WinXP OEM vs. Retail what's the difference?

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henesseynalert

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
242
I'll be building a new machine this couple of weeks and looking for an OS ...I found most of the Winxp home oem being sold cheaper than the winxp home retail....What are the differences between these 2 OS since the machince im building is mainly for games and overclocking..........



thanks
 
There is no support with OEM, but who calls Microsoft when their stuff doesn't work?
 
Is there any features from Winxp Home edition OEM that i need to watch out for as it would be connected via network cable modem.......

As for microsoft support, I dont believe much into that crap.....if it's broken and dont work no more....i'll just trash it and grab a new one........


thanks much for info though.....



henessey
 
a couple friends of mine bought OEM discs ( newegg ) and found out
the hard way that the OEM install locks to the hardware.

you wont be able to get a new key from MS should you want to
install on different hardware. my friends were told that since the
OS was OEM they would not be given a new key. retail versions have
no such limitation.

YMMV but this is something to keep in mind.

i personally have never taken the chance and always bought retail.
 
New video card, motherboard, sound card, processor, memeory since getting XP and my OEM still works just fine. Even used up my product key once experimenting with hardware. One 5 min phone call and it was reset.
 
Originally posted by ravendark
a couple friends of mine bought OEM discs ( newegg ) and found out
the hard way that the OEM install locks to the hardware.

you wont be able to get a new key from MS should you want to
install on different hardware. my friends were told that since the
OS was OEM they would not be given a new key. retail versions have
no such limitation.

YMMV but this is something to keep in mind.

i personally have never taken the chance and always bought retail.
Click to expand...

First time ive ever heard of this... Tell your friends to call Microsoft again... In principle OEM shouldnt have any difference from retail... A license is a license....
 
Originally posted by chinoquezada
First time ive ever heard of this... Tell your friends to call Microsoft again... In principle OEM shouldnt have any difference from retail... A license is a license....
Click to expand...
Sorry, oem versions have licensing agreements that are different than retail, just as both of those are different from corporate volume licenses. A license is not a license.

From Tek Tips (1st Google hit I found on subject):

Three other issues that need to be emphasized about an OEM license:

1. You will receive no support from Microsoft. You will be referred to the original OEM licensee.
2. You cannot upgrade the FULL OEM DSP version. When longhorn or whatever appears this will not be a qualifying license.
3. Currently you can transfer (no, not two copies) a non-OEm license to a new machine. You remove XP from the first machine and the license will transfer to the new machine. You call Microsoft and they will issue you a new activation code. You cannot do this with the OEM license. It is for one machine only, the original machine. You will not be issued an activation code for a new machine.
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by sigmend
There is no support with OEM, but who calls Microsoft when their stuff doesn't work?
Click to expand...

My co-worker, he is a prime example of why no one should be working tech support...he WILL make you wanna quit...
 
This is getting a bit confusing......

First of all i'd be installing the OS on one machine and one machine only.....I have no plans on using the OS on any of the other machine at home because they have their own OS....like the other member here who have said that it locks the hardware, what exactly are you trying to say? I can no longer change my graphic card, sound card, overclocks and so on because it locks all the settings?

I just need an OS that would let me play games,browse the internet, listening to sounds and so on....IF one day my hardware breaks and can no longer use the system, hopefully there is another OS by then , then i would have to upgrade a new one........i have no intention on using the same OS when a newer versions comes...it just gets old....time takes its plays....


thanks much for all reply
henessey
 
Originally posted by henesseynalert
This is getting a bit confusing......

First of all i'd be installing the OS on one machine and one machine only.....I have no plans on using the OS on any of the other machine at home because they have their own OS....like the other member here who have said that it locks the hardware, what exactly are you trying to say? I can no longer change my graphic card, sound card, overclocks and so on because it locks all the settings?

Click to expand...
oh no, it will let you change your cards, overclock, etc...you just get uninstall it from your current computer and install it on a different computer.

Get retail if it isn't much more expensive, if it is, sounds like OEM will work for you.
 
I think the only hardware married to the oem license is the mainboard. Change of mainboard = purchase new license. Other than that it's pretty similar to retail.
 
jagec,

thanks for clearing that out bro......just think of the rig that im building as Xbox on steroids.....lol.....

If my motherboard swap wasnt that successful im looking forward to getting the OEM...if they start cutting prices on the retail version ...i might get it...but ussually not, even the win98se still has the same price as the winxp retail....which is very sad....

thanks
henessey
 
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