OEM licenses

[be_tnt]

All,

I have OEM licenses for Windows XP home and Offie 2003. I have 2 questions:
- if I changed completely the PC, could I re-use my OEM licenses? (of course the first installation will be completely removed)
- if I have to change only the hard disk, could I re-use my OEM licenses? (the fisrt installation will be completely cleaned)

Thx in advance ...

 

[Mark Neilan]

Hey,
I think its all about the hard drive. If that goes the OEM OS goes too. OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. The whole point is its for the one computer it was bought for. If you want to move it to a new harddrive or computer you are, to stay legal, supposed to have bought the retail version that can be moved or buy the OEM again. It's annoying but OEM is really for companies who want to buy in a lot for one time use on PCs or for anyone risking they won't want to change computers or get a harddrive failure.

 

[Nodsu]

Mark: so if I buy $10000 worth of OEM software and my hard drive happens to die then I lose it all?

OEM versions of software are meant to be run on the PC they were sold with. AFAIK the term "same PC" is not accurately specified in the license agreement. You can change the hard drive with no problem.

If you feel like stretching the law then you can change everything inside the computer provided that the case with the license stickers remains.

 

[be_tnt]

Thx.

Nodsu, unfortunatley English is not my mother tongue and so I am not sure I understood the second part of your answer. I would appreciate if you could use some easy words ( I am feeling like :monkey: :haha: ) to re-say it.

For the first part (change of the hard disk), from what I understood, I should not have trouble, right?