeb and mac128k-1984. I appreciate your replies!

Thanks again,
onlyone-jc.

[ghporter]

There are differences between "OEM for manufacturers" and "OEM for system builders." The stuff the manufacturers (like Dell) gets is intended to be customized (out the wazoo, generally), while the other stuff is (effectively) simply a pot of keys and an install disc image.

What's interesting is to see people just buy up "Dell only" XP discs at $15 each when they don't have Dells-most of the time these discs just won't work unless the special secret handshake buried in Dell's BIOS is there...

[Dork.]

I have another question regarding OEM copies of WIndows -- I found a place using pricegrabber.com that had the lowest price on OEM copies of Win XP Pro SP2, but they claim that their copies include "OEM CD SP2 with keycode and manual only, no coa".

Linky here: Ivorcom - Software & Hardware

Is Windows normally sold this way? Or is this a scam? I'm perfectly happy buying just a CD with a legal keycode, I don't need a fancy certificate, but I want to make sure I'm not getting taken....

[mduell]

Keep in mind that OEM copies of Vista can only be installed on one computer, ever.

This is a big change from XP, where an OEM copy could be moved from computer to computer.

Dork: No COA usually means scam... they can print dozens of labels with the same keycode.

[Dork.]

Thanks. And thanks for the note about the Vista license, it makes me even more sure that I want XP, not Vista.

[ghporter]

The "COA" is Microsoft's "Certificate of Authenticity," which is usually a very difficult to counterfeit (they're produced by banknote companies) item that you find affixed to a new computer-complete with fancy engraving and hologram ribbons. If the package comes with a Microsoft-printed keycode (it's pretty distinctive), that means that this "OEM" product is not paired with specific OEM COAs. HOWEVER... As mduell points out, it's pretty easy to get a bunch of discs and print your own copies of the SAME keycode.

A LEGITIMATE vendor will provide satisfactory explanations for why they do not provide the COA. And even mentioning that no COA comes with this package (along with the price) gives me less of a bad feeling about this one. But if you're interested, ASK THIS VENDOR SPECIFICALLY WHY THERE'S NO COA WITH THIS PACKAGE. I'm about 50% certain you'll get a decent answer.

[Dork.]

What is a "decent answer" for why they're not including the COA?

(I'm just asking out of curiosity at this point, I think 'll just pay a little more to order from NewEgg. This isn't for me anyway, it's for my wife, and she'll be kind of unhappy if I got scammed while trying to save $20.

How long do you think XP OEM discs sill still be sold?

[ghporter]

A "decent answer" would include something like "Microsoft only provides COAs to the manufacturers directly, and as long as you have the media and the Microsoft-provided key you're legal." I'm particularly curious why they went to the trouble of mentioning COAs at all.

[utw-Mephisto]

Selling a CD without COA is not ok at all .. that means they are selling (I mean they put it even in the title) OEM versions which were only allowed to be sold using specific hardware / PC ...

In this case this company probably ordered a lot of PCs which came with XP preinstalled .. if the screenshot is correct it is probably from Dell .. we received about small 50 Dell Optiplex this week with XP preinstalled .. The COA was stuck to the PC and in the box was a sealed Windows XP copy WITHOUT COA (as it is obviously on the PC case) ..

It would be the same I would now take those 50 CDs and sell them and provide just a copy of that key ... And you can Microsoft or whoever and you will get the answer that this is not legal ... And if you don't care about it, you have no prove that the original COA has been removed from that particular PC or and destroyed ...

[ghporter]

Thanks for the clarification. I was under the impression that there were certain OEM distributions that came with a certificate in the disc package (that is not the sticker-type COA) and others that were paired to the computer, as in the case of Dells. That picture sure does look like a Dell package, but it's not guaranteed to be an actual picture of what they're selling.

On a side note, many "Dell Only" Windows discs do not want to even try installing on non-Dell equipment. Something in Dell's tweak of the Windows installer looks for a Dell signature in the hardware-I assume it's somewhere deep in the BIOS-and if it doesn't find that it quits. This is a very interesting situation; at a lot of computer shows around here, you can get XP Home (Dell Only) for $10 and XP Pro for $15-because the vendor knows full well that these discs won't work on 99% of the hardware the uninformed folks at the show will try to use it on. So if this particular vendor IS selling "Dell Only" discs for over $150, there's something odd going on here!

And I'd still like to hear from this vendor on what their story is. It should be interesting, if nothing else.