Barebone + XP Home OEM

[Arcticwolf]

I have a tower, drives, power supply, etc it's just my motherboard/processor are failing and i'm looking to get a new bundle and a legitimate copy of XP and I have a couple of questions....

1: Is the XP Home SP2 OEM (54.04 ex VAT) a full installation of Home SP2?

2: I understand OEM's are usually sent out keyed to a specific piece of hardware like supplier sending out a PC with an OS keyed to that pc type only. Will the OEM be linked to my motherboard I buy?

3: If this is the case does that mean I won't be able to use it in a new system later on down the road?

Thanks to whoever helps me with these Q's

[matz]

From what i gather

OEM means that it is just the DISK in other words its like the retail version except there is no box, this is the full Servicepack2 and is at a good price if you are wanting to wait alittle while maybe a month or two servicepack3 should be out.

this OEM disk of XP SP2 can be installed on any system.

matz

[PeteA]

Answer to Question 1:
Yes that is the full installation of Home SP2

Answer to Question 2:
OEM versions of software just means that you will be given a CD and a Serial . The retail versions give you a nice box (that you'll throw away in 30 seconds or less) and a manual.
They are not tied to hardware. You will have a limited amount of installed before you have to call Microsoft and answer a bunch of annoying questions to activate windows.

Answer to Question 3:
Answered above. You can use it on a new system or another system. But you do have a limited amount of times you could do automatic activations
When you upgrade the hardware in your PC like RAM, CPU, Motherboard, Graphics Card and use the same install you may have to reactivate windows.

[banedon88]

Not quite. Windows OEM requires that it be sold preinstalled on a PC, can only ever be used with that PC, and if the PC is upgraded significantly then you must purchase another windows key.
Also, if Microsoft asks you if you got it preinstall on your PC and you say NO, you will find that they may refuse to activate your windows and perma-mark your windows key so that it can never be activated.

[PulpzillA]

doesnt the OEM access some part of a small partition on ur hdd? thats what i have and i bought from mesh?

[djgandy]

oembios.bin is what the oem is to do with kinda. It's complicated and involves hardware hashing.