where to get a licenced w2k?

[Guest aa]

If I wanted to purchase w2k - where can I get it now?

I could not find it Microsoft website.

Is it OK to purchase it "second hand" from someone?

[Guest John John]

Re: where to get a licenced w2k?

 

Try ebay. You can buy it from someone providing that you get a product

key with it and that it isn't an OEM version with a BIOS lock on it.

 

John

 

aa wrote:

> If I wanted to purchase w2k - where can I get it now?

> I could not find it Microsoft website.

> Is it OK to purchase it "second hand" from someone?

>

>

[Guest aa]

Re: where to get a licenced w2k?

 

"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> ???????/???????? ? ???????? ?????????:

news:#9f2fwyDIHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> Try ebay. You can buy it from someone providing that you get a product

> key with it and that it isn't an OEM version with a BIOS lock on it.

 

Thank you, John,

Where exactly should I look to see if it is an OEM version and it has a BIOS

lock?

BTW, what does a BIOS lock mean and how will it affect the user?

[Guest aa]

Re: where to get a licenced w2k?

 

They sell OEM Single on Ebay - what is the problem with OEM licence?

[Guest Paul Floyd]

Re: where to get a licenced w2k?

 

On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 10:19:26 +0400, aa <A@aa.com> wrote:

> They sell OEM Single on Ebay - what is the problem with OEM licence?

 

Hi

 

OEM software usually has a licence restriction that it only be sold with

hardware. The intent of this is that it means the OS is pre-installed on

new computers. However some sellers will stretch the meaning of hardware

a little (e.g., a 50cent audio CD cable, or an old, dead hard disk).

Watch out for ebay sellers trying to sell an OEM version for the price

of the retail full/upgrade version.

 

A bientot

Paul

[Guest aa]

Re: where to get a licenced w2k?

 

 

"Paul Floyd" <root@127.0.0.1> OEM software usually has a licence

restriction that it only be sold with

> hardware. The intent of this is that it means the OS is pre-installed on

> new computers. However some sellers will stretch the meaning of hardware

> a little (e.g., a 50cent audio CD cable, or an old, dead hard disk).

> Watch out for ebay sellers trying to sell an OEM version for the price

> of the retail full/upgrade version.

Thanks, Paul,

I looked up "OEM licence" on the Web and still do not see it clearly. I wand

w2k for my personal usage, not for installing it on other computers in order

to resell. Neither do I intend furnish with it an office stuffes with

employees. However I would like to remove preinstalled VISTA from my desktop

and XP from my notebook and install w2k instead.

1. What does "new computer" mean? Doeas it mean a literally new computer, or

it also cover a computer with new HD? Or an old HD, but freshly formatted?

2. If OEM software is designed to go on a particular computer and cannot be

transferred onto another computer then it should be somehow locked on the

particular computer is this done? If it is, then selling OEM separately like

they do on Ebay is a)illegal and b)does not make sense as it would not

install

[Guest John John]

Re: where to get a licenced w2k?

 

aa wrote:

> "John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> ???????/???????? ? ???????? ?????????:

> news:#9f2fwyDIHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>

>>Try ebay. You can buy it from someone providing that you get a product

>>key with it and that it isn't an OEM version with a BIOS lock on it.

>

>

> Thank you, John,

> Where exactly should I look to see if it is an OEM version and it has a BIOS

> lock?

> BTW, what does a BIOS lock mean and how will it affect the user?

 

If the cd has the computer manufacturer's name stamped or printed on it

don't buy it (unless you want to use it on the same brand of computer).

OEM versions from the large manufacturers such as Dell, IBM, Compaq/HP

are clearly labeled and are easily identified, these are usually BIOS

locked.

 

The other type of OEM is the one from Microsoft, they are usually

referred to as "generic OEM" in these groups, they are used by small

system builders who do not have the resources or means to produce their

own cd's or who buy to few licenses to warrant the expense making their

own cd's. These cd's are hologramed and they have the Microsoft logo on

them, they have the distinctive Microsoft look. These will install on

any make of computer, they have no BIOS lock.

 

On BIOS locked versions there is a small file on the cd, when you boot

with the cd and select the option to install Windows 2000 the setup

program will get or read special instructions from that small file and

it will check the BIOS information of the computer on which you are

wanting to install. If the information does not correspond with the

information in the small file the setup will abort and you will get a

message stating something to the effect that Windows cannot be installed

on your make of computer, it verifies that your motherboard is from the

particular manufacturer whose cd you are trying to use, this is an

anti-piracy measure. For example, you cannot use a Dell cd to install

on a non Dell pc.

 

By the way, if you do a search on the internet you will still find a

handful of on-line stores who still have generic and retail Windows 2000

versions available for sale. Do your homework, verify that the stores

are legit and trustworthy and make sure that what you buy includes the COA.

 

John

[Guest John John]

Re: where to get a licenced w2k?

 

aa wrote:

> ...I would like to remove preinstalled VISTA from my desktop

> and XP from my notebook and install w2k instead.

 

You will have to make sure that the necessary drivers are available for

Windows 2000, it may be a problem with newer computers.

 

John

[Guest Frank Booth Snr]

Re: where to get a licenced w2k?

 

aa wrote:

> "Paul Floyd" <root@127.0.0.1> OEM software usually has a licence

> restriction that it only be sold with

>

>>hardware. The intent of this is that it means the OS is pre-installed on

>>new computers. However some sellers will stretch the meaning of hardware

>>a little (e.g., a 50cent audio CD cable, or an old, dead hard disk).

>>Watch out for ebay sellers trying to sell an OEM version for the price

>>of the retail full/upgrade version.

>

> Thanks, Paul,

> I looked up "OEM licence" on the Web and still do not see it clearly. I wand

> w2k for my personal usage, not for installing it on other computers in order

> to resell. Neither do I intend furnish with it an office stuffes with

> employees. However I would like to remove preinstalled VISTA from my desktop

> and XP from my notebook and install w2k instead.

> 1. What does "new computer" mean? Doeas it mean a literally new computer, or

> it also cover a computer with new HD? Or an old HD, but freshly formatted?

> 2. If OEM software is designed to go on a particular computer and cannot be

> transferred onto another computer then it should be somehow locked on the

> particular computer is this done? If it is, then selling OEM separately like

> they do on Ebay is a)illegal and b)does not make sense as it would not

> install

>

I bought my copy (OEM disk) from Ebay. But be careful who you buy from.

I had dealings with 2 sellers who tried to sell me a Win2k disk, which

arrived without a product key in one case, and the incorrect product key

in another, despite adverting in both cases that it came with one. Make

sure the disk is for sale with a COA, then you shouldn't go wrong.