OEM Blues - do I need to buy a new copy of Windows 7?

[steiny]

Hi all,

I've come to this forum after reading some of the loveliest support posts I've ever seen on the internet. Hopefully you'll be as nice to me!

I bought a copy of Windows 7 the other day, mailorder. When it turned up it was OEM, which I wasn't quite expecting, but I thought 'hey ho' and installed it anyway.

A couple of days later my machine developed some unrelated hardware problems sufficiently serious that I now need to get a new PC (details too boring to include).

Having read about OEM it seems that I'm really not allowed to put it on an entirely new PC. This raises the prospect of paying quite a lot for about two days use of Windows 7, and the prospect of paying for it all over again next week. This is making me sad

Does anyone know how I can beg my case to Microsoft? Or whether I'm likely to succeed if I try?

Any insight very much appreciated.

thanks,

Steiny

 

[Bill2]

Begging should do the trick, tell them what you just told us.

 

[derekimo]

Just use this method http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18715-activate-windows-7-phone.html and explain to them that it was only on there two days.

 

[steiny]

I've just tried this with the UK support number, but the person I was speaking to clearly had no training whatsoever except that required to type in an activation number. Have you any idea how to escalate it to someone who might be able to help more?

thanks,

Steiny

 

[mrobjo]

When you buy your new pc its probably going to have windows 7 pre-installed,but still a shame you just spent money on a copy of windows 7.

 

[pebbly]

An OEM certificate is always tied in to the mobo [ how I dont know] so Microsoft will not be very supportive to you wanting to put an OEM copy on another machine , They will expect you to pay for a retail copy !

 

[zigzag3143]

Hi all,

I've come to this forum after reading some of the loveliest support posts I've ever seen on the internet. Hopefully you'll be as nice to me!

I bought a copy of Windows 7 the other day, mailorder. When it turned up it was OEM, which I wasn't quite expecting, but I thought 'hey ho' and installed it anyway.

A couple of days later my machine developed some unrelated hardware problems sufficiently serious that I now need to get a new PC (details too boring to include).

Having read about OEM it seems that I'm really not allowed to put it on an entirely new PC. This raises the prospect of paying quite a lot for about two days use of Windows 7, and the prospect of paying for it all over again next week. This is making me sad

Does anyone know how I can beg my case to Microsoft? Or whether I'm likely to succeed if I try?

Any insight very much appreciated.

thanks,

Steiny

Steiny,


If your problems were severe enough to warrant a new purchase you wont be running it on the other one. If that is the case then you can install the OEM on this one.


Ken J

 

[bigmck]

If you buy a new PC, it will probably have Win 7 on it. Check out the PC's before you buy a new copy of Win 7.

 

[DocBrown]

I've just tried this with the UK support number, but the person I was speaking to clearly had no training whatsoever except that required to type in an activation number. Have you any idea how to escalate it to someone who might be able to help more?

thanks,

Steiny

Did you activate the 2 day copy already ?

 

[James Colbert]

Hypothetical: If I were in this dilemma, would it not resolve the OEM problem if I were to buy identical HW? Of course, being a technophile, certainly I'd want to improve my system with better HW, but for the sake of argument...


James

 

[pparks1]

Hopefully he didn't active the copy of Windows. I always give it some time before I activate it. It certainly helps protect against this exact situation.

 

[Abhishek Ghosh]

An OEM certificate is always tied in to the mobo [ how I dont know] so Microsoft will not be very supportive to you wanting to put an OEM copy on another machine , They will expect you to pay for a retail copy !

OEM is supposed to sell to system builders only.
In case of hardware failure for branded machines, the consumer should not face the problem as the brand will themselves resolve the problem of activation for the change of hardwares.

For retail copy, there is no problem in changing hardware or even the full pc; just call the MS support, tell them, the other (old) PC's HDD has been wiped and the copy has been installed to new PC. No MS support personnel will ever create problem.

Microsoft's EULA does not support OEM copy to be sold and installed by general users. You can search the web and you will see how many times MS sued sellers for selling OEM copy separately.
OEM copy just seeks the hardware configuration and signature and get installed without the need of activation on first run.

From Microsoft's legal point of view, you will not get any support. You can make it clear from official Microsoft Answer's forum.

There are dishonest sellers who sells Microsoft, Adobe, Sony (to name a few) OEM copies for a fraction of price than retail copy.

If you have been cheated by the seller, MS can help you for obvious reason.

 

[gregrocker]

If you have activated the OEM copy already, perhaps the best approach is to call your seller and tell them you bought the wrong version . If they will refund or replace it then call MS and tell them what has happened and ask them to clear activation to help you get it replaced.

If you haven't activated, call the seller and ask them to replace it with the correct copy because they sold you a version which you do not qualify for.

If neither of these work on activated OEM, then I would bring the hardware issues here so we can help you determine if there is a fix or some other workaround.

As a last resort, I would call MS Customer Service and tell them your hardware failed during install. They would likely make an exeption to install to your new hardware. But if you're buying a new computer it would be cheaper to buy it with OS so try to get seller to take it back first

 

[bigmck]

There are dishonest sellers who sells Microsoft, Adobe, Sony (to name a few) OEM copies for a fraction of price than retail copy.

If you have been cheated by the seller, MS can help you for obvious reason.

There are also reputable sellers on the internet that sell OEM. I would go as far as to say you will not find any that will not sell to an individual. Tigerdirect, newegg, directron and any other one you check. If it is against the EULA, MS is not doing very much to enforce the issue.

 

[Abhishek Ghosh]

Original Poster lives in UK, so, I am giving the MS UK link for OEM : Round-up of the latest piracy scams (Hover your mouse over the text "OEM/system builder software" inside the grey colored column for OEM). Here is screenshot:

@bigmck: You quoted me, so its my answer for you:

I said what I knew to best of my knowledge. If anyone sales anything wrong, its better to avoid it. How ever, if any member/user is cheated, we can fight for him/her.

Greg has rightly said all the points.

 

[madtownidiot]

Microsoft does offer OEM 30 packs, available through some 3rd party vendors.. but they're hard to get because they're usually sold out. I think what is happening is a few a******s are buying them in quantity and selling copies of the original disk, along with a valid COA on ebay and a few other mail order sites. The price of a 30 pack works out to about $120 per license for home premium, about $140 for professional and about $170 for ultimate.. It might even be legal, but it is a scam.