Is it legal to sell windows 7?

[nomis78]

Whoops I do apologise I got my terminology mistaken oh silly me, shall have to go and give my self 40 lashings

[GreenBlade]

Greenblade I think he meant its legal to seek a normal copy, at least that's how I understood it

 

hi all some one is trying to sell my a copied version of windows 7 ultimate

 

You're not allowed to have copied versions of Windows 7.

[nomis78]

hi all some one is trying to sell my a copied version of windows 7 ultimate

 

You're not allowed to have copied versions of Windows 7.

 

Sorry I thought your reply was for other post by auto98uk

[Mikes10]

There are at least four licensing verisons of Windows OS

 

1) OEM volume: installed on the computer by the manufacturer, when the machine dies so does the operating system

2) OEM system builder:,purchased at the time of components, when the machine dies so does the OS

3) Retail package: when the machine dies the OS can be transfered to another computer

4) Corporate / Enterprise: available only to large organisations, there are penalties for any organisation

distributing an OS without due regard to the licenseing agreement.

 

all the above require some form of activation usually via Microsoft servers with the use of a product key.

 

Anyone offering cheap or heavily discounted Microsoft products is probably trying to rip you off!

 

So whats the worse that could happen: all your computer equipment confiscated and destroyed, heavy fine,

if its your first offence then probably suspended sentence. Subsequent offence imprisonment, lose your job

disgrace on your family.

 

Hardly worth it, is it?

[sccsux]

all the above require some form of activation usually via Microsoft servers with the use of a product key.

 

With the exception of numbers 1, 2 and 4.

[sccsux]

So whats the worse that could happen: all your computer equipment confiscated and destroyed, heavy fine,

 

Nope. Never happened in the UK (as far as I'm aware).

[alchresearch]

Corporate and Enterprise versions of Windows 7 still require online activation / checking.

 

You can either activate individually or set up a KMS (Key Management Server), but the keys are still checked online with MS. It stops companies buying a corporate licence for ten machines and then installing it on 50, or if the key falls into dodgy hands it can be deactivated quite easily.

 

When I go to the MS licencing site its fairly accurate to how many machines I've installed Windows 7 and Server 2008.

[Trev]

Typically speaking here there are three licensing types of Microsoft Windows (in fact most Microsoft products, ie MS Office, MS Server, etc):

 

OEM = this type of Windows license is provided by the manufacture with a new computer, such as Dell, HP, Toshiba, etc. This license lives and dies with the computer. Legaly speaking it can not be transfered or resold.

 

RETAIL - this is a boxed version of Windows which contains the installation media and license key. As an example, if you walk into PCWorld and tell them you want to install Windows 7 on your pc, this is what they'd sell you. This type of license can be transfered to another computer, however, it can only be installed on one computer at a time.

 

VOLUME - this is a subscription agreement used in an commercial enviroment, ie: the council doesnt go to PCWorld and purchase 6000 copies of Windows. Instead they setup a volume based subscription agreement with Microsoft which allows them to license install Windows, Office, etc on their computers.

 

Unless your license is a RETAIL version then the legal answer is no, you cant sell it. If it's RETAIL than i'd guess you could, although, Microsoft probably wont be too happy about.

[Swampster]

A genuine retail version can be sold on quite legitimately, so long as it has been removed from any previous installs, and Microsoft can be as 'unhappy' as they like there's diddly they can legally do about it

 

Incidently the same thing applies to legally purchased non DRM protected digital media, such as music and videos.. while impractical it's legal to sell them on.

[waddler8]

A genuine retail version can be sold on quite legitimately, so long as it has been removed from any previous installs, and Microsoft can be as 'unhappy' as they like there's diddly they can legally do about it

 

Why would they be unhappy about it when it states in the EULA that a one time transfer of the software & license is permitted?

 

TRANSFER TO A THIRD PARTY.

 

a. Software Other Than Windows Anytime Upgrade. The first user of the software may make a one time transfer of the software and this agreement, by transferring the original media, the certificate of authenticity, the product key and the proof of purchase directly to a third party. The first user must remove the software before transferring it separately from the computer. The first user may not retain any copies of the software.