Cesar:
I think you've run into one of Microsoft's anti-piracy provisions. My
understanding is that the OEM version is sold for less money than the
upgrade because Microsoft does not incur the same selling and support
costs on OEM sales as they do with the retail versions. Since the
Microsoft organization is very much about making money, the OEM version
contains various locks so that it can only be installed on either a
brand-new computer, or a computer that already has the same version and
product ID number as encoded on the source CD; i.e. the same computer
where it was originally installed. The later is so that it will be
possible to do a re-install at some later time should it be necessary.
(And it will...)
I've never had a clear understanding of what "new computer" means: I
have seen dealers offering the OEM versions of Win 95 and Win 98 with
the purchase of a new computer, a new hard drive or a new motherboard.
Hmmm - if I buy a new motherboard, but elect to use the old hard drive,
then will the CD detect the old system, and refuse to install the new
OS? Could be. If that's the case, then the first thing that I would do
is review the EULA. If its definition of "new computer" agreed with the
one I've given above, my next choices would be (1) have a chat with my
dealer, or (2) contact Microsoft for help.
--Carroll

Cesar Mendoza wrote:
>
> That's right. The OEM comes with a new PC, but I want to use it to upgrade
> an older version of Windows, is that posibble by using some special switch
> or something???
>
> -----Mensaje original-----
> >  It does not allow me to upgrade, the installation starts, then a message
> >  tells me it cannot continue because there is already an OS and it cannot
> >  upgrade it. I think I got the OEM version.
> I thought the only thing you could get off the shelves was the "white" box
> upgrade, for Win3,Win95+Win98 or the "blue" box, for Win98SE, and that the
> OEM only came witha new PC?
> Mike Hayes

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