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Is this allowed/legal?

S

slicksilver

Golden Member
Hello all

We are planning to buy 5 used systems from the used market. I've found a few but was not sure if I should proceed with the purchase. The PCs do not have the original restore/OS disks but have the COA sticker and product key on the PC. Is it allowed/legal to use the image of OS Disk and then use the product key?

Thanks
 
Those systems have a permanent license for whatever OS is on the COA sticker. In fact, that license can't be transferred to any other system.

The preferable way to re-install the OS would be to obtain factory media from the maker(s) of the PCs. Assuming those are major-brand PCs (like Dell or HP) and the factory restore media is used, there'd be no need to enter a product Key.
 
Yes it is legal if you have a legal disk that matchs the OS on the COA sticker. It is not legal if you obtain said disk from some other channel.



though... IMO the OS has been bought and payed for, the disk costs next to nothing...
 
Cogman said:
Yes it is legal if you have a legal disk that matchs the OS on the COA sticker. It is not legal if you obtain said disk from some other channel.



though... IMO the OS has been bought and payed for, the disk costs next to nothing...
Click to expand...

The issue I have here is I'm in India and these computers are dumps from the west which came in huge batches. Emachines does not have a presence in India. I even dunno if they will be willing/allow me to purchase the replacement since I'm not the original owner.
 
I'm sure you're aware of the black market channels for getting the install discs. You could also try Ebay, or local/foreign trade boards for Emachines install discs.
 
I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter what disc you use for the install, only that you have a valid license for the OS. You used to be able to get an .iso image of the media from microsoft.com. Don't know if they still do that.
 
cschill1290 said:
I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter what disc you use for the install, only that you have a valid license for the OS. You used to be able to get an .iso image of the media from microsoft.com. Don't know if they still do that.
Click to expand...

I had to resort to torrents to get a copy of XP Media Center for an HP I was working on. MS said they couldn't help, and I didn't have time to deal with HP and the mail system(assuming they'd even help me). I have no moral problem whatsoever using any means necessary to get the appropriate install discs when I have a valid license.
 
lxskllr said:
I had to resort to torrents to get a copy of XP Media Center for an HP I was working on. MS said they couldn't help, and I didn't have time to deal with HP and the mail system(assuming they'd even help me). I have no moral problem whatsoever using any means necessary to get the appropriate install discs when I have a valid license.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way.
 
Yeah, that's the way I see it. As long as you have a license for the OS, downloading a torrent of the .iso for the media isn't pirating anything. We've already paid the outrageous prices they charge for the OS to begin with...
 
With all of the licensing hoops and activation crap required to use Windows, you'd think MS would make the media easier to acquire from trusted sources.
 
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