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I think they confused currencies... but the point is that Vista OEM will be around half the price of retail.

Because with an upgrade version you have to have XP installed and you then upgrade over it. With a full OEM you can install from a clean drive with no previous OS installed. It's like getting the full retail package without the fancy case and booklet. I prefer OEM over upgrades especially since you can't do a clean install from an upgrade disc anymore.

Has it been verified that you can't do a clean install with an upgrade disk ?

You've always been able do a clean install with an Upgrade version of Windows. It just merely asks you for a Windows CD during installation. It made sense back before the days of massive downloading and filesharing when the only reliable way to get a Windows CD was to actually buy it.

Is that still the case with activation around now? What's to say my XP Pro cd has run out of activations?

You must have Xp installed but you don'e need to install over it. You can do a clean install and to me it's the best choice if you already have XP.

The US doesn't have 25% VAT

25%? Isn't it 17.5% in the UK?

There also is no importa tarrifs (not sure if the UK has them or not) but still saying its $600+ USD makes it sound like its that much in the USA... which it is not

all you have to buy legally hardware wise is a cable... like an SATA cable... a whole $3 spend there

Is there some official explanation anywhere on MS's site regarding OEM, which you can point to, where one can read a rule (or whatever it may be called), on when can one purchase OEM MS software? Thanks!

From memory its supposed to be a major component purchase - such as a motherboard. I think ebuyer or aria.co.uk have a specific list for OEM purchases - but its up to the retailer to enforce this. I know of plenty of people who've just bought the OEM CD on its own, nothing else at all

The majority of the places offer OEM software as long as you purchase a qualifying non-hardware peripheral. That would equal a sound cable, SATA cable, ect.

Last edited by MrCobra on 05 Jan 2007 - 10:38

I purchased OEM software before from OCs and never needed to buy hardware along with it...

Even XP is per computer mate.

Here we go again... What the heck do Windowblinds and buggy betas have to do with OEM pricing?! Your response is a big yawn...

Perhaps you don't comprehend the terms of Windows' License Agreement. The agreement does not say that if you disagree with its terms you should be a pirate and install it to your heart's content. It does say that if you don't accept the terms to return it for a refund without installing it.

Next time you attempt to install Windows, know what terms you are agreeing to before you proceed.

In addition, what does WindowsBlinds have to do with anything?

In my case, that is not true, and NO my XP install is NOT pirated. I bought it from my school bookstore when Microsoft still had a generous academic program. It has no activation requirement and can therefore be installed on as many machines as I need.

As for Vista, I'm simply not willing to pay between $1000 and $2000 for OS's on my computers, especially an OS that doesn't appear to me to be worth the money to put it on ONE machine. If it were available under a 3 or 5 seat license, then the cost/benefit might change.

Sorry to have confused you into thinking I was pirating XP. As I explained in another reply, I am not.

I see Vista as mostly eye-candy, and eye-candy that I can acquire by simply installing WindowBlinds. I'm sure you see greater benefit, presumably enough to pay for Vista and pay for it per machine. We disagree.

When many people see and one cannot, he's called blind.
That's life.

And you need Ultimate because??

Because all the cool kids want it? Because saying "Ultimate" is the new hotness? Bling bling factor?

Shadow copy client, remote desktop, single session virtual pc. and im not listing the differences between the 2 editions, these r features i actually need, which r there in the ultimate edition. And anyways, its none of your business what i buy, its not like ur paying for it.

It is kind of lame that the only way to get Remote Desktop and Media Center functionality in one version of Vista is to go with Ultimate. Remote Desktop should have been a feature of Home Premium, IMHO, since it was present in XP Media Center Edtion.

U got that right. and also, its kind of unfair that windows ultimate extras is only available to people who have the ultimate edition. they should have at least offered it for other editions for a price, if not free.

i agree. i use most of hte features that are only found in Ultimate too. im sticking with WinXP Pro... atleast for now, until i get a really good reason to spend alot of money on Vista.

By your grammer, I honestly doubt you will use any of these features but rather have them just to say you have "Ultimate".

Besides, if you really are going to use these features, Windows Vista Business would be for you and you would have saved 100.00/59.05 dollars but you can't have the "cool" factor you get with Ultimate unlike Business


But it's your money; Do whatever the **** you want.

Agreed! Only reason I'll have to go with Ultimate is because Home Premium doesn't have Remote Desktop service.

The swearing and criticizing of his grammar was really unnecessary, it really isn't your business (not my business either, but I'm not focusing on him, I'm focusing on you), he just feels the Ultimate is best for him, which is not taboo at all

[/quote]By your grammer, I honestly doubt you will use any of these features but rather have them just to say you have "Ultimate".[/quote]

What do you mean, "by your grammar"??!! You think just because I have used some slang, and short forms of words, I dont know English??!!!

And incidentally, Vista Business is not right for me, as I dont HAVE a business, I just happen to be a home user who uses those features. And since I'm a home user, I also need media center, dvd maker, etc, which are there in the ultimate edition, not in the business edition.

But that's the "in thing" here at Neowin. Bashing people at every turn.

$999999999999 for Home Edition?
I'll pass

In a word, NO.

Though it is in breach of contract, I know XP OEM was possible to install on multiple machines and activate, though not over the internet. Just call them up and say you had to re-install due to HDD change, system crash or something.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to suggest a system to get around it. We all know that the first times you install XP on a PC, you could activate it over the internet. After changing 4 hardware parts, this no longer worked (not sure if this is the only reason, but was with me and some friends).
You had to call them up, say you need to re-activate because you changed out 4 parts, read the Serial or whatever and they'd give you a new key. Now nothing prevents you to install this on an entirely different PC, call them up and say the same.

Of course, legally you'd have to buy one license for each PC you want to install Windows on. Doesn't matter if it's Vista, XP, Ultimate or whatever.

I'm not sure how OEM licenses are supposed to work. If I built a PC from OCs and get Vista OEM for it, is it no longer valid if I later decide to swap out the HDD for a bigger one and have to reinstall the system? There can be a million reasons for having to re-install it using different parts (failures, crashes, etc...). Can I remove Vista from that PC, and use it for another? Or is OEM bound to that sole PC? How many upgrades/replacements are allowed, before it's considered a new PC? I just dunno.

HDD does not count as far as I know.


OEM is bound to that PC.


For XP I think you cannot chande more than 1 or 2 pieces at one time.
For Vista I heard that you cannot change motherboard+another device at the same time. Or maybe you cannot change MB at all.