OEM

[g rogers]

I'm looking into purchasing XP home and am not sure how
the OEM versions work. What are the disadvantages of
buying an OEM version.

[Tom Foolery]

OEM versions are tied to the computer they are installed on, so..... you
cannot transfer it to another computer or sell the liscense to anyone else.

They are not eligible for upgrade versions of later OS releases.

If there is a ever problem with it, I don't think you can get support from
Microsoft. You can, however, get all of the updates and hotfixes.

There may be other restrictions, I don't know. Having said that, thousands
use OEM versions and they are working quite well. I don't believe there is
anything functionally wrong with them.


"g rogers" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking into purchasing XP home and am not sure how
> the OEM versions work. What are the disadvantages of
> buying an OEM version.

[JCW]

OEM you are locked to that particular unit, spend the extra money for a full
install then you have the option of upgrade hardware and still being able to
use your software. Hope this helps...
JCW
"Tom Foolery" > wrote in message
...
> OEM versions are tied to the computer they are installed on, so..... you
> cannot transfer it to another computer or sell the liscense to anyone
else.
>
> They are not eligible for upgrade versions of later OS releases.
>
> If there is a ever problem with it, I don't think you can get support from
> Microsoft. You can, however, get all of the updates and hotfixes.
>
> There may be other restrictions, I don't know. Having said that,
thousands
> use OEM versions and they are working quite well. I don't believe there is
> anything functionally wrong with them.
>
>
> "g rogers" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I'm looking into purchasing XP home and am not sure how
> > the OEM versions work. What are the disadvantages of
> > buying an OEM version.
>
>

[Diggy]

I've got a laptop with OEM Home, and I have found a couple disadvantages.
First of all, I have no way to perform a repair of windows. If something
gets out of whack, I have to do a clean install. What I mean is that I
cannot do a repair install and I cannot do an SFC scan. That's kind of a
pain in the butt. And my version does not have the backup utility on the
disk. Oh yeah, also related to the first couple 'problems', I cannot create
a slipstreamed disk of Home and SP1.

Not getting after service from Microsoft hasn't been a problem because these
boards here can tell you all you need to know, anyway. On the other hand,
the original vendor, Sony, has absolutely abominable after service.


"g rogers" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking into purchasing XP home and am not sure how
> the OEM versions work. What are the disadvantages of
> buying an OEM version.

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

There are some very important reasons that an OEM license costs so
much less than a retail license. OEM licenses are very limited:

1) OEM versions must be sold with a piece of hardware (normally
a motherboard or hard drive, if not an entire PC, although Microsoft
has greatly relaxed the hardware criteria for WinXP) and are
_permanently_ bound to the first PC on which they are installed. An
OEM license, once installed, is not legally transferable to another
computer under any circumstances. This is the best reason to avoid
OEM versions; if the PC dies or is otherwise disposed of (even
stolen), you cannot re-use your OEM license on a new PC.

2) Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. If you have
any problems that require outside assistance, your only recourse is to
contact the vendor of the OEM license. This would include such issues
as lost a Product Key or replacing damaged installation media.
(Microsoft does make allowances for those instances when you can prove
that the OEM has gone out of business.) This doesn't mean that you
can't download patches and service packs from Microsoft -- just no
free live or email support for problems with the OS.

3) An OEM CD cannot perform an upgrade, as it was designed to be
installed _only_ upon an empty hard drive.

4) If the OEM CD was designed by a specific manufacturer, such as
eMachines, Sony, HP, Compaq, etc., it will most likely only install on
the same brand of PC, as an additional anti-piracy feature. Further,
such CDs are severely customized to contain only the minimum of device
drivers, and a lot of extra nonsense, that the manufacturer feels
necessary for the specific model of PC for which the CD was designed.
(To be honest, such CDs should not be available on the open market;
but, if you're shopping someplace like eBay, swap meets, or computer
fairs, there's often no telling what you're buying until it's too
late.) The "generic" OEM CDs, such as are sold to small systems
builders, don't have this particular problem, though, and are pretty
much the same as their retail counterparts.


Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
----
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"g rogers" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking into purchasing XP home and am not sure how
> the OEM versions work. What are the disadvantages of
> buying an OEM version.

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Close, but not quite correct.

One can transfer an OEM OS license to another person, as long as
that transfer also includes the computer on which the OEM OS is
installed. OEM licenses, once installed, cannot be transferred to
another _computer_, but this doesn't preclude transferring the entire
machine, OS and all.

OEM licenses can be upgraded to subsequent versions, but cannot be
used to perform upgrades, as the CDs are specifically designed to be
installed upon empty hard drives.

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
----
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Tom Foolery" > wrote in message
...
> OEM versions are tied to the computer they are installed on, so.....
you
> cannot transfer it to another computer or sell the liscense to
anyone else.
>
> They are not eligible for upgrade versions of later OS releases.
>
Snipped....

[Edmund]

Diggy wrote:
> I've got a laptop with OEM Home, and I have found a couple
> disadvantages. First of all, I have no way to perform a repair of
> windows. If something gets out of whack, I have to do a clean
> install. What I mean is that I cannot do a repair install and I
> cannot do an SFC scan. That's kind of a pain in the butt.

All XP home users have to use Windows XP Setup Boot Disks to do a repair
or do an SFC scan.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q310994




--
Mvh Edmund

[Diggy]

Yeah, I know that. But the thing is, when I run SFC and it asks for the XP
disk and I put my Sony supplied OEM disk in the computer, XP asks again for
the XP cd. I also don't have the option to do a repair install. When I try
to use the OEM disks, it will only let me do a clean install.


"Edmund" > wrote in message
...>
> All XP home users have to use Windows XP Setup Boot Disks to do a repair
> or do an SFC scan.
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q310994
>
>
>
>
> --
> Mvh Edmund
>

[Kelly]

Hi Diggy,

Point SFC to your i386 folder and/or change the path in the registry.

--
All the Best,
Kelly

MS-MVP Win98/XP [AE-Windows® XP]
Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm


"Diggy" > wrote in message
...
> Yeah, I know that. But the thing is, when I run SFC and it asks for the
XP
> disk and I put my Sony supplied OEM disk in the computer, XP asks again
for
> the XP cd. I also don't have the option to do a repair install. When I
try
> to use the OEM disks, it will only let me do a clean install.
>
>
> "Edmund" > wrote in message
> ...>
> > All XP home users have to use Windows XP Setup Boot Disks to do a repair
> > or do an SFC scan.
> >
> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q310994
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Mvh Edmund
> >
>

[Edmund]

Diggy wrote:

> install. When I try to use the OEM disks

don´t use your OEM disks, use
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q310994

If you use these, you vill get to the repair option om the installation
menu even before you put in your XP CD.

Did you get thís far

--
Mvh Edmund