Newegg XP Home OEM
- Thread starter RollWave
- Start date
blurredvision
Lifer
- Oct 19, 2000
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mechBgon
Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
- Oct 31, 1999
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You are probably comparing different versions.
OEM Full Version is like a disposable camera. You are legally permitted to install it on one single computer, EVER. You can reformat and reinstall it on that same single computer, but never on a different one. Not even if you uninstall it from the first computer. Disposable. It's licensed to that computer's hardware. From what I've read, the motherboard is the tiebreaker if you have to decide whether your computer has drifted far enough from its original hardware that you need to re-license.
Retail-boxed Full Version is not licensed to the first computer you install it on, it's licensed to you. You can uninstall it from Computer A and install it on Computer B, you're legally permitted to do so.
Retail-boxed Upgrade Version upgrades a qualifying previous Microsoft OS (Win98 for example). For your upgrade to be legit, you must have a license for the previous version, not just the CD-ROM itself.
Typically the OEM full version of XP Home Edition is under $90, the retail full version is about double that, and the upgrade version is inbetween. Here is more info on the OEM do's & don'ts: http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/YourPC_do.mspx
OEM Full Version is like a disposable camera. You are legally permitted to install it on one single computer, EVER. You can reformat and reinstall it on that same single computer, but never on a different one. Not even if you uninstall it from the first computer. Disposable. It's licensed to that computer's hardware. From what I've read, the motherboard is the tiebreaker if you have to decide whether your computer has drifted far enough from its original hardware that you need to re-license.
Retail-boxed Full Version is not licensed to the first computer you install it on, it's licensed to you. You can uninstall it from Computer A and install it on Computer B, you're legally permitted to do so.
Retail-boxed Upgrade Version upgrades a qualifying previous Microsoft OS (Win98 for example). For your upgrade to be legit, you must have a license for the previous version, not just the CD-ROM itself.
Typically the OEM full version of XP Home Edition is under $90, the retail full version is about double that, and the upgrade version is inbetween. Here is more info on the OEM do's & don'ts: http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/YourPC_do.mspx
next question..I own a retail copy of windows XP but its the original and doesnt have SP2. Can I use the new disk with SP2 to reinstall windows on my old system with the old key?
mechBgon
Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
- Oct 31, 1999
- 30,699
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I'm not sure if your newer CD would jive with the older key, but an easy alternative is to either slipstream SP2 into your older CD or just pick up a free SP2 CD from Ye Olde Microsofte on this page 
I heard that you can also get free SP2 CDs from places like Frys, Dabs, and Best Buy too.
You'd need the SP2 installer to slipstream SP2 in the first place, so if you're doing just a very occasional installation, it might not be worth the time to slipstream. But here is a slipstreaming utility that I heard good remarks about: http://www.neowin.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t223562.html
I heard that you can also get free SP2 CDs from places like Frys, Dabs, and Best Buy too. You'd need the SP2 installer to slipstream SP2 in the first place, so if you're doing just a very occasional installation, it might not be worth the time to slipstream. But here is a slipstreaming utility that I heard good remarks about: http://www.neowin.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t223562.html
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