Microsoft licensing is a bit of a minefield. I lot of people are shifting second hand laptops on ebay without Windows install CDs and using the fact that they have a COA stuck to the unit (and there seems to be someone selling such stickers on ebay at the moment) as some sort of suggestion that they're properly license.

I do know that some OEM installations become tied to the machine they're installed on and presumably could therefore be sold on without the CD but in general I'm not quite sure where I stand.

Pjay, is this as an individual or a company?

If you need help, why not talk to their reseller network, a couple of examples would be Softcat and Bytes, both have Software Asset Management teams to answer such issues for corporate customers…

Well, I went and bought a 'refurbished' netbook from PC World, I'd assume that someone their size would be legit and this way I get a 12month warranty too.

my only rule of thumb:

ebay sourced software=dodgy

oem copies of windows are tied to the original hardware but not all pc's/laptops will come with the installation media.

if the laptop has got a coa on it it means it might be legit but then again it might not be ( it is ebay afterall)

Sorry to jump in with my own related question but…
I've just bought a laptop off a mate and it still has his name in as the "owner". Everything else has been deleted off it.
There is no OS disc with it.

What is the best way to set it up as mine?

Thanks, Guys.

imp999

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article02-021