OEM Windows vs Retail Windows

[TRDCorolla1]

What's the difference between the Vista OEM builder's pack and the actual retail Vista? Does it have anything to do how many times you can install it or something? I hear the OEM is crap because you can only install it one time and that's it. You won't be able to install it again. Is this true?

 

[Juice1]

You can only use retail one time, same for OEM. The only difference is the disk I think it's for ultimate only where as retail disk works for ultimate, business, home, etc all you need is different keys IDK

 

[esa193]

the difference is 1. no packaging
2. the retail disk has 32bit and 64bit version where as the oem does not

 

[TRDCorolla1]

Oh, so that's it then. I thought it was a lot more than that. Where I was concerned was, what would happen of I had to do a reformat again. You know how unstable Windows can be over time and requires a reinstall. Like what happened to me recently.

Someone told me that with the OEM builder's pack, you can only install it once and that's it. I'm like, WTF? I have never heard of that before. So I can definitely do a reinstall of Windows if I have to right? Like I can enter the product key that came with it.

 

[freestyler105]

Yeah, you'll be fine with reinstalling/reformatting. I'm pretty sure esa's got it right.

 

[esa193]

ya me 2

 

[TRDCorolla1]

That's reassuring. For my next build, I'm going to get the Vista OEM builder's pack. It's so cheap compared to all the other versions. Everyone should buy that version. It's even cheaper than the upgrade version, lol.

 

[freestyler105]

Yeah, that's the idea. The Retail is a ripoff compared to it, but most users don't know any better so...

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

You can only use retail one time, same for OEM. The only difference is the disk I think it's for ultimate only where as retail disk works for ultimate, business, home, etc all you need is different keys IDK

It does not matter which version you buy the disc contains all versions on the DVD. I bought Home Premium but upgraded it to Ultimate myself.

OEM can do a clean install just like retail. Its the same thing as retail only lacking the options of both 32/64bit you get one or the other. That would be the only advantage of retail.

As far as usage amounts its the same deal as XP. You can activate it so many times then you'll have to call in on the activation. I think my OEM let me activate 3 times before I had to call in. Back when I was having driver issued and re installing it a few times because I couldn't figure out why it wasn't booting right.