Windows 2000 upgrade

[MarkAK]

Hi

I am buying a new PC (with no O/S). My current PC runs win98se and I would like win2000 on the new one, idealy I was hoping to just buy the upgrade to win2k (if that's possible)

My problem is this

When I bought my current PC, Win98se was pre installed,before I was able to get the discs from the company, they went out of business, so no win 98se discs for me.

Is it possible to upgrade without the win98discs or will I need to purchase win2k in full?

(apologies for the length of the post, didn't want to miss out any info)

[Tweaker]

This will answer your questions for upgrading. :)

Upgrading Windows 98 to Windows 2000 (http://www.cae.wisc.edu/fsg/win2k/w98tow2k.html)

[MarkAK]

thanks for the link, I will refer to it when I come to upg.

I do have another question re the win2k o/s. I have seen them for sale on ebay described as follows:

"These CD'S were originally sold with a Range of Pc' s under an OEM Licence from Microsoft so come with no other Certificate Of Authenticity than what is endorsed by way of the Microsoft (R) trademark on each red or white coloured Operating / System CD. "

If I were to buy one, am I essentially using a pirated/illegal version of the software, or is it legal to re sell an o/s that was intended fro supply with a PC package only.

As always, all help is gratefully received, cheers

M

[Tweaker]

Hmm... I'm no legal expert Mark but I believe if those were sold for company use then to re-sell I would think is illegal, not 100% sure though. Maybe someone else here might have more knowledge concerning this. Stick around someone else might have some insight to this.

[Murf]

EBAY is very particular on how operating systems are sold. They do a good job of screening.

From Microsoft:

Our full packaged products are suitable for home users and organisations with less than ten desktop PCs who buy their Microsoft software program from a local retailer or preferred reseller. The licence itself - called and End User Licence Agreement (EULA) - is a printed document that is found in the box with the software discs and manual.

Visit the How To Tell Website HERE (http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/uk/default.ms
px)for an easy step-by-step way to evaluate if your full packaged product software product is genuine.

When software is pre-installed on a new desktop PC the End User Licence Agreement (EULA) must be accepted when you first turn on the desktop PC. This type of licence is an agreement between the PC manufacturer and the end user. Legal and genuine software that has been pre-installed will also have a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the chassis and will include the media (software discs) and manuals.

Personal computer manufacturers, or Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), often have agreements with Microsoft allowing them to distribute OEM Software. OEM software is a special version of software that must be distributed pre-installed on the hard drive of a PC when it's manufactured or bundled with computer hardware. OEM software should never be distributed without a corresponding PC or computer hardware.

FROM EBAY POLICIES

eBay rule:

Do not list "OEM" or "bundled" copies of software on eBay unless you are selling it with computer hardware

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), or bundled software, is software that is obtained as part of the purchase of a new computer. OEM software licenses usually prohibit the purchaser from reselling the software without the computer or, in some cases, without any computer hardware.

Warning
Listings offering OEM copies of software may be ended early by eBay. Multiple violations of eBay's OEM Software policy could result in the suspension of your account.

Hope this helps...