Windows 7 What's the Rules Here?

DIY Techie Gal

New Member
Look, I've been poking around this site for a bit now- not to mention about the web in general- and, I'm sure that somewhere, there might actually be a straight-forward answer to this (no doubt here-but, again, I couldn't seem to find it)- so, please forgive me for what is probably (yet another) - dumb question, but, can someone please tell me, in plain English exactly what my rights are concerning this software?

To be more precise:

When my family purchased the full OS of XP, we knew and understood that we were given the right to place this OS onto up to 3 computers (so long as they belonged to us). FURTHERMORE, once we had upgraded to Vista, we were allowed the right to pass this software on to someone else...
In other words, it went with the disk- so long as no more than 3 computers were registered with that particular OS-disk, and all three of those rightfully belong to the person in question then, it was our understanding that everything was legal- fair use and all of that....
This does NOT seem to be the case with Windows 7.
It fact, with Windows 7 all we seem to keep finding is more and more confusion concerning our rights and fair usage...
Look, we've NEVER pirated- nor would we want to, but the simple fact of the matter is that we are all completely and utterly in the dark here. And, we just want a couple of questions answered.

Because there are two people in our household- we have purchased 2 Full Windows 7 Home Premiums on the understanding that things now go with the individual and not the hardware with that purchase.(Upgrades and OEM versions go with the Motherboard-understood)- but here's the question:

Let's say that I'm an amateur/homebrew IT person (just trying to keep his computer and mine running), and, let's suppose that as such, I'm going to make mistakes- many of which may indeed require me to employ the "final solution" (ie- wipe the drive and re-install), let us also- for just a moment imagine that some of the various pieces and parts of said home-built machines might actually be replaced over the years.....

Does Windows 7 actually limit the number of times that registration of said system when it's the same one?
Does it go by the person or the system, and if it's the system, which part is it?
And, if it's the person, 1) what in the hell am I supposed to do here?
How many times may I actually install this OS into my system (I'm not kidding, is it really only a limited amount- even after paying for what YOU called an "unlimited OS"?)
If I upgrade something in my system, how many problems can I expect due to your DRM?
SERIOUSLY!!!!
Are you really going to expect another $300 every time my husband opens up some malware-laden POS e-mail from his mother?

Seriously.... Don't try to shunt me off onto the EULA (Defeats the purpose of the question- since it seems that what I want is an actual translation thereof!)
Point is?
What Can I do with this Windows 7 Full OS, and what can't I do?
 
Basically as I understand it you can have it on one computer at a time.
Reinstall it on that computer as often as you want.

Uninstall it and move it to another computer by calling Microsoft and getting permission.

And if you change anything in your computer, i.e. a new hard drive etc, you have to contact Microsoft and reactivate it.

You can't pass the disk on to someone else to put on a different computer, but you can pass on your computer as I have done and they don't object.

As far as I know that's about it, maybe someone else has more information.

Mike
 
Hi Techie gal,

Windows 7 Installation and User Rights
  • a. One Copy per Computer - You may install one copy of the software on one computer. That computer is the “licensed computer.”
  • b. Licensed Computer – You may use the software on up to two processors on the licensed computer at one time. Unless otherwise provided in these license terms, you may not use the software on any other computer.
  • c. Number of Users – Unless otherwise provided in these license terms, only one user may use the software at a time.
  • d. Alternative Versions – The software may include more than one version, such as 32-bit and 64-bit. You may install and use only one version at one time.
The above is normal for retail licence. As for your other question on how many times you can install or re-install then the answer is as long as it's on one licensed machine you may re-install as many times as you like or need. You may find however that after 5 or so automatic activations you will need to activate via the telephone method.

OEM copies of Windows are tied or licenced to one machine and again can be re-installed as many times as needed as long as it's on the same machine and unlike the retail licence cannot be transfered to a different computer (usually). Activation will always remain automatic as long as it's kept on the same machine. The same machine is usually specified by the motherboard and indeed if this is changed then this counts as a different computer and an OEM licence would not be valid.
 
b. Licensed Computer – You may use the software on up to two processors on the licensed computer at one time. Unless otherwise provided in these license terms, you may not use the software on any other computer.

The above is normal for retail licence. As for your other question on how many times you can install or re-install then the answer is as long as it's on one licensed machine you may re-install as many times as you like or need. You may find however that after 5 or so automatic activations you will need to activate via the telephone method.

OEM copies of Windows are tied or licenced to one machine and again can be re-installed as many times as needed as long as it's on the same machine and unlike the retail licence cannot be transfered to a different computer (usually). Activation will always remain automatic as long as it's kept on the same machine. The same machine is usually specified by the motherboard and indeed if this is changed then this counts as a different computer and an OEM licence would not be valid.

Right. So, (and this is where I'm getting confused) if an OEM is tied to the Motherboard than the Retail version is tied to the CPU? What if I decide that I want to upgrade that and that second CPU decides to fry in the first week of usage? (Please try not to laugh, it happened to my brother). Does that leave me SOL when the replacement comes or what?
 
Then if you call Microsoft and tell them what you are doing they will give you a number that lets you reactivate your copy of Windows.
It will send them new data on your computer and that becomes the assigned computer.

The few cases I've heard of where something like this happened Microsoft was not hard to deal with.
They just want to make sure that you are the registered user for that copy of Windows.
 
Ah. Alright, that makes sense. Sorry to sound so stupid but, you would NOT believe some of the things that some otherwise qualified and sane professional IT people have been telling me! And, naturally, each one had a different answer- (you'll have to buy it again if you change out your hard drive/motherboard/socks... heck some moronic manager over at Best Buy dutifully and with all due seriousness told me that it was tied to the tower case!:confused:)

I just wanted to make sure before I put my money down on the table that I really was investing in an OS that will last a few years for me because while pieces and parts can get changed out easily enough, OS's come with the annoyance of a learning curve and so, are far more of a headache to change.

Thanks for answering my questions Mike
 
Right. So, (and this is where I'm getting confused) if an OEM is tied to the Motherboard than the Retail version is tied to the CPU? What if I decide that I want to upgrade that and that second CPU decides to fry in the first week of usage? (Please try not to laugh, it happened to my brother). Does that leave me SOL when the replacement comes or what?

Not a problem. A retail licence is not actually tied to anything (apart from the machine it's being used on at any one time), it just gives you permission to use the software under certain circumstances...
Regarding more than 2 CPU's, this means running a machine with no more than two actual physical processors. 2 is ok but 3 would invalidate the licence. So you may change the actual cpu as many times as you like with a retail licence just as long as your not using more than 2 at any one time.
I hope that clears things up a little.. :)
 
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