OEM OS

[Cirerrek]

I was thinking about picking up an OEM copy of Windows Me full version. Some of the pricwatch adds have it for a reasonable amount without purchasing $400 of hardware along with it! I've done the OEM hardware thing, but not OEM software. Any tradeoffs and or pitfalls between OEM ME and the retail version? What about startup off a clean hard drive? The Win98FE (current OS) disk I have is bootable. Same thing for WinMe or will I need a WinME startup disk? The reason I ask is most of the adds indicate CD + pretty certificate of authenticity, but no startup disk.

[reboot]

It will work fine.
Just use your Win9x startup disk with CD-ROM support.
Do not sys the drive using the 9x disk or you'll get a DOS version conflict error, but you can use it to boot, format, and run the install from the CD or copy the cabs to the HD and run setup from there.
AFAIK the ME disk is bootable. (mine is, and it's the el-cheapo update one).

[HAL9000]

Yup, it's a bootable CD, so if your system supports it, no need for a bootdisk.

[Cirerrek]

Reboot,

by "do not sys", do you mean don't format C:/s with the win98 startup disk?

[reboot]

That's it. DO NOT format with the /s switch!
You can use format /u though, no worries.
The /s causes a DOS version conflict error (thanks again MS, NOT!).

[Cirerrek]

format /u? Don't know that one and I tossed my dos for dummies manual in the garbage a few years back in the hope that I would never have to see dos again. Here's for hoping! What does the format /u do differently than the /s?

[glc]

/u is unconditional format. /s is format and transfer system files.

You can not "legally" buy OEM Windows without hardware - just keep that in mind. Those vendors on Pricewatch that are doing it are violating M$ licensing agreements. I would bet that most of that OEM that is being sold without hardware is pirated. You get ZERO support from Micro$oft with OEM Windows - the support must come from the OEM.

[Cirerrek]

And thus answering the question I originally asked! Thanks glc. The other info was useful for me though, so thanks for the other responses. I'll have to check with the company that I bought my mobo, processor, and fan/heatsink from. Perhaps they will still legally be able to sell me a supported copy of WinMe at a reasonable price.