Steve, technically you violated the OEM license agreement and I'll explain why. I didn't take time to read all of the replies in this thread so bear with me if I am repeating things.
OEM operating systems cannot be transferred. The OEM license is tied to the original machine that it came preinstalled on, but you
can replace the mainboard (only if it fails) with a similar item. Since a "pieced together" is technically a new system, and it's using the OEM product key from an old E Machine, you have in fact transferred it to another system. Some of those product keys were bios locked a while back but I think MS stepped away from those due to customer complaints. I service a lot of systems and I haven't seen a failed "phone in" activation in over a year.
Now we all know that Bob in India will give you a new key if you answer his questions correctly. In fact as long as you answer
No to "is this copy of windows on more than one computer" you are home free. Technically you aren't lying because they never ask if the OEM copy was installed one another machine and if it is being transferred to a new one.
The fact of the matter is that most people ignore the EULA anyhow, but some of us enjoy being EULA police.
