Is EBay good for..
 

IS EBay good for buying Operating systems? I see like $30 XP Pro editions out there. I'd like to buy one to save myself a few bucks, but with all the scamming out there i dont want to scammed.
So are these cheap copies good or just some ripoff?
And why do they sell them so cheap?

I usually buy a some of my os's from ebay..i can usually get an OEM copy of xp home for $130...and ifs fully legal...lots of people try to contact me to buy pirated versions from them....but putting pirated software on peoples computers is a big no no....

As long as its still sealed, you're good. That means no-one's opened it and copied it and all that fun stuff. Make sure the ebay seller has a pretty high feedback rating number and you should be OK. XP Pro looks to be going for about $100, which is pretty good, but don't forget shipping costs, and don't forget that people will usually wait until the last second and then try and outbid you. :(

Good luck! ;)

I think it's better to by from a real store or website. I purchased XPpro for $129 w/ free ship OEM not a bad deal

Halx found a site offering similar deals. Apparently the disc being offered were back up discs with out a license.

You can read the enitre thread here:
http://tfproject.org/tfp/showthread....threadid=39138

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...threadid=40155

We established that the $30 auctions and sales are of COA (certificates of authority) and according to the Microsoft website, this is illegal.

The OEM installs @ $130 are full version and of questionable legality. However, we did find www.newegg.com selling the OEM installs with a free audio cable (to cover the hardware sales requirement of purchasing OEM software). I say, if you're gonna go that route, then buy from newegg.com and skip the ebay seller that could have repackaged the software. At least with Egghead, you know that its a little bit more legit.

Yeah I think I'll wait a few weeks to save for Newegg's copy.
At least I know I can return for a new one if it doesnt work.

Ehhh.... things get hazy when it comes to returning opened software. I doubt egghead would take it back without a really good reason (like the UPS truck exploded and burnt up your CDs).

The main, *real* benefit I can see from using egghead is that you'd be buying from a reputable company; ergo, you would not risk as much money on someone you do not know. Moreover, egghead probably has lawyers that ensure that what they sell is legal in everyway possible -- the line of protection covers you too.

In any case, I seriously doubt that you can return the OS if it fails to install. Yet, MS covers that possibility themselves, but, seriously, I've never heard of a faulty Microsoft CD.

The install will be fine. :)

BTW: Oftentimes, the $30 auctions and sales are only for the Certificate of Authority (COA) sticker for your PC case and the package does NOT include an installation CD. If there actually *is* a CD included, you can bet on it being a pirated CDR version. This method of installation is very much illegal -- MS Installation Commandment #1: Thou must have a COA and the original installation CD.