Microsoft Tightens Grip on OEM Windows 8 Licensing

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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With Windows 8, the information leaks continue with details on how Microsoft will be plugging one of its bigger areas of revenue loss: the OEM distribution process. The OEM vendors have a new set of hoops to jump through for Windows 8 OEM authentication.

Under OA 3.0, manufacturers will be required to write a unique Windows product key into the BIOS of each new PC, keyed to that particular computer's hardware. In the past, OEMs used the same product key for every PC they shipped.
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Interesting.
I wonder how that will affect buying an oem copy?
I read where MS plans more digital distribution this release.

If you build your own stuff, this could end up being all retail OS....bah.bag
 
Great, so if the motherboard fails in my Dell or I decide I'd like to upgrade it at some point, I have to buy a whole new license?

And OEM copies I thought where OK for retail use as long as you were building a new computer anyway. After all, what if I'm a boutique company that designs gaming systems and don't use my own motherboard design?
 
featsdontfailme said:
Interesting.
I wonder how that will affect buying an oem copy?
I read where MS plans more digital distribution this release.

If you build your own stuff, this could end up being all retail OS....bah.bag
Click to expand...

If you build your own stuff, you're supposed to be buying all retail anyway, or buying a new license for every new build. OEM licenses are nontransferrable between systems, and contrary to what everyone here seems to think, are not just cheap Windows licenses for geeks in the know.

Legally we're either supposed to be spending $100 per OEM license on every new build, or $200 on a retail license that is reusable on each build.

cyclone3d said:
How is this going to affect motherboard replacements on OEM PCs?
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Major companies like HP will probably just put a new license on the replacement board and chalk it up to the cost of doing business. Licenses only cost them a few dollars each anyway, as they negotiate such huge volume licensing.
 
Ducman69 said:
Great, so if the motherboard fails in my Dell or I decide I'd like to upgrade it at some point, I have to buy a whole new license?

And OEM copies I thought where OK for retail use as long as you were building a new computer anyway. After all, what if I'm a boutique company that designs gaming systems and don't use my own motherboard design?
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Stick with Windows XP.:D
 
This move would appear to be aimed at larger OEMs, i.e. Dell, HP, Acer, where they are using proprietary motherboard designs and providing their own custom BIOS for said motherboards. I know that some OEMs use images to prep their new PCs for distribution, hence if you attempted to recover a product key from the registry, you would see the same key popping up on multiple machines from the same manufacturer, even if the sticker on the chassis was different. It looks like this practice would have to be changed as well.

I do not see how this policy could be enforced on smaller, boutique manufacturers or independent system builders without completely destroying the OEM software distribution channel. A policy that affected the entire OEM software distribution channel would likely just result in more software piracy, or at the very least, reduced sales, as more people would simply give up on the newer OS rather than pay an additional $100.00 premium for the retail version. What do you really gain with the retail version anyway? The ability to talk to a non-native English speaker in a call center in India so that they can tell you to re-format and re-install to solve your problem?
 
Us Geeks are gonna stick with 7 till we get our "geek in the know" copy
 
InorganicMatter said:
If you build your own stuff, you're supposed to be buying all retail anyway, or buying a new license for every new build. OEM licenses are nontransferrable between systems, and contrary to what everyone here seems to think, are not just cheap Windows licenses for geeks in the know.

Legally we're either supposed to be spending $100 per OEM license on every new build, or $200 on a retail license that is reusable on each build.



Major companies like HP will probably just put a new license on the replacement board and chalk it up to the cost of doing business. Licenses only cost them a few dollars each anyway, as they negotiate such huge volume licensing.
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+1.
 
featsdontfailme said:
Interesting.
I wonder how that will affect buying an oem copy?
I read where MS plans more digital distribution this release.

If you build your own stuff, this could end up being all retail OS....bah.bag
Click to expand...

This is aimed at the big OEMs, to patch the BIOS activation hole used by many activators (aka look at Dell OEM Windows 7 on this home-built PC). Small OEMs won't be affected, as they used licence key activation before (aka the OEM Windows 7 packages you can buy at distributors).

In short :
1) PC manufacturer making thousands of identical computers, all using the same serial durring OS imaging on the hard drive, preactivated; the only difference being the Windows serial number sticker on the computer itself, while the installed OS has different serial numbers - these will be affected.
2) Small system builder buying an OEM Windows at distributor, installing it manually, activating it online using the serial number on the OEM box - these won't be affected.
 
The more MS tightens its grip the more users slip through there fingers.

Expect a Linux boom.
 
faugusztin said:
In short :
1) PC manufacturer making thousands of identical computers, all using the same serial durring OS imaging on the hard drive, preactivated; the only difference being the Windows serial number sticker on the computer itself, while the installed OS has different serial numbers - these will be affected.
2) Small system builder buying an OEM Windows at distributor, installing it manually, activating it online using the serial number on the OEM box - these won't be affected.
Click to expand...

In other words and please correct me if I'm wrong, OA 3.0 only applies to pre-activated copies of Windows. The main question I have is how would those who needed new motherboards with pre-activated copied under this model get re-activated.
 
rand4505 said:
The more MS tightens its grip the more users slip through there fingers.

Expect a Linux boom.
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But at the same time Microsoft is lowering the price and making easier than ever to upgrade Windows. It looks to me that they are being more formal about the rules that have always been there because they are trying to plug revenue holes as they lower prices overall for most people.
 
heatlesssun said:
In other words and please correct me if I'm wrong, OA 3.0 only applies to pre-activated copies of Windows. The main question I have is how would those who needed new motherboards with pre-activated copied under this model get re-activated.
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That is the issue of that OEM. My guess is that you would have to RMA the whole computer, so they will probably replace the board and put a new OS image on the hard drive.
 
mt2e said:
Us Geeks are gonna stick with 7 till we get our "geek in the know" copy
Click to expand...

Speak for yourself. :rolleyes: Despite the bugs, 8 RP works great on my main desktop PC. I'm looking forward to using the RTM when it hits TechNet.
 
rand4505 said:
The more MS tightens its grip the more users slip through there fingers.

Expect a Linux boom.
Click to expand...

Whether serious or.... Wait yeah, you were serious.... Ahhahahahaahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaaa!! Rofl.
 
There's a very valid reason for this. Even more so than what you're reading on the surface.

If I could count how many users have called MS for support because they couldn't read the
key on the side of their PC I'd be swimming in tickets.

They send them back to the OEM for resolution, or they have them buy a new copy of Windows.

This effectively forces the OEM to keep a database of keys to track, and also allows them to
support those questions more efficiently and effectively.

What looks like crap on the surface, may actually be a better deal all around for the big guys.

For the little guy? Forget it, the days of buying a OEM + a sata cable are done.
 
stiltner said:
For the little guy? Forget it, the days of buying a OEM + a sata cable are done.
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And that's kind of the point. How many little guys did this with when they knew very well that they weren't supposed to, even to the point of selling Windows illegally for profit?
 
faugusztin said:
This is aimed at the big OEMs, to patch the BIOS activation hole used by many activators (aka look at Dell OEM Windows 7 on this home-built PC). Small OEMs won't be affected, as they used licence key activation before (aka the OEM Windows 7 packages you can buy at distributors).

In short :
1) PC manufacturer making thousands of identical computers, all using the same serial durring OS imaging on the hard drive, preactivated; the only difference being the Windows serial number sticker on the computer itself, while the installed OS has different serial numbers - these will be affected.
2) Small system builder buying an OEM Windows at distributor, installing it manually, activating it online using the serial number on the OEM box - these won't be affected.
Click to expand...

Correct! The doom and woe folks just like their drama.
 
You're like a JF-AMD.

Once win8 is released you'll disappear and we'll all be left with your posts to have a good laugh at.

Tone it down heatless. No matter how hard you work on these forums it won't help win8's reputation. In fact it'll probably only make yours even worse.
 
pelo said:
Tone it down heatless. No matter how hard you work on these forums it won't help win8's reputation. In fact it'll probably only make yours even worse.
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Why is it people that don't use Windows 8 much are telling those who do to tone it down? Indeed I've needed to tone down nothing in my posts about Windows 8 as I've not resorted to personal attacks and I've had to flag you and other several times on that. I have only stated my opinions and personal experience about the product.

You can disagree all you want but I need to tone down nothing.
 
Fanboyism should always be toned down because it's not sensible. Unlike you, I'm well aware that Microsoft doesn't know my name nor cares much about me other than the money in my wallet. This extends to Intel, AMD, Linux and Steam and every other corporation you can possibly think of.

I'm simply stating you don't need to poke your head to defend Microsoft in every single thread that pops up putting them in a bad light. You've already taken a massive shit on your credibility on these forums -- and again by claiming I haven't used win8. You know I have ;)

You can flag me all you'd like, it won't work. All it takes is a simple post history search to see you've gone nucking futs. Drop it already.
 
pelo said:
Fanboyism should always be toned down because it's not sensible. Unlike you, I'm well aware that Microsoft doesn't know my name nor cares much about me other than the money in my wallet. This extends to Intel, AMD, Linux and Steam and every other corporation you can possibly think of.

I'm simply stating you don't need to poke your head to defend Microsoft in every single thread that pops up putting them in a bad light. You've already taken a massive shit on your credibility on these forums -- and again by claiming I haven't used win8. You know I have ;)

You can flag me all you'd like, it won't work. All it takes is a simple post history search to see you've gone nucking futs. Drop it already.
Click to expand...

First of all, I've worked for Fortune 500 companies for 15 years and have made the case that Windows 8 is what it is to keep Windows relevant to consumers, clearly I understand that Microsoft, like ANY for profit company is trying to maximize the money that they make and indeed the change in licensing would be part of that maximization of profit.

Secondly, I've been running Windows 8 since the launch of the Developer Preview and now have it on a desktop, three x86 tablets and two convertible tablet PCs and it is the OS that I used most of the time outside of gaming. I simply have more experience with it across a good number of devices, form factors and input methods than 99% of people, so pardon me if I talk about that which I know and an interested in. This is an enthusiast site and it's where people talk about things they know. There's no crime in that, certainly no more than people bashing something they've never seen.

Lastly, I flagged you for personal insults that has NOTHING to do with any sensible and reasonable conversation, and yeah it did work, you haven't done it sense you got flagged. The comments were clearly in violation of the this sites policies.

And I'll drop nothing that's fair, honest and within the rules of conversation where stated about technology that I use and understand better than most. Call me a fanboy or unreasonable or tell me to drop it ever other sentence, I use this stuff, most of the people attacking don't, so I really don't understand your problem. You don't like or use Windows 8, why do you bother to participate in conversations about the product other than to bash it and those who talk about it from experience? :confused:
 
sfsuphysics said:
nah, I think 8 is going to be my skip version, just like Vista was, and ME was, and 98 was
Click to expand...

Be prepared to "skip" a lot then because if Windows 8 is popular (and considering its low price it will most certainly be) then Windows 9 will also do away with the start menu, and even gimp the desktop even more.
 
heatlesssun said:
You don't like or use Windows 8, why do you bother to participate in conversations about the product other than to bash it and those who talk about it from experience? :confused:
Click to expand...

Because it's a discussion forum? Or are you one of those people here who think a thread about x or y can only be used by fans to blindly praise it?
 
Why is it people that don't use Windows 8 much are telling those who do to tone it down?
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They have. They still hate it.

backpain-1277406949.jpg


Secondly, you've just admitted to blatant fanboyism, which isn't shocking considering your posts over the recent months. So ask yourself this: how would a neutral observer weigh your future posts on the matter? Not nearly as credible as a non-fanboy.

You don't like or use Windows 8, why do you bother to participate in conversations about the product other than to bash it and those who talk about it from experience?
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Because of the same legitimate reasons you've got for defending it. That's a two-way street. If you don't like what me or others say about win8 then you've got that .jpg to look at right there ^^.

My point it seems has flown past your head again. There's no need to butt into every win8 conversation with rebuttal. It makes you look crazy.
 
heatlesssun said:
First of all, I've worked for Fortune 500 companies for 15 years and have made the case that Windows 8 is what it is to keep Windows relevant to consumers, clearly I understand that Microsoft, like ANY for profit company is trying to maximize the money that they make and indeed the change in licensing would be part of that maximization of profit.

Secondly, I've been running Windows 8 since the launch of the Developer Preview and now have it on a desktop, three x86 tablets and two convertible tablet PCs and it is the OS that I used most of the time outside of gaming. I simply have more experience with it across a good number of devices, form factors and input methods than 99% of people, so pardon me if I talk about that which I know and an interested in. This is an enthusiast site and it's where people talk about things they know. There's no crime in that, certainly no more than people bashing something they've never seen.

Lastly, I flagged you for personal insults that has NOTHING to do with any sensible and reasonable conversation, and yeah it did work, you haven't done it sense you got flagged. The comments were clearly in violation of the this sites policies.

And I'll drop nothing that's fair, honest and within the rules of conversation where stated about technology that I use and understand better than most. Call me a fanboy or unreasonable or tell me to drop it ever other sentence, I use this stuff, most of the people attacking don't, so I really don't understand your problem. You don't like or use Windows 8, why do you bother to participate in conversations about the product other than to bash it and those who talk about it from experience? :confused:
Click to expand...

Honestly I would just put him on your blocked list. I don't know why people insist on trying to be mods especially on something where you can add quite a bit to the discussion. Last time I checked Kyle, Steve, & Co had the moderating handled w/o help needed. Anyhow, just my $0.02.
 
noobman said:
Fair enough, but is there any reason why?
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Linux is amazing for many things, HTPC, Servers, Carputers, Etc. I will be the first person to state that I LOVE linux.

But when it comes down to something I need to interface with daily its just not there.

Microsoft Office > Open Office.
Photoshop > GIMP.
Adobe Premiere > ?
Dreamweaver > ?
Windows Games > Linux Games.

The list goes on. Sure Linux is "useable" as a desktop OS, if all you want to do is surf the web and compile kernels all day.

This website sums it up pretty good: http://linuxfonts.narod.ru/why.linux.is.not.ready.for.the.desktop.current.html
 
Raudulfr said:
Because it's a discussion forum? Or are you one of those people here who think a thread about x or y can only be used by fans to blindly praise it?
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But the difference is that I've never told anyone to shut up. If I say something about Windows 8 I expect to be challenged and so be it. The same would apply to anyone regardless of how they feel about Windows 8 and telling someone to shut up is a pretty pointless thing to do as no one is going to stop voicing their opinion based on an anonymous person telling them to do to so.
 
InorganicMatter said:
If you build your own stuff, you're supposed to be buying all retail anyway, or buying a new license for every new build. OEM licenses are nontransferrable between systems, and contrary to what everyone here seems to think, are not just cheap Windows licenses for geeks in the know.

Legally we're either supposed to be spending $100 per OEM license on every new build, or $200 on a retail license that is reusable on each build.
Click to expand...

Oh shit.....

Really?:eek::eek::eek::eek:

Is that what you do at your house?;)
 
No one's telling you to shut up. For the love of God, read my fucking posts before you comment on them blindly.

I'm saying you've become the token win8 guy and that your credibility on those topics has tumbled. Nobody wants to listen to a self-confessed fanboy drone on and on in every single thread on the same topic. It gets tiring. Granted, I can just ignore it (and i think I will) but my point was that you're droning on and on in every win8 thread and it's getting tiring. That's it. Nobody's told you to shut up. Quit being sentimental. It's just a remind that you needn't post every time win8 gets mentioned. That's it. Apparently even that's whizzing right by you.
 
It won't be a difficult transition at all for the big OEMs. Service tags will simply be linked to your key. If they need to replace a board -new tag, sticker and new key.

Most buyers of OEM boxes aren't buying new motherboards and upgrading down the line. Mostly due to proprietary case design.
 
psxcite said:
It won't be a difficult transition at all for the big OEMs. Service tags will simply be linked to your key. If they need to replace a board -new tag, sticker and new key.

Most buyers of OEM boxes aren't buying new motherboards and upgrading down the line. Mostly due to proprietary case design.
Click to expand...

This is an extension to the tying-in process that's already on PCs. The way it works now is that OEM licenses are bonded to the serial # on the motherboard (generally it helps to have the same make/model). This is why people get registration errors when their mobos fail and they get replacements. You end up having to talk to Microsoft and tell them that your motherboard failed and you're just reinstalling on the same PC. They're generally really helpful about it, but it's still somewhat of a pain for system builders.
 
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