buying XP Home full version oem

beezelbubba

beezelbubba

Shitty Buddhist
I'm looking to buy the full version of xp home.I see it on new egg for $89.00 as well as other prices,which is difficult to understand.I also see it on best buys web site for like 200.00.What price should I expect to pay for a functional full version of XP w/service pack 2?
 
the 89 is the OEM version...its the full version of windows..just one time use only. you'll catch hell trying to reactivate it if something goes wrong. the $200 is the retail full version. they'll let you use it on your 1 computer more than once. you know...just in case you have to reinstall it after a virus or something like that. walmart has the windows xp home upgrade for 99 i bought that.
 
I bought XP Home upgrade for $90, and the full version for $200 (my wife bought a computer for a low price on the internet, and it came with lots of software and no discs...I spent the last year and quite a bit of money upgrading to un-cracked software, including buying the full version of XP because she didn't get the Microsoft 98SE disc -- alll you kids out there debating the morality of cracking, here it is: it's stealing, and it's putting your computer at risk, and it is not upgradeable...except through another crack. Crack away, idiots).

Oops. Sorry for the rant. I keep being accused of being "holier-than-thou" by the thieves and I guess I **am** holier-than-them! So sue me.

Anyway, it sounds like the $89 is actually the upgrade price.
 
I went back to the Newegg website and noted that it has a remark "must be purchased with hardware!" ...here's what their website says:

• The product I am interested in states that it "Must be Purchased With Hardware." What items will qualify as hardware?
These items may not be purchased without another non-software item from our store. Most any item, besides software, in our on-line store will be sufficient. There are no minimum dollar requirements or specific hardware requirements.

So you could buy a trackball and qualify? Wish I'd seen that last summer....I'd say, go for it. There can't be any difference between OEM and retail, except some of the packaging. In the course of redoing my wife's computer (see above) I bought OEM MicroSoft Office and it didn't come in a pretty box, but it functions exactly the same.
 
OEM and retail are the exact same thing.....however the oem keycode lets microsoft know that its only for one time use
 
OEM and retail are the exact same thing

I knew that had to be true...but I hadn't thought about the authorization part of it.
 
distortedrumble said:
OEM and retail are the exact same thing.....however the oem keycode lets microsoft know that its only for one time use
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Sorry, but that's complete crap. You can re-activate OEM versions. I have done it MANY, MANY, MANY times.

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer

OEM versions do not come with the box, or most of the manuals and crap. They are meant for computer manufacturers - all the way from Dell to small time builders like me. I have built over a hundred computers - every one with OEM software.

I'll even let you in on a way to get it for about $50 bucks. If you know someone with a CD already, go to pricewatch.com and by COA key. Use it with a friends CD, and VOILA, you have a fully legit registered copy of Windows XP for about $50.
 
i think you missed it......the oem KEYCODE lets microsoft know that its for one time use..... keycode = certificate of authenticity = product key. same shit, different name. yes i know about the keycode/coa buy for half the price of buying the full thing. thats why i still have my xp home OEM and bought the xp pro upgrade for me and xp home upgrade for my mom's comp because she would have a fit if she lost all her photos. she never bought a burner so that posed a problem. the upgrade lets her keep the crap she has on there.
 
distortedrumble said:
i think you missed it......the oem KEYCODE lets microsoft know that its for one time use..... keycode = certificate of authenticity = product key. same shit, different name. yes i know about the keycode/coa buy for half the price of buying the full thing. thats why i still have my xp home OEM and bought the xp pro upgrade for me and xp home upgrade for my mom's comp because she would have a fit if she lost all her photos. she never bought a burner so that posed a problem. the upgrade lets her keep the crap she has on there.
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I think you missed what I was saying. OEM is NOT "one time use".

Also, you can lay an OEM copy over the top of 98 or ME EXACTLY like the upgrade Versions. Upgrade versions just REQUIRE that you have either 98 or ME, OEM versions will install no matter what you have or don't have.

I have actually NEVER heard of a microsoft "one time use" key. I even have a NFR copy of windows that I have re-installed TWICE!
 
how in the hell are you activating it? ...cracked version? I'm not saying that the oem disc wont load on the comp. but the keycode is rejected when you try the ms activation on another comp. you can use it for up to 30 days without activation but then windows wont work until you get a new keycode/coa.
 
distortedrumble said:
how in the hell are you activating it? ...cracked version? I'm not saying that the oem disc wont load on the comp. but the keycode is rejected when you try the ms activation on another comp. you can use it for up to 30 days without activation but then windows wont work until you get a new keycode/coa.
Click to expand...

You can't install ANY version of XP on more than one computer. However, it was stated above -

distortedrumble said:
the 89 is the OEM version...its the full version of windows..just one time use only. you'll catch hell trying to reactivate it if something goes wrong. the $200 is the retail full version. they'll let you use it on your 1 computer more than once. you know...just in case you have to reinstall it after a virus or something like that. walmart has the windows xp home upgrade for 99 i bought that.
Click to expand...

You said it can't be re-installed - that is NOT true.

There is NO benefit to the retail version other than the fancy box and the manual - Who reads the manual anyway?

You can also buy OEM versions on pricewatch with the CD if you don't have one. I absolutely love newegg (and they love me, as I have spent countless thousands of dollars there over the past few years), but not for Windows.

BTW - I have had probably a dozen people come to me with screwed up XP computers - almost all of them were running the DO version of windows (the cracked version) - I tell everyone, it's not worth the hassle over $50 bucks. Just pay for the damn thing. XP is actually a pretty good OS (did I really just say that?!?!?!?)

:D
 
i consider a installation as loading the OS and activation. when i changed out my amd for intel, it promted me for activation. i call the activation number and they told me that since mine was oem, i would need new keycode. same thing happend the next week with my buddy's comp. cleared his 20 gb hard drive, took it out and put in a 200 gb and a faster cpu. and once again they said he would need a new keycode. and before you ask, yes they were legit copies bought at the computer store in town.
 
i agree w/ NL5...straight from NewEgg:

What are the differences between OEM and retail products?

The retail and OEM versions usually will have the same exact product, however the retail version usually will come with bundled software, retail packaging, and more bells and whistles so to speak. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), White Box, Brown Box versions will come with the actual product and sometimes the drivers, but not much else. No special packaging or software. Usually, the retail version will be accompanied by a longer warranty. The OEM version is more for people who build systems and know what they are doing and do not require any extras.

in other words, i would expect the full version of windows to come with more learning tools like Encarta, Microsoft office crap, Disk doctor tools, etc. But I wouldn't know since I just buy the OEM
 
distortedrumble said:
i consider a installation as loading the OS and activation. when i changed out my amd for intel, it promted me for activation. i call the activation number and they told me that since mine was oem, i would need new keycode. same thing happend the next week with my buddy's comp. cleared his 20 gb hard drive, took it out and put in a 200 gb and a faster cpu. and once again they said he would need a new keycode. and before you ask, yes they were legit copies bought at the computer store in town.
Click to expand...


It wasn't because they were OEM. It was because the bastards at MS consider them new computers.

"I changed out my AMD for Intel" - new MB (which means new NIC, New IDE controler, etc, etc), new CPU, etc...... - they call that a new computer (which basically it is). There may be tighter restrictions on # of harware changes for OEM vs. Retail, but I have never heard of it before. I jack stuff in and out of my computer all the time, but the MB has always stayed the same. Never had an issue reactivating it. I will look into it, and report back if there is, or isn't a different limit on the two versions.

Also, one bit of advice. If you call MS, and they tell you that again, ask for a supervisor, and COMPLAIN. They will overide the hardware change limit. I know a couple people that have done that - luckily, I haven't had to yet :)
 
I had no idea that I could just buy a key.. and for $50!

I've been using a cracked copy of XP. Well.. I used the disc that came wth a friends computer. It worked the first time, then I upgraded the board and all. Doesn't anymore. Heh.

Hmmm.
 
I've used the Microsoft activation code on many different computers many different times. 1 code. I've heard that if you use a code more than 3 times they disable it but I've used it probably 25 times. Of course on all of my computers and my parents and sisters after reformatting and getting new computers. BTW, you definitely don't want SP2. Haha...
 
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