Howard - OEM OS are lottery tickets. You buy the system, you open the box, then you read the CD.
The fun does not stops there.
Usually the OS is branded and has specific custom response files which would search for a configuation (CPU, HD capacity,...).
Sometimes (I remember a Win98 on a PackardBell) fine prints openly specified that the license was only legal on that specific machine.
This must be a trend from Microsoft: one license needed for one PC in one configuration.
If you change a video card, or the hard drive, you can phone Microsoft and request a new activation (it is very rare that a user changes anything in his machine, hence not much overhead at Microsoft).
Personally, I find this activation "anti-piracy" paranoid.
Only full retail packages are protected that way. OEM bulk versions aren't, site licenses aren't (these site licenses would be the the only clean versions of system installation).
Now trying to answer your questions:
1 Yes, you get a CD, even a leaflet with a certificate of origin.
2 If you don't get a CD, how to reinstall Windows? Dummy, how the heck could n end-user reinstall Windows. Users even can't read. Machines have to be sent back to the manufacturer. I hope you still have the original packaging? I hope you didn't attempt to modify something under the hood? Screws are marked you know, the manufacturer knows whichone hev been moved, so warranty void.
Your data? Dummy, all tell you to make backups.
3 Yep, you need to phone if you make changes in your PC (Is this very legal?)
4 Can you use your CD on other computers?
Depends, one manufacturer will ship a clean copy, other would send installation disks for one brasnd and make of a machine. As a rule, take no for an answer, the trend is to get a machine specific license. (Is this well very legal?).
5 Case you don't know, at the manufacturer's side, the number of licenses are checked against the number of CPU's the manufacturer has bot.
In a former life, I did assembled PCs, 70% Windows, 30% Unix. Never mind, MSFT requested a license fee for all 100% of systems (CPU's bot, not machines sold). This was completely illegal.
Repeating a last warning: OEM versions you get can be both OEM bulk version (clean versions) or manufacturer's installation disk (series, model and make specific).
I believe manufactures don't deliver plain hard disk images anymore. You had to copy your CD back to the hard drive with the "Restore" command.
About the recovery function: yes you can boot from the CD and enter the recovery console. Nice, but you haven't a manual. For more users, this also means that you don't have access to XP's help, neither access to online documentation.
You can make a recovery disk. Do it.
The recovery disk is specific to your machine and your action will be facilitated. (Reason behind? Don't ask, saw that somewhere sometime on the net but unable to retrieve the info). |
