Win 7 - Using old licences for newbuilds/upgrades

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Sneckietechie

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Jan 8, 2014
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For years I have fixed/built new/renovated old PCs for friends and charities. I charge only for parts - my labour is free - it's a hobby! Many are now asking if I will upgrade them to Win 7 from XP & Vista, so I am checking out options. I get lots of broken PCs donated to me for parts and have made frequent use of the parts, and of the XP licences from these, to build new PCs (I transfer the Product Code labels from the broken PC before scrapping the original PC, so there is no possibility of 2 versions of XP being in use with the same product code). That has always worked well. I have an XP instal disk based on a full retail XP version and which has SP3 and other upgrades slipstreamed onto it. So, once the clean instal, is complete, all I need do is transfer a product code from a scrapped PC to each rebuilt PC and everything runs fine - and entirely legally.

My problem is, will this approach work, and will it be legitimate, with Windows 7?

A further complication is that I am aware of the motherboard-specific nature of OEM versions of Win 7 and am pretty sure most of the broken PCs I will inherit will have OEM versions of Win 7. That was never a problem with XP, but Win 7 is clearly different. Nevertheless it seems I should be able to transfer the product code to the new-build PC by phoning Microsoft after each new install. But does that mean I can use one OEM version WIN 7 DVD as my "Master Install" disc, to repeatedly do the initial instal on all the new build PCs I develop? I can obviously buy an OEM version much cheaper than the full retail version.

Final comment - any suggestions welcome, but I stress I am ONLY interested in strictly legal solutions!

Sorry for long-winded question!
 
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Phillip Corcoran

Phillip Corcoran

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Sep 7, 2013
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Even with Windows XP it was the case that when a factory built computer or laptop was scrapped, it's licence & OEM Windows Product Key died with it. And that state of affairs has continued through Vista, Windows 7, and now Windows 8.

The same applies if you buy an OEM copy of Windows. It's "bonded" to the first machine you install it on. When that machine is scrapped, the licence, and the OEM Product Key dies with it (that's why the OEM version is considerably cheaper).

Whilst you can use an OEM disc to install Windows on another computer if the first computer has been scrapped, you must purchase a new Product Key & licence to stay legal.

Or buy a non-OEM retail boxed Windows disc so that the above restrictions do not apply.
 
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Sneckietechie

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Jan 8, 2014
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Grateful thanks to Phillip for his reply.I perhaps need to explain a bit more. I described in my original question the way I have used old licences to transfer XP to new-build machines. As I set out many years ago with the specific intention of doing this for charity, I first made sure I obtained written agreement from a Microsoft representative that this approach was acceptable. They indicated they were content provided I personally ensured each original PC was scrapped. You are quite correct in that OEM versions were solely intended for use on one PC only and were not intended to be transferred. However, Microsoft apparently unofficially softened their stance on this after a while, recognising the PR problem of continual public fights with consumers who had paid for XP then being deprived of the use of it due to an irreparable PC hardware fault. In my case, maybe they were particularly helpful cos they recognised I was doing this as an unpaid volunteer, that all my "clients" were charities or friends, and that we were talking about a maximum of, maybe, a dozen PCs a year. But I appreciate your point that the original consumer will have paid less for an OEM version than for a full version. I do intend to again seek specific permission from Microsoft - I won't do this work on anyone's PC, especially a registered charity's, without written approval, but I wanted to check my understanding of the options before I approach Microsoft. Your reply was much appreciated!



 
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