Changing motherboard on custom built computer with OEM COA

[sleepymatt]

Hello!

So a friend of mine bought a custom built computer from a local computer shop here a few years ago that has since gone out of business. It is running Windows XP Pro. The motherboard died (almost positive) so we thought this would be a great time to upgrade. Anyways, I'm a bit concerned because as far as I know, OEM software is valid for only one computer and cannot be reactivated. My understanding of OEM would be a computer from a major manufacturer such as Dell, HP, etc. So since this is a custom built computer with OEM software installed ... do you think I will be able to reactivate it? Also, if it matters, we are planning on doing a repair install of windows XP.

Thanks
Matt

 

[Proximon]

Do a fresh install. XP Pro had a different licensing scheme and I think you may be OK. If it squawks at you give them a call and tell them the old board died and you have to replace it.

 

[Proximon]

Oh and loose XP as soon as you can. 80% of the security exploits this year were in XP. Vista or Win 7 are much more secure.

 

[Crashman]

Oh and loose XP as soon as you can. 80% of the security exploits this year were in XP. Vista or Win 7 are much more secure.

Funny, I thought 80% of the security exploits were in UNPATCHED XP? The U word being 10x more important than the X word...

 

[Twoboxer]

Anyways, I'm a bit concerned because as far as I know, OEM software is valid for only one computer and cannot be reactivated.

There's almost always controversy over this question. Whatever the license says, there is no prohibition against replacing parts that go bad. There is also no requirement to replace with identical parts, since technological advancement makes that impractical.

So, replacing your burned out mobo (or a hard drive, for that matter) will generate the need for re-activation of the OS. The mobo (or HD) does not need to be identical to its replacement. MS will allow re-activation. Their main concern is that the OS not be used in more than one PC at the same time.

 

[Proximon]

Funny, I thought 80% of the security exploits were in UNPATCHED XP? The U word being 10x more important than the X word...

Well, that's true enough Not sure about the 10X part but it's certainly important to include the unpatched part.

I don't think you can argue that Vista and Win 7 are inherently more secure though.

 

[coldsleep]

I don't think you can argue that Vista and Win 7 are inherently more secure though.

Only because most of the exploits and vectors of infection hadn't existed as software/concepts when XP was developed.

(Mostly just poking fun. Mostly.)