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Thread ID: 38992	2003-10-24 03:12:00	Win XP OEM	linw (53)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
186150	2003-10-24 03:12:00	Are there any gotchas buying a generic OEM XP from an individual? I was thinking of potential problems with authenticating it seeing it has not been bought with new hardware from an OEM reseller. Opinions welcomed.	linw (53)
186151	2003-10-24 03:17:00	aren't OEM versions 'only to be distributed with a new PC' or something to that effect? Don't think you will be able to regester it. Could be wrong?	promethius (1998)
186152	2003-10-24 03:24:00	There's probably be no problem: the CDs are pressed by the millions, and are all identical. The codenumbers used for registration are "unique", but I don'r believe that Microsoft keep track of the destination of each one (and have the remotest chance of getting retailers to send a form saying " I sold Windows XP number blah-blah to Fred Bloggs on such and such a date"). The only problem would occur if the previous owner had installed and registered with that number. :D	Graham L (2)
186153	2003-10-24 03:40:00	> The only problem would occur if the previous owner > had installed and registered with that number. :D Oooh bugger... that would really make me unhappy if that happened... Lo.	Lohsing (219)
186154	2003-10-24 04:04:00	Thanks for reply. I did read somewhere that there is a sneaky item on the CD's that determine whether it is OEM, Upgrade etc. The article said that an OEM CD would only install to a blank drive (makes sense seeing it is only supposed to go with new hardware). So this may be a gotcha if you were planning to install over 98, say.	linw (53)
186155	2003-10-24 04:24:00	One other gotcha. The OEM versions come with the liscense number on a sticker which is supposed to be stuck to the PC somewhere. So if you do buy one make sure you get this sticker!	CYaBro (73)
186156	2003-10-24 04:53:00	There IS a sneaky file on the CD that identifies it as an OEM CD, retail, etc. so if you have XP SP1 and try to use an OEM key with a retail CD it won't work (had this problem at work - had to erase a customers PC, they had an OEM version and we didn't have the OEM CD, but easy enough to change it on the CD and burn off a new copy :D ). Also you can only do the clean install with the OEM CD (but not sure about the corporate version).	wintertide (1306)
186157	2003-10-25 02:19:00	There will be a programme included which will work out the checksum of the codenumber, and decide if it's a legal number. (For W3.x the algorithm would accept an all-zeroes number. :D) OEM, and Upgrade will require there not to be, or require, a Windows installed, respectively. the Full retail versions will accept either state. But that used to be easy to get around ... even DOS installers played these silly games. A bit of ingenuity will go a long way.	Graham L (2)
186158	2003-10-25 02:54:00	As long as the OEM copy has never been activated, all should be fine. If it has, then its unlikely to allow activation again. The availability of OEM is not restricted to a complete new system, buying a reasonable part of a system will usually permit an OEM copy to be purchased at the same time (such as HDD). As OEM is much cheaper, its worth doing. Remember that OEM is supported by the seller, not MS in many cases. You cannot (theoretically) transfer ownership without the PC. There is no permanent relationship to the hardware purchased at the same time though.	godfather (25)
186159	2003-10-29 00:38:00	Thanks for the post. A small point should be made about the "Upgrade" version. It does not require a previously installed op sys. If there is no previously installed op sys it will ask for the CD or floppy of the product being upgraded. It has a lok at it and if OK the install carries on.	linw (53)
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