OEM Copy: If your computer came with Windows, it likely has an OEM copy.This will depend on whether you have an OEM ( Original Equipment Manufacturer) or retail copy of Windows installed on your computer. In some cases, changing a single component - like imaging a failing hard drive, replacing the hard drive, and then re-imaging your copy of Windows to that hard drive - may result in Windows becoming non-genuine.īefore you continue, it's important to bear in mind what's allowed and what isn't. Changing a single component or even two components may be fine, but changing several components may upset Windows.
Microsoft doesn't spell out the exact hardware changes that can cause a Windows PC to become non-genuine, but we know that changing the following hardware components can cause this: The motherboard and CPU, hard drive, network card, graphics card, and RAM. What if you change the motherboard, CPU, memory, and everything but the hard drive? Where exactly do you draw the line between the old computer and a new computer? What about the motherboard and CPU? Maybe. Is your computer still the same computer if you change its graphics card? Sure, probably. This sounds simple, but, in reality, it's hard to define exactly what a single computer is. Windows becomes non-genuine after some hardware changes to prevent you from taking a copy of Windows tied to one computer's hardware and move it to a new computer. You're allowed to make certain hardware changes under the Windows license agreement, but even making allowed hardware changes may turn your copy of Windows into a "non-genuine" copy that requires reactivation with Microsoft. If you change your hardware later, your copy of Windows may become "non-genuine," turn your desktop background black, and start pestering you to use a genuine version of Windows.
Even if you purchase a retail, boxed copy of Windows and install it, that copy of Windows will become tied to your hardware after it activates itself with Microsoft. It's an OEM copy, which means it can only be used on that computer.
When you purchase a computer that comes with Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows 8, that copy of Windows is tied to your computer's hardware.