Quote:
Originally Posted by Phillip Dyson
Why would it matter if its an OEM copy? If I'm replacing the computer that it's installed on, can't I transfer it to a new machine?
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An OEM license is tied to the hardware with which it is purchased
[edit - actually, it is tied to the motherboard of the PC on which the license is first installed - see Microsoft OEM Licensing FAQ]; only the full retail license can (legally) be moved to different hardware. Upgrade that OEM license of Vista or XP with a Win7 upgrade, and that OEM license is still tied to the PC and cannot be used anywhere else. Upgrade the original license of XP (that was then upgraded with a retail Vista upgrade) with Win7, then, I think that you can say that the Win7 upgrade is upgrading the original XP license, freeing the retail Vista upgrade for another XP license on different hardware.