OEM System Builder What is this?

[johntkucz]

What is OEM?

http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Professional-64bit-System-Builder/dp/B004Q0T0LU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337261735&sr=8-1
I saw this on amazon. Does this lock into motherboard? and the retail version does not? I can barely afford this, let alone the almost twice-as-much retail version...so...what is this? How does this compare to the retail version of 7 pro? I dislike anything 'rooting to my motherboard'; virii do that.

 

[LokalHero]

With the retail version you get a proper box, a quickstart guide, the disc and a licence.

OEM you get the disc and a licence.

Buy the OEM version.

OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer

 

[HEXiT]

Original equipment manufacturer . basically its when a pc manufacturer gets parts or software they wont be shipping with the product there gonna sell. they set them aside and sell them separately with an oem tag. often this means you wont get instructions, driver disks and a heat sync in the case of a cpu. if its an o.s it will be the disk only with basic packaging and a limit on the amount of installs it can be used for.
often you will find oem hardware has a 1 year warranty while retail parts which are exactly the same come with a 3 year 1. basically its like buying second hand but from a manufacturer/shop instead of joe public...

 

[zhihao50]

You can read it all here. http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/23305-63-windows-versions-explained

While the aboves are correct, system builder is slightly different from the major OEM. You basicly nailed it when asking does it lock into motherboard, it does.
"As with the royalty OEM versions, your copy of Windows is locked to the PC on which it is installed and cannot be transferred to a PC, nor can the motherboard be upgraded. " "The package you receive includes reinstallation media and a product key that is similar to a full packaged product but cannot be used for an in-place upgrade."

Unless you have a specific need for pro version I would just go with the home premium and save $30.
http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Premium-64bit-System-Builder/dp/B004Q0PT3I/ref=sr_1_1?s=software&ie=UTF8&qid=1337263113&sr=1-1

 

[HEXiT]

iscored a treat then because i was allowed to install my oem xp across myultiple platforms. the first time i called for the new validation code i told the guy that i upgraded and he then did something at his end that allowed my oem version to keep installing long after the 5 times limit was up... so i recommend if you do upgrade. make sure you talk to em rather than using the mechanical entry system

then again i am a registered oem system builder. when i bought my old amd setup the guy at the shop signed me up and got me registered... it cost me nothing but i did spend a grand in his shop that day...

 

[johntkucz]

With the retail version you get a proper box, a quickstart guide, the disc and a licence.

OEM you get the disc and a licence.

Buy the OEM version.

OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer

THAT was the info I saught! Way more informative than Sevenforums. Those dolts don't seem to know/understand much.

Thanks for describing the acronym (3-4 sevenforums.com responses no one provided that essential info).

And ALSO very helpful detailing what I would get with each.

The OEM version you also get to keep roughly $USD150.

My concern, still, however, is....how does it only install into one mobo. The retail version is more expensive than my mobo and cpu combined, so that's intolerably obnoxious.

Does it identify mobo serial number and only install to that? I don't like the idea of anything attaching to mobo.

 

[johntkucz]

Best answer selected by johntkucz.

 

[johntkucz]

You can read it all here. http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/23305-63-windows-versions-explained

While the aboves are correct, system builder is slightly different from the major OEM. You basicly nailed it when asking does it lock into motherboard, it does.
"As with the royalty OEM versions, your copy of Windows is locked to the PC on which it is installed and cannot be transferred to a PC, nor can the motherboard be upgraded. " "The package you receive includes reinstallation media and a product key that is similar to a full packaged product but cannot be used for an in-place upgrade."

Unless you have a specific need for pro version I would just go with the home premium and save $30.
http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Premium-64bit-System-Builder/dp/B004Q0PT3I/ref=sr_1_1?s=software&ie=UTF8&qid=1337263113&sr=1-1

HOW does it lock onto motherboard? (I REALLY dislike the idea of anything being installed into motherboard. Does it identify serial number or some other identifier?)

By the way, all the answers were very very helpful (I just selected first one that answered what I saught).

Very helpful, mates. Cheers. Thanks.

(good idea about using home instead of pro and saving a bit, too. I like the idea of pro (but that allure may be microsoft hyping features I may not use) when home prem may suffice, would prefer pro just because seems more...well, pro lol.

 

[zhihao50]

Yep windows validation process keeps track of several key data like MAC address. Not sure how much they have changed since xp but basic idea is same.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Product_Activation

Pro offers xp mode, file encryption system and bunch of networking tools for computer intended to be deployed in a network environment. None of those benefits a regular user.
See this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions