Expanding from local sales into Ebay over the last couple of months

For computers, make sure that Windows is licensed properly. Microsoft comes down hard on piracy (As they should). Spend some time reading into that before you sell PCs, or just sell them with Linux or no operating system if you want to avoid that minefield completely....

I cover the Windows COA number in the photos to prevent someone using it to activate another computer by just reading it off the listing. Mike

anything over $100 i send insured. Then you dont have to worry about the empty box.

For unpaying buyers, you can make your BIN listings (Buy It Now) require immediate payment. This way, the item isn't sold until your paid. I've yet to have a non-paying buyer that way.

Have you considered re-installing Vista with all its updates? If not why not? Mike

If he's wiped the hard drive so the factory recovery partition is gone, or if he doesn't have the re-installation media that came with the computer, he would be in violation of software piracy laws by just reinstalling it with the key on the COA.

He would need to get re-installation media from Dell if they'll provide it (Unlikely), or he would have to purchase a license for the computer.

Originally Posted by matador

If he's wiped the hard drive so the factory recovery partition is gone, or if he doesn't have the re-installation media that came with the computer, he would be in violation of software piracy laws by just reinstalling it with the key on the COA.

He would need to get re-installation media from Dell if they'll provide it (Unlikely), or he would have to purchase a license for the computer.

I feel you are much more likely qualified to know what you have stated to be true but let me ask you a question.

If I have to replace my broken hard drive I am allowed to reinstall Windows as per the COA and the additional drivers can be downloaded from the computer manufacture?

My belief is that the COA is for that computer not that hard drive. Thanks, Mike

For your own use, yes you can do that. When reselling though, you have to use the original install media (Either via recovery partition on the HDD or via CD/DVD). Licensing is a very tricky, complex thing. Basically, though, it's harder to license for resale than for your own use.

The COA isn't actually a license in Microsoft speak, it's proof of a license. A lot of computers are refurbished by Microsoft Registered Refurbishers, who will purchase a new license for that computer.

A lot of the "big guys" will be set up with Microsoft so that they can relicense the machines with a new operating system (Such as Win. 7 or 8.1). They're completely legal, but they have to move volume to make it pay off. The ones that sell 2-3 laptops per month on eBay won't usually be that far ahead, but if you sell 5-10 per day, working with Microsoft to become a Registered or Authorized refurbisher can be well worth it.

A lot of the online computer sellers do sell pirated software, sadly. For them, it always ends the same way....

Originally Posted by 4barrel

I am going to try and move these vista machines without operating systems at this point, make sure they boot up to BIOS and that everything seems to be working. I have quite a few newer machines I need to get hard drives and power adapters for, so making 40-60 per laptop is going to fund the parts account.

As far as Matador's points on copyright policy, I would really not want to get in trouble on that side of things. I don't know how the guys that list 5-10 machines at a time do it unless they are just trying to make the sales and hope they stay under the radar.

I would really like to get moving on selling laptops on ebay with operating system - I'll do some more research in the next couple of weeks and see what I can find.

An alternative is to install Ubuntu, which I do to test machines I get that don't have hard drives. Mike