OEM Windows that comes with Dell Computers

[strep3241]

Sorry if this has been asked before but the search feature is not working for me.

My cousin needs a copy of Windows XP for his laptop and I have been looking on ebay since that is not his thing. While searching, I found all kinds of OEM Windows that originally came with Dell Computers. And they all say they will work with any computer as long as you are doing a fresh install. Is this true? And if they don't work, how are they allowed to sell them?

Here is an example:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-W...769?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20c0b4a181

 

[bruceb]

They can sell them and you can install them, but if they are DELL OEM branded discs, they likely will not self activate, as they are intended to install on a Dell. The OS checks the BIOS to see if matches a file on the disc. If it does, no activation needed. If you have your own XP OEM license key, you could use that, but it may need a call to Microsoft to activate it.

 

[gmaster456]

What the above user said. if you install it on another dell system, no activation needed. If you put it on another machine, make sure you can activate it.

 

[strep3241]

What the above user said. if you install it on another dell system, no activation needed. If you put it on another machine, make sure you can activate it.

I thought you had to activate Windows no matter what, whether it be automatic or manually. And how do you make sure you can activate it?

 

[Magic Carpet]

Near the end of install process Windows will give you a choice to activate it. Either over the internet or the phone. I woudn't worry about that.

Worst case scenario, PayPal shall refund you, should you get a blacklisted key.

 

[nitrous9200]

The key should work if it is unused. Even if it says Dell on the COA, I don't think that makes any difference (I've done it before - taking keys off of dead computers and transplanting them onto their replacements and activating them fine). In most cases, online activation always goes through without any complaints; I can't remember the last time I've had to phone the automated system or even talk to a human to get the activation code.

Regardless, that auction seems fishy because I don't know how someone would get their hands on "unused" COAs, and then, OEM copies of Windows are only supposed to be sold with hardware.

 

[Steltek]

Regardless, that auction seems fishy because I don't know how someone would get their hands on "unused" COAs, and then, OEM copies of Windows are only supposed to be sold with hardware.

A dishonest person could walk through the office where I work and get about 50+ unused ones as quickly as they could strip the license codes with a razor blade, and my employer would never notice they were missing. And, as the employer I work for has about 150,000 such workstations on its WAN in over 1600 separate locations across the United States, that adds up to a lot of unused COAs (and this is but one large employer)...

Most of the "unused" COAs come from machines purchased by companies (like my employer) with Microsoft volume software license agreements. They purchase PCs in bulk from a large OEM (ours are presently HPs), each of which comes with a Windows COA and license code (i.e. the hidden "Microsoft tax"). The PCs are then directly reimaged under the volume agreement instead of utilizing the original purchased COA. These COAs are usually recovered when the machines are recycled, or are even stolen illegally for resale. The companies usually don't pay all that much attention to it as they never planned to use those COAs anyway and they aren't legally worth much (if any) money to the company.