Win7 OEM disks
I have read where OEM WIN7 disks are tied to the original computer and can never be reinstalled to another motherboard. Out of curiosity is this a just "licensing issue" or will the activation key si...
Forum Discussion
dryfly wrote:
Yes, I've read the licensing agreement. As per my OP I'm interested in knowing if there actually is some rom signature attached to the first activation that physically prevents reinstalling on a second computer. Hypothetically...... you understand!
I fall asleep when I try to read MS licensing agreements. When someone says "you cant" I never know if it's actually impossible or illigal.
yes there is a signature tied to the first (and subsequent) activations, this is true for all versions, not just oem.
different license versions of windows have different "activation counts" which are software limits imposed by Microsoft. they can tell how many different signatures that license key has been installed on, and eventually activation will fail, prompting you to call MS for assistance. signature doesn't equal computer. changing a hard drive for example changes the signature.
Windows 7 and above have a unique fingerprint in the media, that identifies where it came from, and this fingerprint is signature is passed on during online activation. ms can tell if you're using dell media on an hp system for example. do they care? I doubt it for Joe Camper. They do make an example of businesses and universities on occasion.
