How do I get started purchasing Windows volume licenses

[Brazen]

I'm setting up a network for a non-profit organization. All there existing computers have "questionable" Windows XP installs. In other words, they are custom built whiteboxes with no oem license sticker or any record of any licenses or official installation media of any kind.

So I read around on Microsoft's volume licensing web site and they listed a few places that sold volume licenses at non-profit discount prices. One of which was CDW, which was the only one I had heard of, so I signed up with CDW, asked to purchase 5 volume licenses for Windows XP, if possible, or Vista, and our account manager has now assured me twice that Microsoft does not sell volume licenses for their operating systems.

Now I know that isn't true because we have volume licensed XP at my regular job and I use our XP volume license key and media on a regular basis, and I've read up on how Vista requires a license server for it's volume licenses.

So maybe somebody who has actually done this can tell me how do I get this new company set up with volume licenses and access to a volume license key and media?

 

[RebateMonger]

Try http://techsoup.org for information about licensing for charities and non-profits.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Try http://techsoup.org for information about licensing for charities and non-profits.

Agreed, techsoup makes the process much easier than other vendors, if you qualify for charity licensing. Be aware that you can only place one techsoup order per year, so make sure you purchase and adequate number of licenses for your purposes with room to grow.

CDW is a pain, I've been screwed by them with licensing too many times. Last time, I was ordering some Windows eOpen licenses for a foundation, who I knew not to be eligible for MS charity licensing based on my dealings with trying to get them in with TechSoup. CDW rep swore up and down that they were eligible since they had tax-exempt status and that she could get charity pricing from MS when TechSoup couldn't. I was dumb and took her word for it and built our budget for the project on her quote. Of course, she came back a week later and said, "huh, I guess they aren't eligible, they have to pay full price!" Well that blew the client's budget and they were pissed with me. Now I never trust any prices they give me until they are ready to charge me.

 

[Brazen]

Thank you, I'll try out techsoup.