Have OEM Terms changed recently?

[jimbob200521]

In the past, in order to buy Windows XP Home/Pro OEM, you would need to buy a piece of hardware along with it (RAM, Hard Drive, Thumb Drive...hardware). I have heard talk recently that Microsoft has changed the policy on that, and that you may only buy an OEM OS with a new PC.

Has anyone else heard anything on this?

Thanks

-Ryan

 

[drag]

OEM has always ment to be sold with a new system. Nothing has ever changed.


Selling a copy of OEM along with a floppy drive or whatever was actually just pretty much a scam. Microsoft isn't very strict about things like that, probably because they'd rather sell you a copy then have you pirate it.

 

[RebateMonger]

Microsoft changed its rules about OEM XP sales nearly two years ago. Letters were sent to all of Microsoft's OEM System Builder Partners at that time.

The current rules are:

1) ANYBODY can buy a copy of "Generic OEM" XP.
2) ANYBODY can sell an UNOPENED COPY of "Generic OEM" XP.
3) Once the package has been opened, it can ONLY be re-sold pre-installed on a system. You can't sell it by itself.
4) Once the OS has been installed on a system, you can only sell it as part of the system.

Unless you are a Microsoft OEM System Builder (which I am), you likely cannot access Microsoft's site on this topic. But the new "rules" are printed on the OEM XP packages.

And, no, I have no idea why Newegg.com has a rule about "providing evidence that you recently purchased hardware to build a system". That's NOT a Microsoft rule.