Windows 7 OEM license crap

meglome

Have always built my own PC's and have been using Windows XP OEM for some years now. Thought it was about time I got another PC with Windows 7 on it this time around. So I discover that Windows 7 OEM is not supposed to be sold to individuals like myself, though it's easy to buy it all the same. I also discovered if you install it with one PC then upgrade the motherboard you cannot reinstall it to work on the new PC.
Had planned to put it onto the old PC since XP has slowed anyway then wipe the old PC and put it on the new one once it's ready. To make matters worse the new PC would be 64 bit and the old one isn't which also seems to be a problem.

I can live with not using it on the old PC but it really pee's me off that I might have a problem reinstalling it on the new PC when i eventually upgrade it. Anyone had these issues? What do you think?

Fysh

Without being mean, I think that it's part of the licence you accepted when buying/installing the software and the only available recourse if you don't like that licence is to not use it.

OEM licences are cheaper than retail licences because they're supposed to be only made available to large equipment manufacturers, and one of the restrictions on them is that they live and die with the motherboard of the system on which they're originally installed. If that seems unsuitable for your usage requirements, you should buy a retail licence which though more expensive will allow you to transfer it from one machine to another.

meglome

Fysh wrote: »

Without being mean, I think that it's part of the licence you accepted when buying/installing the software and the only available recourse if you don't like that licence is to not use it.

Is this with all due respect as well I didn't install it, i checked first. And hence me asking what other people might have experienced.

Fysh wrote: »

OEM licences are cheaper than retail licences because they're supposed to be only made available to large equipment manufacturers, and one of the restrictions on them is that they live and die with the motherboard of the system on which they're originally installed. If that seems unsuitable for your usage requirements, you should buy a retail licence which though more expensive will allow you to transfer it from one machine to another.

I understand OEM licences have/had limitations. But to my understanding never before did that stop you upgrading your PC. It quite possible you'd have a Dell (or whatever brand) and a 3 year warranty, it's possible they wouldn't be able to supply you with the exact same motherboard after 3 years. You could then find yourself with an operating system that wouldn't work through no fault of your own. I don't see how this would be reasonable.

aidan_walsh

OEM licenses have always been tied to the motherboard they are first installed on.

meglome

aidan_walsh wrote: »

OEM licenses have always been tied to the motherboard they are first installed on.

Really I had no idea. The unfortunate difference now is it looks like they are going to actually enforce this. So you simply won't be able to reinstall. A step too far IMO.

DirkVoodoo

meglome wrote: »

Really I had no idea. The unfortunate difference now is it looks like they are going to actually enforce this. So you simply won't be able to reinstall. A step too far IMO.

Most OEM users might add more storage capacity or upgrade a graphics card. To most people, swapping out a mobo is the same as buying a new PC. In fact, unless you are making use of new hardware you would have to wonder why you simply want to swap out a motherboard if it is in working condition.

Fysh

meglome wrote: »

I didn't install it, i checked first. And hence me asking what other people might have experienced.

I realise that, since I read your post before responding to it. I am, however, a little confused that you never before realised that OEM licences aren't meant for end-users (though I know some wiggle room has been granted in the past for small shops that assemble computers that are then sold on).

I'm not sure what you hope to gather from asking about other people's experiences here, though - OEM licences being tied to a motherboard is nothing new, and therefore while other people will probably also have run into this frustration at some point it doesn't make it any less valid as a licence clause.

meglome wrote: »

I understand OEM licences have/had limitations. But to my understanding never before did that stop you upgrading your PC. It quite possible you'd have a Dell (or whatever brand) and a 3 year warranty, it's possible they wouldn't be able to supply you with the exact same motherboard after 3 years. You could then find yourself with an operating system that wouldn't work through no fault of your own. I don't see how this would be reasonable.

The OEM licence limitation doesn't stop you upgrading your pc.

It stops you replacing your PC and reusing the same licence, which is what you're effectively doing if you have to replace the motherboard with something substantially different (ie sufficiently different that you're changing to a different processor type). But that's different to a simple upgrade.

As for the warranty - the point of having an extended warranty is that the vendor guarantees to provide you with replacement parts for the duration of the warranty. If your hardware is under warranty and fails, you've got what amounts to a legal contract with the vendor that they will provide a suitable replacement. If they can't do this, you have rights and recourses available to remedy the situation - as long as your warranty is valid, you wouldn't be left high and dry.

Again, I don't mean to be rude by saying this, but I get the feeling you're just annoyed that OEM licences are more restricted than normal retail licences.

Are you looking for advice on solving a specific problem?

qwertz

OP, you can ring the Microsoft activation hotline and ask them to activate it for you. More often than not they do.