OEM Discs for system techies

I work for a company that fixes laptops and computers, sometimes we run into issues where we could do with a Windows (XP,Vista,7,8,8.1) OEM disc...for example when factory restore partitions dont work or other issue..

will ANY OEM disc work on any system as long as the Windows version (and 32/64 bit) is matched and the COA stickers code entered on the under-side of laptop? if so, could I download these OEM versions and burn them to disk? do Microsoft offer downloads of these images?

one of the services we offer is "install of software"...we've had a few people want windows 7/8 upgrades/downgrades but we've had to refuse because we don't sell windows in the shop? but couldn't we sell them the license and use an OEM disc for the install? or install the OS on the advice the customer activates it and give them the price (and instructions) before they take out the upgrade with us?

any advice would be great

thanks

what about OEM of other versions of windows?

what I meant was explain how much it is and how to purchase and activate the license themselves from within the new install....which you can do

mjf said:

As long as you are using the customers COA sticker as you say:
Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

thanks for your reply :)

the links for the Win7 DVD downloads on that page are labelled as RTM....which is not OEM?

also... is it possible to make a multi-boot USB stick? sure ive had software before that lets you choose what too boot from the stick - therefore one could put all versions of windows (ISO) on a stick and just use the one stick....of course not all systems allow boot from USB

thanks again

although Im busy using YUMI too make a MULTI-BOOTABLE USB stick which has all the ISO's on for XP through to 8 32/64 (and other system tech tools like Hirens etc) ...just download the ISO's and run YUMI... my 32Gb stick may not be enough though - there are some versions of windows on the web that has all versions...such as 32-in-1 etc but I can not risk using those on customers computers...it would save on disk space usage on the USB stick though...I would have one ISO per windows xp, vista, 7, 8, 8.1

also RTM and OEM are not the same... RTM has limited activations and comes in box with manual and MS support... OEM is manufacturer/system builder version and DVD only comes in slip with code and no support from MS and is much cheap, OEM and RTM will have different activations codes and therefore a customers OEM code will not work on a RTM version of windows

I was under the impression that OEM and RTM (and VL) were under different licensing and therefore a COA on a customers computer (sticker with code on) would not work on an RTM version of windows because the Windows installed on the laptop was an OEM version and not RTM?