What is the legal way to re-install a Windows OS (xp,win 7, win 8) to Mom n Pop slow running PCs? 3

[Rousseau10]

Hi all,

I am semi-retired but was a long time IT professional (Asp.net,c# developer, IT trainer,database developer, etc) and I need some extra income. I want to start a small "mom-N-pop" biz just cleaning up, speeding up, removing viruses, etc to mom and pop clients. Often as we know a complete OS re-install is sometimes the best solution.
But legally, since most would-be clients received pre-installed proprietary OS's with their PC purchases, but lets say they lost their (dell/hp/etc) proprietary OEM pre-installed OS recovery disc. Then can I use an OEM (non pre-installed) disc of their OS (example windows 8.1 or win 7,XP) to re-install on their PCs?
I have researched and it is like 100 bucks for a generic windows OS CD and can only be used on 1 PC(motherboard). This would make my servicing fee noncompetitive.Cost of OEM CD plus my time. Or do I need a retail full version of their OS to do a re-install. Can a full retail version of a Windows OS disc an that disc and product key be used on multiple computers legally. Logically ,if they already paid for the OS and just lost the OEM recovery OS CD, then it would not seem immoral.
In other words, How do really "come to your home and fix your PC" companies really handle this situation. I know my Mom every couple years has a guy come to her house and re-install her XP, but I summize he does not care that the win OS CD he is using should not be used on multiple computers. He just does not care, he is not some corp that gets audited. Is this the most common (look the other way solution) or is there an "up and up" way to reuse an OS CD on multiple computers for this reason? And if so,what about product key conflicts and online activation conflicts handled or avoided?

Thank you SO much for our time in responding.

Also if anyone knows a download site to get copies these these OS's for this purpose, pay or no pay. I would love a link!

Thanks,
Rousseau10

 

[spamjim]

Often as we know a complete OS re-install is sometimes the best solution.

Do you mean Linux OS? My endless hours of PC tune-ups ended when I switched my mother from XP to Linux.

You probably don't need to do this dance. I'm not understanding the value of reinstalling XP. It is dead. The newer Windows versions will likely have a system recovery partition.

There are options to backup existing Windows licensing (

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/rockxp.html)

and restore that licensing after the OS restore. But the trick is to have that particular flavor of Windows installation media to be compatible with the restored license.

A clean OS install (and all the updates and program reinstallations) is not easily done in a house call. I'd consider another approach.

 

[rclarke250]

The media has very little to do with it, it can be used over and over and on as many computers you want, as long as you have a valid license for each installation. It is the code that is needed. Also, almost every computer sold in the last 5-6 years, has no installation software provided, it either has a hidden partition to do a full recovery,(Alt-F10,Alt-F11) or has a means to make the disks for a complete recovery. Or both. You can also contact the company, Dell,HP, Acer,Lenovo, and request dvd software for the computer, there is usually a small fee like $15-25 to send you the disks if it is out of warranty, if it is in warranty, they will provide the software if you need to replace the hdd in the event it is damaged. And as for in home repair companies, depends on the company and coverage bought. But if you are talking under warranty repair, software installation is extra, and is up to the client in most cases. I never loaded a customers drive while doing a repair in the home. Most companies like Dell, Acer,HP and what not would walk the customer through the installation or recovery procedure for their model, they also do not in most cases provide software support, that is left to Microsoft,Corel,Adobe, or whoever wrote the program. While working for IBM, and doing PC repair if I replaced the hdd, the reload of software is up to the client, and if they have no backup, too bad, not my job to try to recover their data. Now when I did repair on the side, I recovered what I could and would give the customer a copy of the recovered data, I would recover the system to factory recovery, or in the case of systems I built, the software that was purchased and installed when I built the machine was reinstalled, because every system I build comes with an image disk that puts the system back to the first day the system was given to the owner. Any software installed after that date was the owners responsibility to reinstall. Unless negotiated as part of the repair and cost.

 

[edfair]

You'll find that OEM CDs have specific keys and SP1 CDs, for example, will not work with SP2 , for example, keys.

Dell CDs will install on DELLS without a key provided that the BIOS contains whatever the install is looking for. This is how DELL keeps their 7 from installing on machines originally provided with XP.

You can, for thge most part, install an OS using a matching CD key then relicense the installation with the machine's key. The install counts against the original key.

The licensing does create some issues. You eventually would be looking to have install media and keys for each version of each OS. If you build up a base of one type of machine you can clone the drive rather than doing a full install. Much quicker.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[cdogg]

The advice I'm going to give probably repeats some of what's already been stated above, but for completeness sake, here it is:

The license key (a.k.a. product key) is not tied to the CD or DVD Windows disc. Therefore, you can use one disc for multiple installations. That is perfectly legal. The catch is that each installation should be using its own unique license key (except in situations involving a "volume license key"). Also, the OEM disc will not work with retail keys, and vice versa. So in this line of work, you would theoretically want an OEM disc and a retail disc for each flavor of OS you plan on supporting.

When dealing with major manufacturers like HP and Dell, realize that they sometimes have the license key embedded in the BIOS on desktops, and almost always do on laptops. So when you reload Windows with one of their OEM discs, it shouldn't prompt for the license key. It will if you use your own non-HP or non-Dell OEM disc, however. Also, home consumer models don't typically come with OEM discs. Instead, you have to restore the factory configuration by reloading from a hidden partition on the hard drive. You'll want to consult the manual on the manufacturer's website for the procedure, which varies from one manufacturer to the next. Be careful not to accidentally overwrite or delete this partition when servicing a branded PC.

If the customer doesn't have the OEM disc, and/or you're looking to stock up ahead of time, you can usually find good deals on eBay or Craigslist for $5 each (without the product key of course, which keeps it legal). For Windows XP, go for SP3 versions of Home and Pro. For customers with Vista, you might be better off convincing them to move to Windows 7, since the hardware is likely compatible.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

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[goombawaho]

I would add that XP is fussy about the CD used to install Home/Pro/Media Center and has to be matched with corresponding C.O.A. on the side of the PC. You can't mix and match.

I have to disagree with the above and say that Windows 7 and 8 aren't limited by that. You can use a retail DVD to install an OEM license or vice versa. You MIGHT have to call Microsoft to get it licensed, but with XP it just won't happen. I've had to call quite a few times.

Link

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[goombawaho]

I should have said that Windows 7 & 8 still require the same version be that is listed on the COA, but you can mix and match COAs and retail/OEM DVDs.

XP is both fussy about version and OEM/retail media.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[Rick998]

Hi Rousseau10... Like you, I am also semi-retired.

For many years I have made it a central tenet that I ALWAYS make a backup of customers' 'restore to factory defaults' media whenever possible.

As a result I have been able to amass a selection of 'OEM restore media' DVD's/ISO's for many makes/models.

Just a suggestion...

 

[edfair]

When I find the right install combo to match the key code sticker I note it on the sticker so I don't have to go through discovery again.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.