Why do Refurb PCs need a new Windows COA ?

derekimo said:

bigmck said:

AndreyT said:

Um... How is what you are saying different from the poster you quoted was saying?

He says you can't burn one for a friend and I say you can.

"Technically speaking", that would be considered distributing the software and only Microsoft or authorized distributors are allowed that privilege.

I'm guessing that's the point they were trying to make.

That does make sense. I was wondering last week why this Forum did not post ISO so we would have easy access to them. You just answered my question about that also. Thanks,

paul1149 said:

HodgePodge said:

Looks like a refurber has to have the original install media to sell the PC with the original COA, otherwise they have to get a refurber COA. Of course, most makers of PCs no longer include the install media to original purchasers. So, the rules are different for refurbers and the OEM. And how about private sales from original owner to second owner, with no physical media? Are these sales technically illegal?

"Physical media" here also includes the Restore partition, I trust.

HodgePodge said:

You can also install the certificate and keycode with various programs and just use a generic win 7 install media. Legal to do so with a authentic COA on the case. This works well, I've used it many times

But it again comes down to the presence of the physical restore media, does it not (as you indeed restated later)?

Most of the time the giant refurbers get the PCs from corporate lease returns, the drives are removed, and they have no restore media since most of the OEM no longer provide restore media unless you ask for it. I'm sure MS likes it this way. They get more fee income from selling refurb COA

The OEMs get money from recovery media sales as well, and from sales of new units to replace older units whose cost of repair has been driven to unsustainable levels by the MS licensing policy.

Does anyone know how this applies to Win8/8.1? There, a simple install via a generic iso will automatically activate via the BIOS. And indeed, there is no COA on the machine. Has MS loosened the licensing restriction finally?

this info below is for system builders.

"System builders may not offer a recovery solution with removable media (such as a recovery CD) because it is prohibited by the terms of the Microsoft OEM System Builder License. A full version of the Windows operating system is provided on a hologram CD in the Microsoft System Builder Pack for each end user, and the CD must be transferred to the end user at the time of distribution. The hologram CD acts as the recovery media.
However, system builders can offer a hard disk recovery solution in addition to, but not as a replacement for, the hologram CD
MS requires the actual physical media, not just the recovery partition"

Here, you see MS wants even the end user to have the builders recovery media to reinstall Windows on his own PC. This would be for buyers of PCs built with MS OEM install disks

"Q: I've lost the Windows DVD or my recovery disc that came with the PC and now my PC just crashed. Can't I just use a different DVD or burn my own and reinstall Windows using my OEM key?
A: You could "borrow" a Windows DVD from your neighbor or download/burn an ISO from DigitalRiver (Microsoft's online retail partner) and activate Windows with it. It would run for all eternity and have full support for updates. But Microsoft's licensing agreements see this as a violation as you're combining a license from one version with the physical media of another version. Hence: Not legal. You'd be better off trying to ask your PC manufacturer for replacement media."


For refurbers, it's different

"As of January 1, 2014, Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers are no longer including recovery media supplied on DVDs with refurbished PC purchases. Customers who buy a refurbished PC will have another option to access a recovery image in the event that they need it. The most popular method is to access the recovery image that is available on the hard drive of the computer. Or the customer may be prompted to create their own recovery media. You can learn more about making your own system backup "

So, large OEM like Dell, are not required to sell a PC with the physical media, a refurber can sell a PC with no physical media and a restore partition, and a smaller mom and pop store who uses purchased OEM install disks must sell the PC with those disks, but can include a recovery partition with the install disks

Just a question. == I have accidently deleted my Recovery Partition. I downloaded an ISO and made a CD in case I wanted to do a Clean Install. It sounds like that would be a violation if I used the CD. Is that right?

bigmck said:

Just a question. == I have accidently deleted my Recovery Partition. I downloaded an ISO and made a CD in case I wanted to do a Clean Install. It sounds like that would be a violation if I used the CD. Is that right?

Depends on where you downloaded the iso
If downloaded from M$ you're good they are the only ones that today are legal to distribute windows of any version.

If you downloaded from a torrent then the torrent is in violation of distributing copyrighted M$ software.
Pretty much why SevenForums does not want to become a torrent iso download spot

ThrashZone said:

bigmck said:

Just a question. == I have accidently deleted my Recovery Partition. I downloaded an ISO and made a CD in case I wanted to do a Clean Install. It sounds like that would be a violation if I used the CD. Is that right?

Depends on where you downloaded the iso
If downloaded from M$ you're good they are the only ones that today are legal to distribute windows of any version.

If you downloaded from a torrent then the torrent is in violation of distributing copyrighted M$ software.
Pretty much why SevenForums does not want to become a torrent iso download spot

I guess if I ever do a Clean Install, I will be looking for someone to bail me out of jail. :)