tritium

Where does everyone procure their licenses for Windows XP? I would like to upgrade from Windows 98, but the $199 price tag for the Pro Upgrade is just too steep. I don't really want to compromise on the Home Edition upgrade, but I will, if I must.

Personally, I think after MS made me purchase Windows ME, they owe me a license at this point.

More to the point, where do you all get your licenses? I noticed a few websites selling just the license without software, but that makes me nervous. I'd do it if someone had experience with it and could vouch for a good company, but ...

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Gimli

Done it dozens of times. Go to Pricewatch and look under 'software' - you'll see XP Home liscences for around $55. They usually make you buy a piece of hardware to make the deal legit - it's usually some $0.99 audio cable. All you'll get is a sticker in the mail with a liscense number on it.


Terms of the agreement state that you have to put your $55 sticker on the machine you've installed the OS into.

Haven't done XP Pro, but most people don't need it. It probably runs about $130 for a liscense.

Hope this helps.

tritium

If its not too much, Gimli, and since you have significantly more experience than I, could you point out a few reputable companies that won't just steal my CC info and post it on the net? lol.

Seriously though, which companies have you used and how long did it take? I want to use a company that has worked well in the past.

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merkerguitars

Yup buy the oem version...you might have to buy some hardware that might be as little as a $10 NIC but it will save you a ton.

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Gimli

Yes, fellow TFP'ers, you can keep Bill Gates happy and break no laws. And still pay half of what CompUSA or similar will charge you.

Go to www.pricewatch.com

Click on the "Software" link on the top.

Clickabout a bit and scrollabout a while and you'll see what I mean.

OEM XP Home discs can be had for a pittance. Rightly so, you can also copy them from your unwitting friend with a Dell or a Gateway. To wit, "Can I borrow your 'rescue disk' and see if it fixes my PC?'.

Liscenses for the Home version cost around $55 shipped. Be aware - all you get in the mail is a sticker with a number, but rest assured, that's all Bill needs to stay happy and rich.

The liscense agreement states that this super-expensive shiny sticker must be placed upon the machine to which the liscense is endowed. Your choice here.

Previous poster is correct in stating that these liscences (heretofore named as 'stickers') must be purchased with the purchase of additional hardware. The hardware is usually a $0.99 audio cable that goes from your CD-ROM to your motherboard or video card. BONUS TIP!!! When you upgrade to XP, you no longer need these cables! *Sweet Irony* XP sends the audio data digitally over the IDE bus instead of relying on the cheapo DAC's in your CD-ROM's to do the conversion and send the analog signal. So throw them ALL away!




I feel so glad to think I may have helped someone. If so, please let me know.

Iffin' you need further help, I can elaborate.

Happy new year to you all. A couple of years ago, I wasn't at all sure we'd see it.

Gimli

Also, be warned, that as far as I know, this method requires a full re-install of Windows.

Always a good idea, if you ask me, but a little more labor-intensive.

Just get to it.

Scipio

http://store.yahoo.com/computersyste...-winxppla.html

If you just buy the certificate of authenticity, you can get it for ~$80. If you're a student, you might be able to get the academic version, which might be a bit cheaper. You'll still need an install cd of course. The OEM version, which includes the COA, the CD, and all that good stuff, and probably requires a hardware purchase will run you closer to $150. Hope it helps.

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Gimli

I've never paid more than $55 for a COA.

You do still need a CD. An OEM CD (not 'upgrade') if I'm not mistaken.

I've bought far too many retail copies of XP to let it happen to friends!

charliex

Actually if you just buy the COA Sticker ( Certificate of Authenticity ) its is *not* a legal copy of windows, you're getting ripped off.

COA stickers must be applied by the PC maker, and them only.

1 (800) RU-LEGIT will tell you if you have a legal version.

tritium

Charliex, what would you suggest then?

If I'm building the PCs myself, am I not the PC maker?

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Blah.

charliex

If you want to be legit, theres only a few options,
buy a new or an upgrade to XP home or pro, buy a new PC that bundles it, or buy a PC from someone that has a licensed version.

you sure you need pro ? Home is $97 upgrade. The only annoying thing i find about home over pro, is the file sharing is dumbed down and i don't need to join a domain, just a workgroup.

Gimli

Regarding COA stickers... I AM the PC maker. I also make exactly zero profit, as a good citizen excercising his one gift to the community. I have done this a dozen times or more with no hiccups, no knocks on the door at midnight, and no frozen PC's.

All windows updates work fine. Windows activation works fine. What more do you need? A signed letter from Bill Gates?

Spend the $100 if your conscience so desires.

But I can't see one single problem with a $55 COA on my PC with full Microsoft-condoned activation and then full Windows updates up the wazoo, and then over a year of uninterrupted XP perfection.

C'mon people, it's the Malaysian pirates they're after - selling 100,000 copies at $2.47 each that they're after. Not the intelligent - legal liscense acquiring Americans/Canadians - that we are. We just don't want to give the $40 cut to the retailer.

Gimli

What does

*not*

mean? Why wouldn't you just say NOT without asterisks.

Can you please quote sources? Mr. Gates has been most kind in activating (approving) several copies of Windows XP for me after purchase of a COA liscense with hardware.

In addition, Mr. Gates sold me a Full Install Retail Version of XP Pro for $40 (retail $299). It also included a bobble-head Bill Gates doll and a commemorative baseball with a full pack of Big-League Chew bubble gum. I sh!t you not. I got two of them.

And honestly, if you've got time to call 1 (800) RU-LEGIT, then I think you're a little too scared.

Who printed out and distributed my shiny new COA for XP Home? Microsoft.

Who got $50 of my $55 COA? Microsoft.

Who activated my new Home XP installation? Microsoft.

Who helps me download all of the 100 MB of updates for the 'modern' *ahem* OS without any qualms? Microsoft.

Did I break a law? Agreement? Trade treaty with southeast Asia? Nuclear nonproliferation pact?

C'mon.

I've got a shiny little Microsoft-minted sticker on my little baby. Bill Gates loves me.

And to get back to an older statement... Damn straight!!! If you paid over $1 for Windows Me - you should get a free pass to XP!

charliex

You have to be a microsoft certified systems OEM to have the right to attach COA stickers, which you have to obtain from them or a licensed distributor, otherwise you are selling illegal versions on, and some poor sucker who runs a business using them might get caught out, it happens all the time. This is a very simple procedure and any valid OEM can apply for it.

Its not a legal license, a COA is not a software license, thats why its called a COA.

i just feel bad for people like tritium who get told they can buy a legit copy, fork out $50-80 for a worthless sticker from people who haven't checked out the facts.

As for the cut, i doubt any of that money is going to MS

Heres the text from MS's AntiPiracy information

"Please note: This COA label is NOT a software license. If you are offered this COA label as a "sticker license" beware—it is not legal. These labels are not sold separately. You and your business could be at risk if you rely on one of these labels as your "license". Legal PC manufacturers must adhere COA labels to a PC's chassis."

if you think it makes you legal buying a COA like this, save your money, print out a photoshopped COA and stick it in your PC, it'll have the same validity.

Gimli,
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/howtotell/how/coa.asp

using * around words is a common practice for adding emphasis to a word, same as adding bold tags, just a lot easier.

Gimli

[QUOTE]Originally posted by charliex
[B]You have to be a microsoft certified systems OEM to have the right to attach COA stickers, which you have to obtain from them or a licensed distributor, otherwise you are selling illegal versions on, and some poor sucker who runs a business using them might get caught out, it happens all the time. This is a very simple procedure and any valid OEM can apply for it.

Its not a legal license, a COA is not a software license, thats why its called a COA.
As for the cut, i doubt any of that money is going to MS

Charliex,

I do thank you for your input. It has given me much to ponder. As far as absolute right and wrong, you seem to have made a most clear argument, and your implied experience seems to be sound in this matter.

I chose not to argue this point at all. I will defer to your assumed knowledge in this cesspool.

So, please weigh in on my perceived transgressions:
I have built a dozen or so machines with COA holograms on the basis of charity. All have been activated with no problem. All work fine after more than a year. No stormtroopers. None for businesses. Mostly for churches.

My understanding was that Microsoft's "activation" of these, well, numbers/stickers/holograms was their complicit acceptance of said hologram purchases.

I'm sensing enough legalese in the websight you posted to cofuse anyone. I didn't see anything about needing to be a Certified Microsoft System OEM on that page, which I assume is just paying them a big fee.

Don't take my post as a challenge, I love learning from the learned as much as anyone. Basically, my point is, from trial and error, I've installed XP with $55 and a hologram several times. Home users. I don't think I'm going to lose any sleep over it either way. It works. Without the "activation" clause, Win98 spread faster than a virus.

And my questioning of your *asterisks* was more pointed to the fact that most asterisks have a subversive or hidden meaning. Mere emphasis noted.

omega2K4

You can get the OEM version of Windows XP (With Service Pack 1) HERE, for $139. You have to buy it with hardware, so just get like a $1 cable or something.

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Gimli

OK, that actually sounds great - good price - the best site on the web - but it does say "OEM." And "hardware purchase required."

So how is this any different? I'm buying the same ole $0.99 audio cable, I see. This is different how?

It's getting foggy here. I'm still not convinced, but am really willing to be shown the way. Keep it coming - we'll all figure it out!

charliex

Theres huge difference between buying a COA sticker and a "Must be distributed with a new PC" OEM Version, i don't know what MS say about the latter, but if you get a disk, and this is the important part, a real license thats the difference, as mentioned before a COA sticker is not a license.

Lets say purely for the sake of late nite/early morning discussion, and nothing else, you ended up in court with a small business that had their OS's installed from OEM verions bought with .99c audio cables. MS's lawyers holds up the box which says 'must be distributed with new pc" he asks if you bought it with a new pc, i'd feel uncomfortable giving an answer of no i bought it with an audio cable. Its there in large letters on the front of the box,

Still i wonder about the legality of the OEM version, since it quite clearly states new PC on the box, presumably there must be something to it that allows this model, $139 is a lot more believable than $55

FYI :
I'm sensing enough legalese in the websight you posted to cofuse anyone. I didn't see anything about needing to be a Certified Microsoft System OEM on that page, which I assume is just paying them a big fee.

"Legal PC manufacturers "

If you want to become one,
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/sbp/memben.mspx

You also have to be a bonafide customer of one of their distributors. Its free to join, you just have to buy their software in some quantity.

Also if you buy the OEM version you have to do a clean install, upgrade isn't possible , but doing a clean install is usually better so its not usually an issue, just something to be aware of.

heres the differences listed for home and pro, btw
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...p_home_pro.asp

As for the charity PCs being activated with no problems, you could go on google and find half a dozen serial numbers that would activate fine too, and install SP1 use software update etc, the process actually allowing the software to activate, is not a measure of its validity.


to recap on just the interesting bits

COA sticker = not legal and not worth the paper its printed on if it wasnt stuck on the PC by a PC OEM certified by microsoft, end of story, its quite clearly stated on MS's site in plain english.

Shrink wrapped OEM version bought with audio cable with giant "Must be distributed only with a new PC" on the front = well you get a license, presumably theres some loophole allowing for this, and the price is close enough to the retail version considering irs partially crippled due to the clean install, and possibly you won't be able to use it to upgrade to the next OS, its been such a long time since i had to to that, i can't recall if an OEM version is able to be upgraded from.

tritium

editted because I didn't make any sense ... I'll fix this post tomorrow.

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Blah.

Gimli

Well, for whatever its worth, I've logged in with Bill to become a system builder.

That aside, the following statements hold true:

The sticker system works. Microsoft printed them and sold them, so I don't feel so bad. They activated them, too.

I may not have had an OEM license to sell the $0.99 audio cable to be LEGIT and all, but I'm trying.

XP Pro is easy enough to install illegally and apparently completely - I've seen it from my unemployed acquaintences. But all the XP's at my address are wholesomely endorsed by Bill and his shiny holographic stickers.

So, we'll see this to it's conclusion. I just hope I don't have to pay $40,000 to Redmond just like some company who wants to get their drivers approved.

Thank you guys for the insight.

Gimli

From a seller's site:

Windows XP Home Edition Additional License OEM license for use with OEM media only. Does not work with retail CD. Microsoft Licenses only. You do not receive the software program when purchasing a license! Licenses are for Organizations with many computers so they can save money by buying one CD(Media) and as many licenses they want for each computers so they can stay compliant. This is another way of saving money!
You must purchase a minimum of 5 licenses for Microsoft licenses. You may mix and match products to purchase 5 licenses.


I still haven't found anything conclusive that makes me doubt the validity of the COA method.

charliex

Its in plain english on microsoft site. Lets make it nice and simple

COA = Certificate of Authenticity
Software License = Right to use the software

These are different things.

Let say i have a dodge viper vt10 and it has some certificate saying it belongs to jenna jameson, I sell you the certificate, does that mean you can go borrow someone elses dodge viper and claim it as your own.

Of course not, however out comes the old tired argument that because software is not a 'physical' object, though its tangible, its ok to copy it around since no one loses anything.

On top of that me selling you the certificate of authenticty, doesn't give you any rights to the car itself.

However, if i sold you a license to use said dodge viper you could drive it around legally.

The text you quoted is basically a site license, like when you buy a server edition of the OS typically its licensed for 5 users, you don't get 5 CD's you get permission for 5 accounts. Same as if you buy a site license for any software.

You can't buy 100 site licenses and then sell each one individually, you can buy 100 reseller licenses and sell those (generally known as OEM editions) , often though only on new machines.

Site licenses are typically not transferable, especially on a one by one basis, that would make absolutely no sense.

The big difference is, and the one you seem to be having trouble understanding is, that a COA sticker is not a license, which is almost the exact wording on MS's site. I fail to see how you can't see that.

Also with your method, you'd don't have to buy any CD's you seem to think you can borrow one, as you mentioned earlier.

Show me a microsoft site that says COA = license.

dnd

so after reading this thread i have discovered you can actually buy liceneses and pay for products?

where!?

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Gimli

OK, I called headquarters at 1-800-RU LEGIT and have to agree with the above assertions.

Four things make the OEM software legal:
Hologram CD.
COA Sticker.
EULA.
Product activation code.

I have been duped into thinking that the COA was a cheap liscense. Not true.

Mike at MS was still quite sketchy as to the validity of the practice of selling these things. OEM versions of the OS are tied to ONE machine - if the machine dies, so does the disk, so to speak. Hence, they're cheaper than the OEM versions which can be migrated to different machines.

Distributed licenses are agreed upon, like at my work, for a set amount of licenses, as evidenced by the last three things on the list, and a CD or two (software fulfillment CD's, to quote Mike).

Mine was his third call of the night on the same subject.

So, my thanks to charliewallacex for bringing this to light.

Reflecting on it all, the COA purchase gives you the last three things on the list. Doubt anyone would actually ever have a problem. Mike also mentioned that Longhorn is currently available for about $2, and that marijuana and cocaine are for sale, too. Maybe metaphors aren't his strong suit.

Thanks, charliex!

Crack

So to recap, my Winders XP Corporate eddition with the cracked Service packs and no activation... ever, will get me stormtroopers at my door, I think that would be worth seeing... Also, the serial number for office XP that I found on a sweedish message board probally isn't ligit either right? Honestly, if I spent the true amount of money on all the software, games, and apps that I have it probally would be in the millions of dollars, I don't know about you folks, but I don't have that amount of money...
Oh, and "Tim" from the 1800-r-u-legit line suggested a great place to get "warez" until I called him and all his butt-monkeys at MS a bunch of glorified script kiddies filling their pockets with the hard earned money of the uninformed and elderly... sorry for the rant.
~Crack

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Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex.

~Halx

Gimli

To be sure. It's no secret about how to get the freebies. No problem. Pro... Office... AutoCAD...

It's all out there easy.

Sho'nuff. But I need to fill a church up with networked XP machines, and I dare not take chances here.

Only here.

Charliex dropped the true on the game.

Beware the Jub-jub bird and shun the frumious Bandersnatch.

Long-time the manxome foe he sought,

So rested he by the jub-jub tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

In no particular order - first poem I ever memorized...