Microsoft to Grant Windows 8 System Builder License to Home-Built PCs
Microsoft is slightly, but very distinctively changing the license agreements for Windows.
With Windows 8, Microsoft acknowledges for the first time installations on home-built computers.
ZDNet got a hold of the new license agreements that affect the upgrade sold via retail, the OEM license agreement as well as system builder license relating to personal use systems. If you are building your own PC, you can, effectively take advantage of OEM versions instead of having to purchase a full and more expensive retail license.
ZDNet quotes the personal use license for system builders and Windows 8 Pro as follows:
We do not sell our software or your copy of it – we only license it. Under our license, we grant you the right to install and run that one copy on one computer (the licensed computer) as the operating system on a computer that you build for your personal use, or as an additional operating system running on a local virtual machine or a separate partition, subject to the restrictions outlined under “Are there things I’m not allowed to do with the software?”
Note that Microsoft also takes virtual machines and multiple operating systems on the same computer in consideration. This is also a first for Windows. According to ZDNet, Microsoft currently sells Windows in three packages - retail upgrades, full retail licenses , and OEM System Builder packages that are not permitted to be run on personally built systems. This appears to be changing now with Windows 8.

Most people that read this site already have built their own systems for years.
guess which version most people use?
OEM of course.
According to the license on previous versions of Windows, you weren't legally allowed to use that OEM copy on a computer you built for yourself. You were only supposed to use OEM if you were selling the computer to someone else.
I have NEVER bought a packaged OS, and will never do.
I have bought OEM since Windows 95, there is no point on getting a box that you will throw away anyways, not to mention the ridiculous overprice for that card board box.
Is also a joke that M$ who has always sold OEM thru many online retailers that it has taken them all this time to "acknowledge" this fact.
if Im not mistaken this allows you to use an OEM liscense from a retail pc on youre homebuilt machine, thus saving you ALOT of money. before, you had to buy a new liscense because OEM liscenses are tied to the original mobo.
Again ... WTF!
Most people that read this site already have built their own systems for years.
guess which version most people use?
OEM of course.
Most people that read this site already have built their own systems for years.
guess which version most people use?
OEM of course.
According to the license on previous versions of Windows, you weren't legally allowed to use that OEM copy on a computer you built for yourself. You were only supposed to use OEM if you were selling the computer to someone else.
Who in their right mind would buy a retail version, if they know how to assemble a PC?
Don't worry some knucklehead will try to troll and bash. And at least MS is trying to do something right for once, though, for us home builders. Unless you have a MSDN license, but that is not economical.
As an upgrade from XP the opening fire sale is pretty much a no brainer, much like the opening offer on 7. Full pricing after the offer is where it's at and if they are hoping for $200 a pop, well it might be a bit of a tougher sell.
Doesn't run Windows software natively, but that hey - who plays games on PCs anyway (compared to consoles)
Or "complicated" software support, or a large user base in comparison...
as far as the oem version being for retail companies only: this rule was never really enforced. i think this was just some corporate bureaucracy to cover their own rear. if ms truly wanted to enforce this then they would have.
while true that the oem copies of windows are tied to the motherboard you can transfe this license to another computer if you claim your motherboard got fried and you had to replace it. i've done it in the past (for windows xp) without issues. as long as you only use it on one pc then microsoft could really care less.
everyone can stop the ms bashing. if anything this is a concession to home builders.