Another licesing question

austerus

New Member
I've read here a previous post about a licensing question and now I'm posting my own separately since there's no logical connection to continue that thread.

Now I have acquired my Vista license in a rather peculiar mode, I will describe it so bear with me (there's a question at the end): I had been looking for a Vista license for a while but most IT shops didn't have any types on stock until I reached three webshops which were offering Vista Home Premium (both x32 and x64, the type that I now run). All of them were advertised on site only with the simple name at a price around 100 and something USD (about 130 I would guess with currency conversion).

I called all three asking for an update quote mentioning my interest in a purchase. Two called me back confirming the price but saying the license there was OEM, therefore it can't be sold like that, only with a system purchased from them, either on the spot or purchased from them less than three months ago. I had no idea what OEM means at the time.

The third one however accepted my order and shipped a Vista package, which contained a brief OEM manual, a sticker and the original DVD (with all those cute colorful Microsoft holograms). Of course the package was legit, I put the sticker on my PC, installed it, passed genuine validation & everything.

But I still wonder, since this package is obviously OEM and I didn't get my computer from that company anyway, is there a chance I could get in trouble for that? OR maybe the company who sold me the license will get in trouble?
 

My Computer

Hi austerus and welcome to the vista forums,

The OEM versions of MS operating systems are perfectly legal but different from the retail versions you would find off the the shelf of your local IT store.

They are designed for use by small computer manufacturers and are discounted a fair bit from the full retail versions.

First they are unsupported by Microsoft - support is down to the PC manufacturer - basically in your case that is now you :)

Second - They are non transferable - they must remain on the hardware first installed onto

Hope this explains a little
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest Release Preview
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer G276HL 27", (DVi) + Samsung 39" HDTV (HDMI)
    Screen Resolution
    2 x 1920x1080 @50Hz
  • Manufacturer/Model
    Real World Computers (Custom by Me)
    CPU
    AMD FX8350 Vishera 8 Core @4GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus M5A78L-M USB3
    Memory
    32GB [4x8GB] DDR3 1600 MHz
    Sound Card
    ASUS Xoner DG + SPDIF to 5.1 System + HDMI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" TV
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Internal Crucial CT256MX100SSD1 256GB SSD, Seagate ST2000DM001-1CH1 2TB, External (USB3) Seagate Backup+ Hub BK SCSI Disk 8TB 2.5/3.5 Hot Swap Cradle, USB3 + eSata (client HDDs) NAS 4TB
    PSU
    Aerocool Templarius Imperator 750W 80+ Silver
    Case
    AeroCool X-Warrior Red Devil Tower
    Cooling
    Hyper103 CPU, Rear 120mm, Front 2x120mm, Side 2x120mm
    Internet Speed
    68 MB Down 18.5 MB Up
    Other Info
    Six Sensor Auto / Manual Digital cooling (Fan) control with Touch control Panel
Hey barman,

Thanks for the answer, didn't know about the lack of support part.

My problem is that later I found out indeed that OEM are not supposed to be sold without a non-peripheral component. I saw such a quote claimed to be from the Microsoft license (never fully read it myself, since I started but found it more confusing) aimed at system builders. Later I also saw the same claim on several ebay stores that were selling OEM licenses individually, but always packed with a non-peripheral device (IDE cable, audio-card, old MB).

I don't doubt the package's legality, however if that stipulation exists in the Microsoft's license, isn't it possible that my license could be revoked since it falls an inch off the wording in the license? I'm not really worried about that since technically the seller should be considered in breach of license since they sold it to me outside the license's conditions.

I wonder if anyone could clarify for me this tiny detail. I do plan to take some time and read thoroughly the license act sometime, but I would be grateful to anyone who could help save me from the ordeal.
 

My Computer

Hi,

I doubt if you will have any issues with MS revoking the license, I have not heard of any such action. OEMs vary in size from the likes of dell and hp down to the one man company who builds a PC once or twice a year to be honest, you paid for the license,, which is something that not everyone does ;), so I doubt microsoft will be worried about this, in effect you are now the OEM.

The only issue you may have is if you heavily upgrade the machine and have to re-activate the license. In this case the automatic online system may fail. If this happens you simply have to ring the free phone number and explain that you had a catastrophic failure and are re-installing, and they will provide a new key.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest Release Preview
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer G276HL 27", (DVi) + Samsung 39" HDTV (HDMI)
    Screen Resolution
    2 x 1920x1080 @50Hz
  • Manufacturer/Model
    Real World Computers (Custom by Me)
    CPU
    AMD FX8350 Vishera 8 Core @4GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus M5A78L-M USB3
    Memory
    32GB [4x8GB] DDR3 1600 MHz
    Sound Card
    ASUS Xoner DG + SPDIF to 5.1 System + HDMI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" TV
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Internal Crucial CT256MX100SSD1 256GB SSD, Seagate ST2000DM001-1CH1 2TB, External (USB3) Seagate Backup+ Hub BK SCSI Disk 8TB 2.5/3.5 Hot Swap Cradle, USB3 + eSata (client HDDs) NAS 4TB
    PSU
    Aerocool Templarius Imperator 750W 80+ Silver
    Case
    AeroCool X-Warrior Red Devil Tower
    Cooling
    Hyper103 CPU, Rear 120mm, Front 2x120mm, Side 2x120mm
    Internet Speed
    68 MB Down 18.5 MB Up
    Other Info
    Six Sensor Auto / Manual Digital cooling (Fan) control with Touch control Panel
I have seen those OEM version on Ebay when I was building my PC and I thought they sounded a little fishy so I bought a "system builder" version from Newegg which is similar. It is tied to my motherboard and can only be activated for that motherboard so it cannot be installed on another machine and there of course is no support from MS for it.

I read on a forum about someone buying a copy of XP from Amazon and somewhere down the line after he had it installed the genuine validation found it to be an illegal copy. System builder copies are a little over half the price of the full retail copy and are the best deal if you can do without the support.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Amd Athlon X2 6400+ BE
    Motherboard
    ASUS Crosshair 590 SLI
    Memory
    Corsair XMS2 X 4 (8 gigs)
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia 8800 GTS 512 G92(SLI'd)
    Sound Card
    Soundmax
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung Syncmaster 2053BW 20"
    Screen Resolution
    1680X1050
    Hard Drives
    WD 320, WD 500
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower 850 watt
    Case
    Raidmax Smilodon
    Cooling
    Air cooled,5 case fans
    Mouse
    Logitech MX400
    Keyboard
    Microsoft
    Internet Speed
    16mbps
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