I'm looking for a copy of Win 7 to install on my computer, and someone has something for sale called "OEM System Builders Pack" and below that says it's intended for system builders only. Is there any difference between this product and the regular retail version?
The only difference is once you install an OEM version on one set of hardware it is TIED to that hardware and can not be moved to any other hardware. So if you plan on upgrading your system in the near future, like changing the motherboard, then you would need a NEW License key for that new MB.
As Edwar says mate it (an OEM ) is tied to the motherboard. If you get unlucky enough to have the mobo die then you can usually reinstall it on another if you give Microsoft a call and explain what has happened. They are pretty lenient and this is exactly what I did when I transferred my 7 form a fried mobo in a desktop to a spare laptop I had. Just remember it is the motherboard the activation is tied to.
If you swap out HDD's and have not got a CD or in some other way of cannot retrieve the 7 then you can download the ISO from My Digital Life onto a stick (is best) then install but you MUST have and use that activation code from the sticker on the machine, Easy as.
See USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create
Download ISO - Official Windows 7 SP1 ISO from Digital River « My Digital Life
John:)
Ah Retail versions of Windows are not tied to the hardware. They can be moved from one computer, set of hardware, to another and then moved again. There is No restriction on how many times it can be moved as long as it is only installed on one computer, set of hardware, at a time.
So please edit your post above and remove the Retail reference. Thanks.
It is Activated by registering the Motherboard model but it can be moved to another system with a completely different motherboard. If you do that over and over in a short period of time Activation will eventually fail and you would need to call MS. But if it is done over a longer period of time, say every 2-3 months, then Activation should go through without problems.
Again this is with uninstalling it on the other computer before it is install on a different one. One License key, Installed on one computer at a time.
EDIT:
This is with a RETAIL version of Windows. If OEM then it can not be moved at all, or so it says in the EULA.
thanks for the answers!
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