Solved The Transfer of OEM Licenses from a dead PC to Another PC

[Closed account]

So, a few months ago, I received a Windows XP and Vista license from a family member who was scrapping some old computers and I was wondering if they could activate on a VM or another machine. I tried and it succeeded. The Vista license went onto a VM and the XP license worked on a netbook. I don't know if these installs are legal, but they both activated properly. I asked a MS rep, which I assume has been trained properly, and he agreed to this point:

10:28:28 PM [Me]: So, let me get this straight. An OEM Windows product key can be reinstalled on a brand new PC without a preexisting Windows key as long as the old PC is dead or is not using the old Windows product key. And a retail version of Windows can be transferred as many times as you want. So, the basics of the policy, whether its an OEM or retail key is that if its on one machine, its legal? Is this correct?
10:32:04 PM [MS Representative]: Simply correcy
correct

But, to refute his statement the MS website says this:

The Microsoft Software License Terms is granted to the end user by you, the system builder. It is related to the OEM System Builder License for the PC on which it was originally installed.

I also have an old, dead PC affected by the NVIDIA GPU defect of 2006-2008 with a Vista license, and I decided to load it on another PC, and just like the VM and netbook I tried it on, it activated properly. Is XP and Vista the only ones that allow this? I'm presuming Windows 7 has more advanced technologies that block this. And I'm ruling out Windows 8 because OEM installs are tied to the motherboard now, unlike older installs.

What should I listen to exactly?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

As far as I know Ict01 any OEM version is tied to the motherboard it is originally installed on either on a store bought or self made machine - although I have contacted Microsoft in the past with a dead board and got the same OEM installed on a new board - that was using 7.

A retail version again as far as I ma aware is limited I don't think you can go on forever ie onto 7 or 8 machines

 

[NoelDP]

There are only two types of License which can be installed on more than one machine at a time
1) Volume License (either MAK or KMS)
2) The Family Pack Upgrade which was available for Win7 Home Premium for certain periods.

OEM Licenses are tied to the first motherboard on which they are activated, except under specific circumstances, and can NEVER be moved to another computer.
Retail licenses can be moved almost at will - although activation may become progressively more difficult, as the activation servers keep a record of every activation attempt, and are set to flag every so often.

In other words, while your activations may be successful, and validation pass, your transfer of the OEM License from one computer to another is a breach of the licensing rules, and makes the installs effectively counterfeit.

 

[Closed account]

In other words, while your activations may be successful, and validation pass, your transfer of the OEM License from one computer to another is a breach of the licensing rules, and makes the installs effectively counterfeit.

That's interesting. Many sellers on eBay sell OEM Windows licenses that used to be attached to old PCs and provide the product key and and the licensing agreement. I'm looking at the eBay listing I bought from that had Windows 7 licenses available. The seller says that he is 'complying with Microsoft licensing' by bundling the software (Win7) with the original motherboard that the software was never used with. (Never installed on an actual computer, but came with it, I guess they slapped the refurbish sticker on it and didn't install it) The license was placed on my Win8 machine and worked well. The license seems to be a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher license. Is this legal?

 

[NoelDP]

Definitely NOT!
Refurbisher licenses are the same as OEM ones and cannot legally be transferred to a new motherboard/ computer.

 

[NoelDP]

... and a refurb license MUST BE PREINSTALLED to comply with the license terms.

 

[Closed account]

More than 8k+ of these types of licenses have been sold of this sort on eBay from several different sellers. I'm surprised eBay or anyone has flagged them yet.

 

[NoelDP]

IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE HOW MANY HAVE BEEN SOLD - THEY ARE ALL COUNTERFEIT, UNDER THE LICENSING AGREEMENT which must be agreed to by each and every installer of Windows.

eBay is the most common source of counterfeits on the planet (unless there's a similar site in China)

 

[Layback Bear]

When did ebay start caring about anything being counterfeit.
They get paid the same counterfeit or legal.

I love this by Noel.

eBay is the most common source of counterfeits on the planet (unless there's a similar site in China)

 

[NoelDP]

When did ebay start caring about anything being counterfeit.

That's not really fair - they are quick to remove listings for demonstrably counterfeit products, and do work closely with MS in attempting to keep a level playing-field.
However with the number of new listings that go up every day, there is no way of automatically checking each for validity, and no possible manual checks that can be done in a timely manner - eBay relies on the purchasers reporting incidents, and then takes appropriate action (OK - we could argue about that bit, but...)

 

[Layback Bear]

I will never argue with you Noel.

 

[Closed account]

That's not really fair - they are quick to remove listings for demonstrably counterfeit products, and do work closely with MS in attempting to keep a level playing-field.

There has been a seller selling real copies of 'refurbished' licenses from the same listing for a few months now and they haven't taken it down.

 

[SIW2]

Is there a law against unbundling software in the EU?

Why do you think MS are now embedding the product key in the firmware?

Could it possibly be because Europeans have a right to unbundle software ?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

In other words, while your activations may be successful, and validation pass, your transfer of the OEM License from one computer to another is a breach of the licensing rules, and makes the installs effectively counterfeit.

That's interesting. Many sellers on eBay sell OEM Windows licenses that used to be attached to old PCs and provide the product key and and the licensing agreement. I'm looking at the eBay listing I bought from that had Windows 7 licenses available. The seller says that he is 'complying with Microsoft licensing' by bundling the software (Win7) with the original motherboard that the software was never used with. (Never installed on an actual computer, but came with it, I guess they slapped the refurbish sticker on it and didn't install it) The license was placed on my Win8 machine and worked well. The license seems to be a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher license. Is this legal?

Hmm Icitl when I was over in the UK last year my brother had bought Windows 7 from Ebay and it turned out to be an old Dell disk and it was a nightmare and thank goodness Microsoft were very understanding let us use the activation code for the ISO from here
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

 

[SIW2]

Why was it a nightmare?

Maybe the install disc had specific dell drivers or something?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Why was it a nightmare?

Maybe the install disc had specific dell drivers or something?

I don't know what it was SIW only that it seemed to only install certain parts of the OS and that was followed up with it not activating properly. Frankly it was a right royal shambles and why I used the ISO because in my mind the disk was so corrupted with whatever or like you say was intended for a Dell machine. The machine my brother had was an old Acer which originally had Vista and the drive we had to replace as it was shot, and after three attempts at installing the OS I decided to go that path and like I said Microsoft could not have been more helpful. My brother although fairly able with computing did not know what to do and he had been trying for a week before I got there. All in all it took three days of mucking around and getting nowhere hence me saying it was a nightmare.

 

[Closed account]

Is there a law against unbundling software in the EU?

Why do you think MS are now embedding the product key in the firmware?

Could it possibly be because Europeans have a right to unbundle software ?

I don't know anything about the EU. I think Micrsoft is embedding the product key in the firmware to stop piracy and the moving of product keys (which has been proven to be easy). I know the EU has lots of trade restrictions and regulations (which can be awesome) that stop some vendors from having complete rights.

Hmm Icitl when I was over in the UK last year my brother had bought Windows 7 from Ebay and it turned out to be an old Dell disk and it was a nightmare and thank goodness Microsoft were very understanding let us use the activation code for the ISO from here

When I ordered mine, it came with an official Windows 7 holographic 32-bit disk. I just used a 64-bit DVD from Microsoft's servers to install. It activated properly. but my install isn't 100% legal. I don't feel like spending money and buying a $135 retail license and reconfiguring all my software because it is on my main laptop. I just told MS about my predicament and told them to step up counterfeit software restrictions on eBay or other websites. It's just sad knowing that 'Authorized Microsoft Refurbishes' are selling software to others or selling them online for retail prices.

I just wish MS had a 'If you have a product key, you can have it on one computer' policy and OEM/Retail wouldn't apply. Your computer would just be checked by servers everyday at like 12 noon or something if they are on the same motherboard and probably hard drive, it would check out. And uninstalling your PK would be possible by using a program and installing it on another PC would just require another tool. Boom! Simple! If it's broken, call customer support. I wish MS was this simple with everything. Their whole 'activation server' thing is just a mess.

I guess I have to deal with using a version of Windows that doesn't comply with one rule for a while. I dunno.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yep the disk my brother had was an official disk but obviously meant for a Dell machine or the seller who we could not contact had 'played" with the thing.

I know that some security suites will only work in certain regions Kaspersky that I use is a prime example, and it might well have been that the disk was not only Dell but may have come from outside the region??

I reckon for the cost of a key or an OEM you could bypass all this hassle.

 

[NoelDP]

So far as I'm aware, Dell installation disks are vanilla OS disks (the drivers and add-ons are on a separate disk) and not region-limited in any way. Apart from the obvious SLP mods inserting and validating/allowing the OEM_SLP Key, I believe that they are identical to OEM System Builder disks.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

So far as I'm aware, Dell installation disks are vanilla OS disks (the drivers and add-ons are on a separate disk) and not region-limited in any way. Apart from the obvious SLP mods inserting and validating/allowing the OEM_SLP Key, I believe that they are identical to OEM System Builder disks.

Thanks Noel I can only think then the disk was damaged in some way because it just would not install the full version of 7 - there were bits and pieces missing and updating was nigh impossible. Anyway I still take my hat off to Microsoft (for a change) for what they did for us.