System Builder

A system builder is a smaller Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) who typically serves a local market, area, or region. Acquiring genuine Microsoft software from a system builder offers great value for customers because of this local service and support.

A system builder’s business depends upon their customer service, and they are there to help and support you with your PC and computing needs. Whether it’s technical support, customization, training, or additional services such as home networking or setting up a small business, a system builder can help you through all your technical challenges.

What you should look for with genuine Microsoft Windows

When you purchase a computer from a system builder with a preinstalled Windows operating system, you will want to make sure there is a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) affixed to the PC. Below is an image of the COA that should have accompanied the software that was preinstalled on your PC.

Individual OEM System Builder Windows software licenses must be distributed with the following:

1. Certificate of Authenticity (COA) label

   A Certificate of Authenticity is a label that helps you identify genuine Microsoft Windows software and it must be affixed directly to your PC or laptop. Without it, you will not have a legal license to run Microsoft Windows software. The COA is not a software license – it is a visual identifier that assists in determining whether or not the Microsoft software you are running is genuine. A COA should never be purchased by itself without the software it authenticates. This yellow COA shown above is a new system builder specific COA which you will begin seeing affixed to system builder manufactured PCs around September 2005.

2. End User License Agreement (EULA)

   This is the agreement which defines the end users rights and restrictions as they apply to software, and it must be accepted by end users the first time they use the software. It is typically displayed on-line the first time the software is used.

3. Hologram media

   The bits for the Windows desktop operating system are distributed on a CD which contains a holographic image – a three-dimensional image of objects – which displays both the software program name and a specific image related to the program on the CD.

4. Documentation

   A manual documenting the features of Windows.

Be sure to look for all four of these components when acquiring Microsoft software on a new PC supplied by a system builder.

If you have any questions about genuine Microsoft software, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/genuine.

If you suspect you have been a victim of software piracy, or for general information on piracy, please visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88554.