OEM vs Retail XP?

F

Fezdog192

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
219
Hey, can someone give me the pro's and con's of Retail vs OEM copies of Windows XP.
 
Ummm...Retail=Box, OEM=No box (and way cheaper). And the support thing.

btw, I have the OEM XP and it's just fine. Got it for less than $100 from newegg can't remember exact price. :)
 
I believe the activation is good for only the original PC with the OEM version. The retail, I think, let's you upgrade and carry the license to the new PC (and or parts).

I don't know why people even bother, when you can go to a computer show and buy an enterprise version (corporate).
 
you sure about that?...... Crap man cause i got an OEM XP... and well i plan to up grade my vid card soon.. does that mean i'm fux0red?
 
djnes said:
I believe the activation is good for only the original PC with the OEM version. The retail, I think, let's you upgrade and carry the license to the new PC (and or parts).
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The retail, as it stands, is good only for the original PC that it was first installed on, as well. If you have a retail version, and you upgrade PCs using that same retail copy of Windows XP, then you must contact Microsoft by phone to verify the upgrade.

RancidWAnnaRIot said:
you sure about that?...... Crap man cause i got an OEM XP... and well i plan to up grade my vid card soon.. does that mean i'm fux0red?
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Actually, video card upgrades are acceptable (up to a certain number) on any legitimate copy of Windows XP - OEM or retail. It's the motherboard and processor that matters most - followed by a change in your Windows hard drive - in this case, in terms of support. If you upgrade your motherboard and CPU, you'll have to discuss that with your reseller (if you got an OEM copy of Windows) or with Microsoft directly (if you have retail).
 
This is horrible.. damn... i have an OEM.. looks like i got shafted by my own ignorance... is there like some sort of website i can look at, that tells me exactly what i can upgrade and can't upgrade with the same OEM CD??


crap man this really blows man...

I also want to add 512RAM in the future to the system.. what do you think?
 
All the way to the phone? I doubt it. I've done some testing on my own (illegal but educational purposes only~). Done it on 3 PC's, only needed to activate them. All of them can get online the same time too. Oh and, I've already installed XP with the same CD on 3 other PC's previously. <3

Of course, I've proceeded to formatting them all after I've been done with the testing... :D

-J.
 
GeForceX said:
All the way to the phone? I doubt it. I've done some testing on my own (illegal but educational purposes only~). Done it on 3 PC's, only needed to activate them. All of them can get online the same time too. Oh and, I've already installed XP with the same CD on 3 other PC's previously. <3

Of course, I've proceeded to formatting them all after I've been done with the testing... :D

-J.
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You may want to Check this out before you do any more "testing." Too many activations in a time period is going to net you a dud key.
 
Ah, interesting. That should be made in a new post and be stickied in the OS forum.

I guess I would have to admit that the last 3 installs I've made was actually a damn long time ago (3+ months for sure).

But one thing about how the cd key becomes a 'dud'. What do you mean by 'dud'? Dud as in temporarily disabled for too much penalty points accumulated until it drops, or as in buy a new XP CD please because it is sh*t now?

-J.
 
'Dud' in that it won't activate, either by internet or by the phone prompt. You'll have to talk to a live person and hope to explain it adequately. And remember: the people on the phone are usually not capable of jumping through hoops for you, so don't expect them to be ready to move mountains for you.

This means you might be able to save the key, but it's best to not push your luck. ;)
 
I always tell the phone rep that I changed the CPU (2.53/533 to 2.8/800), video card (ATI to Nvidia) and added ram (replaced 1x256 with 2x512) and its asking me to reactivate, then they provide that long darn code.
I never say I replaced the mobo
 
Ok, so you tell them that. Wouldn't they actually find out that you lied to them as you activated an entirely new serial key with all the *same* hardware, nothing related to a 2.8 GHz / Video Card? With Extra RAM? (I was thinking more along the lines of their activation thing taking a snapshot of your system build). If not, then their activation system is still pretty weak.

-J.
 
The activation system isn't made to keep tabs on who's running what system specs. There are way too many users to do that. All it does is run an algorhythm-based hash against a database of "known goods" and allows or denies. That's it. Microsoft has no need for your personal system specs or pretty much any other personal information.
 
I'm not really worried about it for now. XP 64-bit will be out by my next upgrade.

Anyone ever tried telling the rep you accidently destroyed your mobo or got hit with a power surge & had to replace it? Ie- try to get a sympathy activation code?
 
Hey, when it comes to reviewers, they don't really need to *activate* their installation. They give them 30 days to do so. Reviewers can always review a CPU or anything with every new re-install for a week or so. So, that's not exactly a bad idea.

-J.
 
bleh

This is annoying... i OCed my CPU from a 2500+ to a 3200+ and windows is now seeing it as a 3200+.. does that mean MS believes i changed my hardware and now i have points??? And i did switch from OCed to not OCed a few times.. so they might see it as i switched CPUS a few times... this is rediculous, what if yo're doing trouble shooting on a system and you have to switch things?... i plan to upgade my vid card soon.. so i hope i don't have to re activate.. i serisouly wish there was an alternative to microsoft that was fairly easy to set up and run.. (linux in my experience has been a B***H! to me.. plus you can't game very well on linux)..

M$ blows.
 
GreNME said:
People who us the dollar sign are dweebs.
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ROTFLMAO! :D :D :D

For the record, I use the term "M" for Microsoft - and I try to avoid the dollar sign whenever possible.
 
Geez with all the proper tags it almost looks like your stealing bandwidth from PA. ;)
 
No need to when I've got my own. All I gotta do is give credit where it's due (hence the link).
 
zandor said:
I'm not really worried about it for now. XP 64-bit will be out by my next upgrade.

Anyone ever tried telling the rep you accidently destroyed your mobo or got hit with a power surge & had to replace it? Ie- try to get a sympathy activation code?
Click to expand...

I have replaced my mobo and cpu and it still let me reactivte it without any problems.
 
I bought an OEM version a while back and I changed PCs twice sense then. Everything new. Not one identical piece of hardware and I did not have to reactivate my key. It sounds like people are getting really scared over nothing.
 
i heard microsoft is gonna use a some sort of new activation method with longhorn... maybe it's gonna be more of a hassle to upgrade??
 
One question. I have the OEM verson of XP from Newegg. My hard drive just committed suicide. A new HD is on the way, but is MS going to give me hell when I try to activate it after I reinstall it on the new HD? :confused:
 
RancidWAnnaRIot said:
I thought there was no flaming on hardforum??? "F**k off

on a lighter note.. i heard microsoft is gonna use a some sort of new activation method with longhorn... maybe it's gonna be more of a hassle to upgrade??
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You should have thought of that before you used inflammatory and utterly inane remarks.

Microsoft is going to be using the same activation scheme, with updated algorhythms and implementation, from all of the discussion I've heard from MS reps. This means basically more of the same, but updated.

alphaone said:
I have the OEM verson of XP from Newegg. My hard drive just committed suicide. A new HD is on the way, but is MS going to give me hell when I try to activate it after I reinstall it on the new HD?
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No. You will probably just have to reactivate via the net. Read the link I provided on the first page regarding activation, (my post in) it should help you get a clearer picture.
 
What about the XP Pro Corp SP1 version ? whats this activation thing your talking about ? lol
 
I have an OEM XP pro install that I managed to trash in less than 2 weeks. Fresh installed last night (Remembered not to go all crazy with Driver upgrades off the bat), registered without a hitch online. Guess maybe they can see HD configuration, and assume I'll screw it up a few times. Applied patches, firmware, and software upgrades to all components, and managed to get a backup image onto external HD. I feel better now.
 
Brain411 said:
What about the XP Pro Corp SP1 version ? whats this activation thing your talking about ? lol
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[pet peeve] There's no such thing as a "corp" version. There is the Volume License, which has no activation. If it were truly "corporate," shlubs like us wouldn't be able to get a legal copy of it.[/pet peeve]
 
RancidWAnnaRIot said:
I thought there was no flaming on hardforum??? "F**k off
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Posting M$ is trolling, your trying to make a point where it doesn't belong. Your trying to be cute and take a stab at MS in a thread that has nothing to do with MS bashing.

Oh and if you wanted to stick to your guns, why edit M$ to MS? I know... because it was wrong and YOU knew it, that's why you edited it...
 
Phoenix86 said:
Posting M$ is trolling, your trying to make a point where it doesn't belong. Your trying to be cute and take a stab at MS in a thread that has nothing to do with MS bashing.

Oh and if you wanted to stick to your guns, why edit M$ to MS? I know... because it was wrong and YOU knew it, that's why you edited it...
Click to expand...


I never edited anything... check the post one more time... the thread was about microsoft.. and i just expressed how i feel about the situation... this is the last thing i wil say about that. I'm sure your just gonna reply with another "i'm right and you're wrong" ... i don't really care anymore.. and so what if i was trying to be "cute"

as for the thread.. what exactly is the same thing (method of activation) but just updated?
 
RancidWAnnaRIot said:
as for the thread.. what exactly is the same thing (method of activation) but just updated?
Click to expand...
Ugh... the same thing means the same methods used to activate now. If you don't understand that, check out the explanation I already linked waaaay back in the thread (I really hate repeating myself).As for "updated," that means it will be the same method with a newer algorhythm, based mostly off this one.

If you still don't understand, then just accept that it'll be the same, as far as Microsoft has said so far. If anything changes, you'll be the second to know.
 
Brain411 said:
What about the XP Pro Corp SP1 version ? whats this activation thing your talking about ? lol
Click to expand...

Mabye get a legal version of XP and you would not have to worry about anything :mad: and if you say you bought one you most have a hell of a lot of money to waste....
 
RancidWAnnaRIot said:
I never edited anything... check the post one more time... the thread was about microsoft.. and i just expressed how i feel about the situation... this is the last thing i wil say about that. I'm sure your just gonna reply with another "i'm right and you're wrong" ... i don't really care anymore.. and so what if i was trying to be "cute"
Click to expand...

Your right... Then you should change it.

cute=trolling in this case. The thread is about OEM vs. Retail, not M$.

Create your own thread to express your feelings, it'll get locked, this isn't a psychobabble forums where you express your feelings.

Read GrenMEs posts, he knows what he's talking about. Or better yet, try here, because it's been asked 20 different ways in the past.
 
yes, you showed me... you win.. the end. I see you're getting all "cute" with the XP!=MS :D

maybe this thread should be declared dead...
 
I bought a dell computer in Nov 2001 and it came pre-installed with WindowsXP Home. It came with a reinstall disk also. I just bought a new motherboard, ram, cpu and case. I was wondering if anyone knew MS's policy on reinstalling windows with new hardware and a dell install disk... Thanks ahead of time
 
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