Reselling systems with Windows?

Hello,

I want to sell a few used PCs. These are all from the same company/manufacturer. All have the original Windows COAs on them (some are 98, some are ME, some are 2000).

Now, I can use the same manufacturer's XP Home CD on all of these? I have some excess original XP cds. It installs without asking for a COA. This installation works fine in Windows update, and passes their "is this windows geniune" test (or whatever its called).

So, since it has a COA on it (not necessarily XP), is this OK to do? I get a feeling its not, just wanted some feedback on it.

If this is not good for XP, will it work for any other OS? If it is OK for 98, or ME, could I use burnt copies, since these versions are no longer available "retail"? The system will still have the matching COA to go along with the CD.

Thanks,

A

I would expect these systems to be covered by the companys group licence/s which does not of course transfer with the system.

I believe you will need to format every harddrive or remove them and who ever purchased Computer will need to buy harddrive and Windows to
have it legal.

That is a corporate copy you are using and so non transferable at alll

Just because they have volume licence versions of windows on 'em doesn't mean the company has bought everything OEM, quite often OEM copies are on every bit of kit, but in some fire safe somewheres there's a big pile of cd's & COA's that are retail & thus transferable, ask who you bought them from & they can tell you for sure, unlikely mind, but worth an ask, as any copies of 98/me are probably worthless to them without 'lower end' kit, to run them on (& probably the same for 2k at least to an extent)

Also if there's enough, they can sell you the 'whole lot' (You can sell the whole of a volume license agreement for any bit of software, if you bought it seperately, just not parts of any greater agreement).

When/if you buy bulk hardware second hand, you want to check what kind of software you can get 'free' & price accordingly when making offers ;)

http://www.compumentor.org/news/media/waste.html

So, having read all of that.....

If I put in a "burnt" copy of the version of Windows that matches the original COA that is stuck to the machine, it is OK. That is what I gathered from the last post's link.

Is that right?

A

Original windoze cd's, COA's etc etc are not proof of ownership, they are methods of establishing authenticity.

All you need is a receipt from an authorised M$ re-seller & that establishes whether the copy is transferable or not.

Individual licenses cannot get sold seperately (well they could, but legally) if they are part of some greater agreement or attached to a particular bit of kit - by getting the bill of sale you are able to establish what circumstance applies.

This is from the win98 EULA..the ME and 2000 are substantially similar.

Quote:

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Single COMPUTER. The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is licensed with the HARDWARE as a single integrated product. The SOFTWARE PRODUCT may only be used with the HARDWARE as set forth in this EULA

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Quote:

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Software Product Transfer. You may permanently transfer all of your rights under this EULA only as part of a permanent sale or transfer of the HARDWARE, provided you retain no copies, you transfer all of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT (including all component parts, the media and printed materials, any upgrades, this EULA and, if applicable, the Certificate(s) of Authenticity), and the recipient agrees to the terms of this EULA. If the SOFTWARE PRODUCT is an upgrade, any transfer must also include all prior versions of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.

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Since W98 SE, all OEM versions of Windows are licensed to the computer , not the user. If a valid COA is attached to the computer, it doesn't matter if the same disk is used to install the OS on multiple machines. However, a system builder is legally required to provide a copy of the OS to the customer. The COA (or license agreement for corporate and government users) confers the legal right for the corresponding OS to run on the machine whether the installation is done from a single CD, image file, or whatever.