Windows 7 oem questions

So my sager 8150 just died and I am replacing it with a newer model.

However I want to use my windows 7 oem on my new laptop to lower costs. Is this possible for the Windows oem version, or are they basically tied to one machine?

 

Yeah, it should work.

 

klayylmao

 

Here is an answer. So, if in newer model of Sager other/newer version of motherboard is used - you`ll not be able to activate it.

 

That link says that oem Windows are not upgradeable between Windows versions.
Will this apply to the free Windows 10 upgrade? Only retail versions can upgrade?

Sent from a Galaxy far, far away

 

Maybe, maybe not. typically the COA key sticker on the laptop is not the same key they use to activate windows at the factory. So while you are correct about oem keys being tied to the motherboard, if you have a sticker on your laptop with a key, that key might not be in use yet and *should* be able to be activated on a different machine. ymmv.

 

I can`t answer about upgrade-ability to Win 10 of OEM Win 7, sorry.

About OEM. As S.Prime said, if the key on a laptop sticker was not used yet, theoretically it could work in another computer. But this is only theoretically. Why?

PC designers, when they`ve built a system and only OS has left, they receive from Windows representatives OEM-version CD of Windows ( if they have a contract with Microsoft ), install the OS and glue a sticker on the PC. Than they register this key in Microsoft Services. From that moment this key is available only for that PC with its motherboard`s MAC and other addresses.

Thus, if you`ve received your old laptop with pre-installed OS by laptop manufacturer, than you will not be able to use this elsewhere, except this laptop.

That is if I`m not mistaken. But as I remember, it always was as I described.

If you don`t want to spend too much money for new Retail Windows CD, you can ask new OEM-version (it is cheaper, than Retail) from some nearby PC-service. But I don`t think that someone will help you with that, because OEM versions are available only for system builders and manufacturers - for common users OEM versions of Windows are only available in the type of already installed software. Not just "go-n-buy", as a Retail Windows.

 

The OEM license was always intended to be tied to one computer and that is it. If I remember my stuff correctly, installing an OEM Windows license that was used on a computer previously is a breach of the ToS. That doesn't mean you won't be able to install and activate though.

I know people with desktops who have had success in getting MS to activate their OEM copies when they had to replace a motherboard and online activation wouldn't work.

propolkin, newegg and others have been selling OEM Windows licenses to general consumers for a long time now. Heck, I bought the parts for my desktop, assembled it myself and also bought an OEM copy of Windows 7 for it.

OEM Windows 7 should be upgradeable to Windows 10, it was for Windows 8, I don't see why it would be any different. In the end, you still have a license of Windows that was paid for, be it by your or the computer manufacturer. Besides, I'm sure MS will want to get as many people to switch to Windows 10 as possible.

 

Things are so different around the world. I have never-ever seen a laptop manufacturer doing that.

There is different kinds of OEM Windows. One you can buy from a store if you are building your own PC (white box, literally a white cardboard box containing three sets of discs and licenses), exact same version a small shop building computers would use like you described. I've built a lot of desktops back in the day with those.

All the big names that I know of use offline activation and the sticker is actually unused That goes on both laptops and desktops. That sticker is there as a personal license in case user wants to do a clean install without recovery discs.

I remember from somewhere that the hardware hash that is registered to certain key during install would be reset after 6 or 9 months or whatever. Not 100% certain though. Anyways, regarding the white-box OEM I think their license allows for motherboard replacement in case it breaks (=essentially a new computer). All the other components if replaced one by one would not trigger re-activation alone. That's a kind of loop hole for home builders and bigger manufacturers have their offline activation system that doesn't care about components anyways. Technicaly that's hard to apply on laptops though.

 

Thank you, guys, for clarifying for me and topic starter this information. So, I was partly right than. )))

 

Since I use my laptop for work also, I just got a new oem Windows. I don't want to deal with potential issues down the road. Thanks to all who took time to reply

Sent from a Galaxy far, far away