Difference with OEM and Retail software?

Can someone explain the difference between say, Windows XP OEM version and the Retail version. Apart from the huge price difference.

thanks

In one word, Support.

OEM versions you have to refer all support to the vendor of the oem version. Retail allows you to bug M$ :D

There isn't any difference ! Besides a price hike, but you mightn't get system disks packaging etc ... just a restore cd ... then there's support ... supposedly with an OEM copy the 'seller' provides any support & with retail MS provide it...

But since MS seem never to have heard of 'free' support I don't think it makes a blind bit of difference ... :eek2:

There are different 'builds' of xp, but both the OEM & retail versions change as this does (or when OEMs get around to it), so OEM versions usaully have a slightly earlier 'build' date (but first trip to windows update sorts that).

Keep in mind, MS OEM software usually has to be purchased with hardware too. While this can be as simply as a USB or IDE cable, if the company doesn't offer any of these, it might be quite an expense to purchase the additional hardware as well.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) products are fully functional products just like the retail versions.

The differences have already been listed, so I'll just add that documentation and "bonus" software may also be lacking from some OEM titles.

OEM WinXP allows a buyer to get the OS at a lesser price than reatail market pricing, which gives MS a "foot in the door" to your wallet for other products, gives them amazing coverage and PR while ensuring that more users refrain from pirating their software (in theory).