Xp Oem

[macleod.mac]

Hi

OEM XP is much cheaper than 'retail'. Why is this?

And what are the pros and cons compared with retail?

Would it be suitable to install something like this:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132195/show_product_reviews

on any machine, with say, Vista?

Thanks in advance!

macleod.mac

[MarkE19]

OEM is cheaper but is tied to the first PC you install it on - if the PC dies you need to buy the software again. You get no technical support from Microsoft for OEM as this is meant to come from the company that built the PC it is on. It comes in a plastic bag with no manual.
Retail can be uninstalled from one PC and installed on another - as many times as you want. MS will give technical support if required. Comes in a plastic box with a printed manual (that I always fully read - NOT!)

I have XP OEM & Vista HP OEM both installed on my PC, so yes you can install both versions of the OS. The copy you linked to should be fine.

Mark.

[macleod.mac]

Thanks for the speedy response.

:smashin:

macleod.mac

[kdc]

OEM is cheaper but is tied to the first PC you install it on - if the PC dies you need to buy the software again. You get no technical support from Microsoft for OEM as this is meant to come from the company that built the PC it is on. It comes in a plastic bag with no manual.
Retail can be uninstalled from one PC and installed on another - as many times as you want. MS will give technical support if required. Comes in a plastic box with a printed manual (that I always fully read - NOT!)

I have XP OEM & Vista HP OEM both installed on my PC, so yes you can install both versions of the OS. The copy you linked to should be fine.

Mark.

Unless you tell microsoft you have upgraded your PC in which case they will give you a new activation code. I've installed the same copy of XP I had on my old PC which died onto my new macbook and had no problems.:grin:

[MarkE19]

The OP asked what the differences were - not what you can get away with :devil:

Mark.

[macleod.mac]

& Vista HP OEM both installed on my PC, so yes you can install both versions of the OS. The copy you linked to should be fine.

I really meant could you uninstall Vista and install OEM XP with that copy...?

Thanks,

macleod.mac

[MarkE19]

Same answer - yes you can :)
Vista is the latest version of Windows so tends to ship with most PC's (you can choose XP with some makes), but there is no reason why you can't format the HDD and start again with XP if you are willing to buy another copy of Windows.

Mark.

[macleod.mac]

I realise about Windows, I just was wondering whether because it was OEM it could only come installed as the first operating system or not.

(I am fairly computer literate and know my OSs)

Thanks anyway,

macleod.mac

:thumbsup: