Buying Vista abroad.
Discussion
Was just watching the money programme anout the launch of windows vista, and as has been mentioned on here before, they pointed out that vista was about half the price in america.
if you bought a disc in america, and brought it home, would it work ok?..... or would there be something in the licencing that would restrict it to working only on computers registered in the states?
if you bought a disc in america, and brought it home, would it work ok?..... or would there be something in the licencing that would restrict it to working only on computers registered in the states?
I don't belive their is anything to stop you doing this. However the license might be different for EU users due to the various anti-monopoly rulings and such. But as far as it goes, it will install and recognise it's CD key as valid... I can't see the MS servers refusing to activate the product as it's a valid serial number.
Worst case you'll have to phone them up to activate.
Worst case you'll have to phone them up to activate.
tycho said:
You could get an OEM version if you buy some hardware with it. I got Home Premium for £70 ish and bought a keyboard for £10 to qualify. The guy said that it had to be a non MS keyboard though.... Ultimate was £116
There is no such thing as packaged OEM product. OEM is ONLY pre-installed on PCs. What you have is effectively an illegal copy!
garyhun said:
tycho said:
You could get an OEM version if you buy some hardware with it. I got Home Premium for £70 ish and bought a keyboard for £10 to qualify. The guy said that it had to be a non MS keyboard though.... Ultimate was £116
There is no such thing as packaged OEM product. OEM is ONLY pre-installed on PCs. What you have is effectively an illegal copy!
So what,as long as it works,there not going to put you in the clink are they,i have windows xp pro OEM and i have activated this on the same machine many times no problems and been using it for 2 years plus,cost when purchased £100 with dvd rw drive deal,compared to full retail at time £200 plus why would i want to do that.
garyhun said:
tycho said:
You could get an OEM version if you buy some hardware with it. I got Home Premium for £70 ish and bought a keyboard for £10 to qualify. The guy said that it had to be a non MS keyboard though.... Ultimate was £116
There is no such thing as packaged OEM product. OEM is ONLY pre-installed on PCs. What you have is effectively an illegal copy!
Erm.... nope. OEM is for system builders, be they huge corps like Dell, Lenovo and such through to Mr. Chippy the compy whizzy. The terms of the Vista license are that the none peripheral component must be integrated in to the system (I think). Ok, this doesn't actually cover a keyboard (think CPU, HDD, RAM) but their is no reason why someone can't buy an OEM version of Windows if they meet the, rather lax, requirements.
In this example, Tycho's supplier has, potentially goofed, it shouldn't of supplied the OEM product with a peripheral. It did, Tycho's copy of Windows, is, however, genuine. It has a genuine Key, will activate and has a certificate of authenticity. it is the supplier that will have to face Microsoft's wrath, not Tycho.
Technically OEM software is sold to original equipment manufacturers who buy the software at wholesale prices under licence to install this on the machines they assemble before sale. When they sell the OEM products it is they who are in breach of their licence agreements with MS. As an end user when you buy a PC it is up to you to activate the software and of course accept the EULA agreement at that time, of course MS cannot tell if that activation request has come from a full OEM machine or a self installed OEM version of Windows.
A word of warning about OEM versions, there have been some OEM distributors who have used the key on the Certificate of Authenticity before selling the unopened software pack meaning the person who paid for it effectively has a very expensive CD that will not activate as the key has already been used.
A word of warning about OEM versions, there have been some OEM distributors who have used the key on the Certificate of Authenticity before selling the unopened software pack meaning the person who paid for it effectively has a very expensive CD that will not activate as the key has already been used.
I would wait a while , MS has a reputation for software that may need remedial work . eg Win98 replaced with Win 98 SE , Early XP's had very large service pack that were often found to install incorrectly. Apple are saying many things in relation some of their Apps, Gamers complaining about locking. Think Twice, Act Once. We refuse to install newly released MS O/S's on systems due to requirements of stability for our customers (let someone else solve those problems first half our customers have enough problems without it being added to by an "unproved" OS.
garyhun said:
tycho said:
You could get an OEM version if you buy some hardware with it. I got Home Premium for £70 ish and bought a keyboard for £10 to qualify. The guy said that it had to be a non MS keyboard though.... Ultimate was £116
There is no such thing as packaged OEM product. OEM is ONLY pre-installed on PCs. What you have is effectively an illegal copy!
AFAIK the keyboard I bought is part of a system I am (re)building and this therefore is covered (I am technically a system builder). I don't think the likes of scan, novatech and dabs are going to be in breach of Microsoft when selling these products.
ThePassenger said:
garyhun said:
tycho said:
You could get an OEM version if you buy some hardware with it. I got Home Premium for £70 ish and bought a keyboard for £10 to qualify. The guy said that it had to be a non MS keyboard though.... Ultimate was £116
There is no such thing as packaged OEM product. OEM is ONLY pre-installed on PCs. What you have is effectively an illegal copy!
Erm.... nope. OEM is for system builders, be they huge corps like Dell, Lenovo and such through to Mr. Chippy the compy whizzy. The terms of the Vista license are that the none peripheral component must be integrated in to the system (I think). Ok, this doesn't actually cover a keyboard (think CPU, HDD, RAM) but their is no reason why someone can't buy an OEM version of Windows if they meet the, rather lax, requirements.
In this example, Tycho's supplier has, potentially goofed, it shouldn't of supplied the OEM product with a peripheral. It did, Tycho's copy of Windows, is, however, genuine. It has a genuine Key, will activate and has a certificate of authenticity. it is the supplier that will have to face Microsoft's wrath, not Tycho.
Keyboards are included as the guy went and checked, came back and confirmed that as long as it is non-MS keyboard that it qualified.
eccles said:
thanks for the replies chaps. i wasn't planning on upgrading just yet. but was just curious if buying in the U.S was viable as it would be so much cheaper at the moment if you factor in the exchange rate.
Yes i would wait for all the secuirity patches and other glitches to be fixed 1st,as i have said before XP as turned into a good O/S so why change just for the sake of having the latest,i will sit on the fence for a while.
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