Windows XP Professional

Associate
Joined
5 Jan 2004
Posts
663
two computers?

I take it then that if you own two computers, you need two separate Windows XP licences? Or can you purchase a single licence that covers all the computers in your house?
 
Associate
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
79
Location
Aberdeenshire
amx said:
Do they send you a copy of XP on CD/DVD to use in future with a keycode etc?

I've recently gone down this route and they do send you a "genuine advantage kit" CD. The serial number and 'convertor tool' comes first via email and then the CD a few weeks later. It's a full retail version of XP professional for £92!!
 
Associate
Joined
5 Feb 2004
Posts
342
Location
Rotherham
galadial said:
I take it then that if you own two computers, you need two separate Windows XP licences? Or can you purchase a single licence that covers all the computers in your house?
2 PC's requires 2 licenses.
Unless (I think) you go down the route of a corporate license where you can get X number of PC's installed on the one serial number. This wouldn't really be worth it for home use though :)
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Nov 2003
Posts
36,743
Location
Southampton, UK
Pyrosoft said:
2 PC's requires 2 licenses.
Unless (I think) you go down the route of a corporate license where you can get X number of PC's installed on the one serial number. This wouldn't really be worth it for home use though :)

You can't go down the corporate route as you are not eligable for either the Select or E-Open licence agreements.

So yes, two PCs means two licences.

Burnsy
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Nov 2003
Posts
36,743
Location
Southampton, UK
UKDTweak said:
Did you read the OEM licence, me thinks not......

I know the OEM EULA really quite well. So i'll educate you and quote you some of it:

XP Pro OEM EULA said:
LICENSE MAY NOT BE SHARED, TRANSFERRED TO OR
USED CONCURRENTLY ON DIFFERENT COMPUTERS.
The SOFTWARE is licensed with the COMPUTER as a single
integrated product and may only be used with the COMPUTER. If
the SOFTWARE is not accompanied by HARDWARE, you may not use
the SOFTWARE. You may permanently transfer all of your rights
under this EULA only as part of a permanent sale or transfer
of the COMPUTER, provided you retain no copies, if you
transfer the SOFTWARE (including all component parts, the
media, any upgrades, this EULA and the Certificate of
Authenticity), and the recipient agrees to the terms of this
EULA

When the piece of hardware bought is installed into a PC the licence cover the PC as a WHOLE "intergrated product". They also state quite clearly that you can't transfer the license (although this may not be enforcable in the EU, but thats debatable and not clear cut).

So I reiterate, your OEM licence is tied to the machine it is first installed on and not the component you bought it with.

Burnsy
 
Last edited:
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Nov 2003
Posts
36,743
Location
Southampton, UK
Ghuraba said:
I bought an OEM copy of XP in 2002 without buying a single bit of hardware from a major retail outlet. I wonder how this would apply to my PC, which is the third PC since 2001 I have owned and used the same XP on. Anyway I have rang the 0800 number every 2-3 months for 4 years and always get a new serial number. They just ask me why and I tell them I do a lot of installing/uninstalling and need to clean up my PC every few months. I never knew they could refuse to give me a new key.

Michael

Firstly the major retail outlet were not authorised to sell you the OEM license without a "non periperal" piece of hardware. Technically you are not licensed. This is becuase you didn't buy it with any hardware and because you've transferred the license several times.

XP Pro EULA said:
If the SOFTWARE is not accompanied by HARDWARE, you may not use
the SOFTWARE.

They are under no obligation to allow you to activate as you are now unlicensed.

One thing that's worth keeping in mind. Just because you can activate doesn't mean you are running legal and licensed software.

Burnsy
 
Last edited:
Associate
Joined
5 Feb 2004
Posts
342
Location
Rotherham
burnsy2023 said:
You can't go down the corporate route as you are not eligable for either the Select or E-Open licence agreements.

So yes, two PCs means two licences.

Burnsy
Ah my apologies, I assumed that you could use a corporate license for home if you wanted to, just that the cost of it would be a bit silly for you to bother with.
Cheers.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Nov 2003
Posts
36,743
Location
Southampton, UK
cyclopopcicle said:
dont any of you even find this ridiculas that when some hardware is replaced that you would have to buy a new oem product that isnt broke?
isnt this connage to the highest?

I agree with you that the OEM license should be more flexible, but Microsoft are not going to do that, if anything they are tightening up the OEM licensing.

But Pyrosoft is right, there is another option, buy a full retail boxed product. It is substantially more flexible and worth it if you can afford it.

My views on Microsoft's licensing and business ethics is far from mutial and I believe that they are more likely to make more profits if they make it easier for people to buy affordable software with a flexible OEM license. Unfortuently, I don't work at MS and can't make these desiscions.

Burnsy

Edit: No need for apologies Pyrosoft :)
 
Last edited:

amx

amx

Associate
OP
Joined
2 Dec 2005
Posts
827
This is a quote regarding OEM Windows XP from the microsoft forum from a Microsoft employee:

"With the version of XP that you have, the systembuilder/OEM version, you are allowed to install it on the original computer as many times as you want. You are NOT allowed to install it on any computer other than the one it was first installed on. Changing the motherboard (except when replacing a defective with an equivalent) is considered changing the computer."
 
Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
26,053
Of course it doesn't help that in the USA you can buy a retail copy of Windows XP Professional for the equivalent of £150 ($280). I'm sure more of us would be inclined to just buy retail if the prices were more in line with what other countries pay.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Nov 2003
Posts
36,743
Location
Southampton, UK
Caged said:
Of course it doesn't help that in the USA you can buy a retail copy of Windows XP Professional for the equivalent of £150 ($280). I'm sure more of us would be inclined to just buy retail if the prices were more in line with what other countries pay.

I've been saying this for a while. If Windows would be more affordable for people who aren't rich or can afford to pay for a new OEM license everytime they change a motherboard then there would be less piracy and ultimately more profit for MS.

MS needs a more ethical licensing structure and tightening their policy on the OEM license really doesn't help them in the long run IMO.

Burnsy
 
Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
26,053
The price doesn't even need to come down as such, it just needs to bo aligned with the prices everywhere else in the world.
 
Associate
Joined
5 Jan 2004
Posts
663
burnsy2023 said:
This is wrong.

If you have a pirarted version of XP, Microsoft will allow you to buy a retail version of the OS for about £92 (i think) which is not tied to a particular pc, you just have one concurrent software licence. This is a utter bargain and in most cases worth th extra money rather then getting another OEM copy.

Burnsy

I take it this is the OEM version (not a full retail version) which costs about £92 or so anyway?
 
Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
26,053
That £92 deal relies on your telling them where it came from as well. Saying "yeah I downloaded it, give me a retail-equivalent copy for £92" won't work.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Nov 2003
Posts
36,743
Location
Southampton, UK
Caged said:
That £92 deal relies on your telling them where it came from as well. Saying "yeah I downloaded it, give me a retail-equivalent copy for £92" won't work.

Not quite right, they will replace the OS for free if you have a professionally pirated version of the OS, but you will need to say where it came from etc. The £92 deal is for any illegitimate version of Windows and is not subject to a MS interrogation.

Burnsy
 
Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
26,053
Full retail XP Home is worth around £160. I'm not sure if they just offer you a home license if you're using pro?
 
Associate
Joined
27 Dec 2004
Posts
76
Hi,

My hard drive broke and I have bought a new hard drive. From what I was reading, if the motherboard goes wrong then you are eligible for receiving an update tool and product. In terms of the license, do they take the same view if the hard drive fails?

The operating system was pre-installed and I was supplied only with a restore cd. I tried using the restore cd and everything went fine apart till the very end where the computer rebooted and I got the blue screen.

Would you get an update tool and a product code in this situation?

Thanks
 
Back
Top Bottom