Re: XP Pro CD - Retail or OEM?

From: Mike Brannigan [MSFT] (mikebran_at_online.microsoft.com)
Date: 09/04/04 

Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2004 21:20:32 +0100

Hi Jane,

I have put my comments in line with you post below.

"Jane Crystal" <utopianseamaid@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:OLYOaTrkEHA.3496@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Mike
>
> What a pleasure to hear from someone from Microsoft. Thank you for telling
> me that a retail CD will not work to repair an OEM installation. I must
> have
> misunderstood incorrectly in reading other posts in this forum.

You often see the retail CD mentioned to do a repair as it is a way for
users of pirated Windows XP to convert it to a full retail licensed copy.
Both OEM and Retail CDs can do a repair but you cannot do one with the other
(you must use the same sort as you used to install).

> I thought
> the retail CD was better to have for certain repairs and things that the
> OEM
> CD could not do.

Nope just a retail can do a clean install or an upgrade - OEM can only do a
clean install

> I guess I'll have to reread those posts. I might not get
> an OEM CD after all. It might be better to find a retail copy, though it
> will be a lot more expensive. An OEM CD will cost anywhere from $120 to
> $199, depending on where I get it. A retail CD will probably be closer to
> $300, unless the price has come down.
>

You can use the OEM as long as you understand the limits - no support
directly from Microsoft - yes you still get Service Packs and hotfixes via
Windows Update you just don;t get any free telephone support.
You can move that copy to another machine if the original machine dies (you
can with a Retail one).

> At least I was able to use my friend's CD to run the Windows XP Upgrade
> Advisor. It told me some hardware and software that might not work on XP.
> I
> will see about getting either updated drivers, patches, or later versions
> for everything it flagged. Let me make it perfectly clear that I am not a
> software pirate and have no intention of installing that CD on my
> computer.

Great to hear you are doing the right thing in so many ways :-)

> I have great respect for Microsoft, but IMO they charge far too much for
> some of their software. I have a license for everything on my computer
> that
> requires a license. I don't think it's possible to pirate Windows XP
> anyway.
> You'd never be able to activate it, and it would only cause you problems.
>
> My friend did have an original CD, but his ex-wife either took it or
> destroyed it out of spite. He does not know. All he has left is the copy,
> and it has been on his laptop for years. So far he has not had to
> reinstall.
> Is there no way to tell from the copy whether it is retail, oem, upgrade,
> or
> full version? It would be kind of important for him to know, but he
> doesn't
> remember.
>

If it is a retail one he will have a yellow sticker somewhere (actually on
the origoinal packaging if he still has it). If it is an OEM one if it can
with the laptop it will have a Certificate of Aucthenticity sticker on the
laptop or on a piece of paper (if you bought it separtely).

I'll see if there is some other way to tell from the CD label (if anyone
else reads this and has the various version OEM Retail and Upgrade can you
post your CD Label - is in the label explorer shows on the CD drive for the
disk when you insert it (not the one the face of the disk label )

> Thank you for telling me that you can upgrade from the full version. Is it
> true that you can only do that if you have the retail CD, not if it's an
> OEM
> CD, or am I wrong about that?
>

Yes only retail full or upgrade can do an upgrade OEM can only do a clean
install

> Finally, if you have wipe & reformat your hard drive, can you use an
> upgrade
> version if you place a Windows Me CD in the drive to verify you are
> eligible, or can you only do that with the full version?
>
Yes it will ask you for the disk part way through the setup 

-- 
Regards,
Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups
"Jane Crystal" <utopianseamaid@yahoo.com> wrote in message 
news:OLYOaTrkEHA.3496@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Mike
>
> What a pleasure to hear from someone from Microsoft. Thank you for telling
> me that a retail CD will not work to repair an OEM installation. I must 
> have
> misunderstood incorrectly in reading other posts in this forum. I thought
> the retail CD was better to have for certain repairs and things that the 
> OEM
> CD could not do. I guess I'll have to reread those posts.  I might not get
> an OEM CD after all. It might be better to find a retail copy, though it
> will be a lot more expensive. An OEM CD will cost anywhere from $120 to
> $199, depending on where I get it. A retail CD will probably be closer to
> $300, unless the price has come down.
>
> At least I was able to use my friend's CD to run the Windows XP Upgrade
> Advisor. It told me some hardware and software that might not work on XP. 
> I
> will see about getting either updated drivers, patches, or later versions
> for everything it flagged. Let me make it perfectly clear that I am not a
> software pirate and have no intention of installing that CD on my 
> computer.
> I have great respect for Microsoft, but IMO they charge far too much for
> some of their software. I have a license for everything on my computer 
> that
> requires a license. I don't think it's possible to pirate Windows XP 
> anyway.
> You'd never be able to activate it, and it would only cause you problems.
>
> My friend did have an original CD, but his ex-wife either took it or
> destroyed it out of spite. He does not know. All he has left is the copy,
> and it has been on his laptop for years. So far he has not had to 
> reinstall.
> Is there no way to tell from the copy whether it is retail, oem, upgrade, 
> or
> full version? It would be kind of important for him to know, but he 
> doesn't
> remember.
>
> Thank you for telling me that you can upgrade from the full version. Is it
> true that you can only do that if you have the retail CD, not if it's an 
> OEM
> CD, or am I wrong about that?
>
> Finally, if you have wipe & reformat your hard drive, can you use an 
> upgrade
> version if you place a Windows Me CD in the drive to verify you are
> eligible, or can you only do that with the full version?
>
>
> "Mike Brannigan [MSFT]" <mikebran@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:uQX2NWmkEHA.1356@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> "Jane Crystal" <utopianseamaid@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:ur%23GypjkEHA.3552@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> >A friend lent me a copy of an  XP Pro CD so I could look at some of the
>> > files and run the Upgrade Advisor to determine hardware and software
>> > compatibility and readiness.
>> >
>> > He does not know whether it is a retail or OEM CD or whether it is the
>> > full
>> > version or an upgrade. Is there any way to tell by looking at certain
>> > files?
>> > This is a CD-R, not an original Microsoft CD.
>> >
>> > I'm assuming it is the full version. I pretended to install it to see 
>> > if
>> > it
>> > gave me a choice. It asked me whether I wanted to do an upgrade (from
>> > Windows Me) or a clean install. The upgrade version wouldn't give me
> that
>> > choice, would it? That's why I think it's the full version. But I still
>> > can't determine if it's retail or OEM. After that I exited the
>> > installation
>> > and rebooted.
>> >
>> > If this indeed is a retail CD, then it might be a good idea for me to
>> > retain
>> > a copy of it for future repair purposes. I do not intend to install 
>> > this
>> > CD.
>> > It belongs to someone else. I will be getting an OEM CD when I upgrade
> my
>> > computer.
>>
>> You can tell what it is by looking at the disk - if it is an original CD,
>> if your friend does not have the original CD, why not ?  are they using
>> pirated software ?
>> .
>> They are all clearly marked as Windows XP - if OEM then it states so on
> the
>> disks.
>> If it is an upgrade that to is on the disk surface.
>>
>> Both full and upgrade can be used to do an upgrade.
>>
>> You should not make a copy of the Retail CD if you are intending to
> purchase
>> an OEM one,  since you cannot do a repair install with a retail CD to an
> OEM
>> install and besides you also mention are about to get an OEM CD so why do
>> you need someone else's CD ?
>>
>> -- 
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Mike
>> --
>> Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
>>
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights
>>
>> Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
>> newsgroups
>>
>> "Jane Crystal" <utopianseamaid@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:ur%23GypjkEHA.3552@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> >A friend lent me a copy of an  XP Pro CD so I could look at some of the
>> > files and run the Upgrade Advisor to determine hardware and software
>> > compatibility and readiness.
>> >
>> > He does not know whether it is a retail or OEM CD or whether it is the
>> > full
>> > version or an upgrade. Is there any way to tell by looking at certain
>> > files?
>> > This is a CD-R, not an original Microsoft CD.
>> >
>> > I'm assuming it is the full version. I pretended to install it to see 
>> > if
>> > it
>> > gave me a choice. It asked me whether I wanted to do an upgrade (from
>> > Windows Me) or a clean install. The upgrade version wouldn't give me
> that
>> > choice, would it? That's why I think it's the full version. But I still
>> > can't determine if it's retail or OEM. After that I exited the
>> > installation
>> > and rebooted.
>> >
>> > If this indeed is a retail CD, then it might be a good idea for me to
>> > retain
>> > a copy of it for future repair purposes. I do not intend to install 
>> > this
>> > CD.
>> > It belongs to someone else. I will be getting an OEM CD when I upgrade
> my
>> > computer.
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>