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    This probably isn't the correct place to post, but this appears to be the nearest thing to it on the Microsoft forums this side of Technet/MSDN, neither of which appear to have relevant threads or forums either.

    I'm from a company that recycles computers, and the very nature of this business means we have a lot of systems getting securely scrapped - most of these systems are fairly recent - and this includes the OEM licenses for Windows 2000/2003/XP that are provided.

    It seems a waste to be throwing away these licenses too - there would be benefits to re-use/re-deployment of these - I'm thinking some of our customers who receive some of the refurbished units are often not in a position to buy licenses (3rd world countries etc). It could even be worked so that the licenses stay with exactly the same model and make of machine.

    Is there any way we can make further use of these licenses in such a manner as to be beneficial to us, our customers and Microsoft? Most of these licenses are not even ever used because of the VLK farce that far too many of the original suppliers/sources use to save time.

    If this isnt the right place to post this, any idea where else I can ask thats Microsoft related? :D

    Cheers
    Monday, March 12, 2007 12:09 PM

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    KrytenofSmeg,

    OEM licenses are valid ONLY on the computer onto which the license is first installed and are not permitted by the EULA to be moved to any other computer.  OEM licenses are married to the computer and will live and die with the computer.  When you scrap a computer at your facility, the OEM license for that computer "expires."

    I think you have a misunderstanding that a Volume License obviates the need for an OEM license.  Volume Licenses for Windows desktop operating systems (2000 Pro, XP, Vista) are Upgrade licenses only and cannot be used as an original license for a computer.  Therefore, along with the VL there has to be another base license (which is almost always an OEM license), the combination of which is what the computer operates under.

    (Note that some MS products allow a Volume License as an original license---Office is one such product.)

    You made the comment:  I'm thinking some of our customers who receive some of the refurbished units are often not in a position to buy licenses (3rd world countries etc).

    There is no need for these people to buy licenses if the computer itself has a valid Certificate of Authenticity on it---that's the license to run the OS described on the COA.  What these people would need would be the Recovery or Reinstallation CDs that originally came with the computer.

    Tuesday, March 13, 2007 3:58 PM

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    Voulume Licenses belong solely to the company or business entity that originally purchased them.  They are non-transferrable to another company or individuals.
    Monday, March 12, 2007 11:16 PM
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    I fear you've misread my post a little :

    My comment about VLK's was merely that the original licences as printed on the hardware is not often used at all as the original suppliers are still prone to using their VLK - I wasn't talking about transferring one - we already have a VLK of our own, therefore no need to use another :)

    I was talking about the OEM licenses as stuck on the hardware itself - i.e. the key we'd use to reinstall that operating system on that particular peice of hardware.

    Cheers
    Tuesday, March 13, 2007 8:09 AM
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    KrytenofSmeg,

    OEM licenses are valid ONLY on the computer onto which the license is first installed and are not permitted by the EULA to be moved to any other computer.  OEM licenses are married to the computer and will live and die with the computer.  When you scrap a computer at your facility, the OEM license for that computer "expires."

    I think you have a misunderstanding that a Volume License obviates the need for an OEM license.  Volume Licenses for Windows desktop operating systems (2000 Pro, XP, Vista) are Upgrade licenses only and cannot be used as an original license for a computer.  Therefore, along with the VL there has to be another base license (which is almost always an OEM license), the combination of which is what the computer operates under.

    (Note that some MS products allow a Volume License as an original license---Office is one such product.)

    You made the comment:  I'm thinking some of our customers who receive some of the refurbished units are often not in a position to buy licenses (3rd world countries etc).

    There is no need for these people to buy licenses if the computer itself has a valid Certificate of Authenticity on it---that's the license to run the OS described on the COA.  What these people would need would be the Recovery or Reinstallation CDs that originally came with the computer.

    Tuesday, March 13, 2007 3:58 PM
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    Thanks Dan, that's pretty much answered my question.

    I think I've possibly not worded my post too well - I know the legalities of VLK's very well - and they have no bearing on my actual question other than to say some of these OEM licenses have never actually been "used".

    As I said, it just seems a bit of a "waste" - however at the end of the day, we have to stay legal as does the end user. Certainly never hurts to ask :)

    Thanks folks


    Tuesday, March 13, 2007 6:09 PM