Chris19delta wrote: Picked up a used 2950 and trying to see if there's a way to use what ever OS was shipped OEM on it until I can afford a 2012 Standard license. I know on their desktops dell puts the OEM key in the bios, do they do the same thing on servers? Hello Chris Yes, we use the BIOS SLIC in our servers as well. If you install from an OEM DVD then it should auto-activate. The chassis should have the COA sticker on it if it was sold with an OEM OS. You should be able to install from retail media using the 25 digit key on the COA sticker.

I'm not sure its the same, but I reinstalled a Windows 7 Home Prem machine which was originally using OEM software, I pulled the key thinking thinking that I could use with a Windows 7 Home Prem DVD, but thats not the case, Windows wouldn't activate, I called Microsoft and HP and they asked if I restored using the Recovery drive partition. Luckily, I didn't remove this in case it was needed. To conclude, You can't use another Windows Disk if the computer came with OEM unless you have a seperate licence key for it. Aka Horseman wrote: I know this doesn't answer your question, but. All OEM software should have been included in the sale of the equipment. Check the Original Configuration (using the ServiceTag# on the Dell Website) to determine what it came with.

Jan 24, 2018 - Dell, HP and Lenovo have all withdrawn the latest versions of BIOS firmware so that users can no longer apply the microcode patches.

The OEM should activate just fine. Film love is cinta star vision. If you dont get the OEM software, then you will need to acquire a valid activation key. The Previous owner may have used OEM, or they may have used a VLK. I thought a volume license had to install over an oem license?

Or is that just the client OS? Chris19delta wrote: I thought a volume license had to install over an oem license? Or is that just the client OS?A Volume License Key is different to an OEM License key.

The former is how Microsoft sell their server software (i.e. Windows Server, Exchange, SQL Server etc) and their associated CALs. The latter is what most hardware manufacturers drop on their server hardware to offer something to get you going out of the box (i.e. HP or Dell sell servers with a bog standard server license and a few token CALs). You get the former from Microsoft or a reseller and the keys & software are distributed via. The latter is supplied via the stuck to the case by the OEM. Luc23 wrote: Optimaximal wrote: The initial answer is 'Yes', but if there's no COA on the case, it's not licensed for OEM software.

OEM Windows software travels with the system. This is the answer to your original question.

If it was licensed for an OEM OS, it will have a COA sticker on the case of the server itself with the license key. Just like a desktop.

If it doesn't have one, someone didn't want you to have it for some reason or it was not ordered with one.Agreed. No sticker when you buy it = no legal right to install something you didn't get with it. If they send a CD with a COA, or there is a sticker with a COA, sure, but otherwise you need to buy whatever you want to install. Optimaximal wrote: Chris19delta wrote: I thought a volume license had to install over an oem license? Or is that just the client OS?A Volume License Key is different to an OEM License key. The former is how Microsoft sell their server software (i.e.

Windows Server, Exchange, SQL Server etc) and their associated CALs. The latter is what most hardware manufacturers drop on their server hardware to offer something to get you going out of the box (i.e. HP or Dell sell servers with a bog standard server license and a few token CALs). You get the former from Microsoft or a reseller and the keys & software are distributed via. The latter is supplied via the stuck to the case by the OEM. Guess I was thinking of something else. Gary McDonnell wrote: When you get the machine it will have Service Tag on it - basically a serial number comprised of letters and numbers.

Go to and enter that number when it asks for it. You can then display the original configuration which will include what version, if any, of Windows Server that the system was shipped with. Something which is totally irrelevant because unless there is a CoA sticker on the case, you don't have the right to use an OEM license, even if it was bought with the hardware. The CoA decides what you can run - if Microsoft come-a-knocking, you need to be able to show them the CoA, otherwise the hardware is not licensed. Optimaximal wrote: Gary McDonnell wrote: When you get the machine it will have Service Tag on it - basically a serial number comprised of letters and numbers. Go to and enter that number when it asks for it. You can then display the original configuration which will include what version, if any, of Windows Server that the system was shipped with.