What is the Registered Refurbisher Program?
The Registered Refurbisher Program is tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized refurbishers who wish to deliver genuine preinstalled Microsoft software licenses to their customers on the PCs they refurbish.

Where is the program available?
The program is open to refurbishers in all countries except the People’s Republic of China. However, the products available through the program do vary in some countries. Please see the Product Information section of this FAQ for details.

Who is eligible to become a Registered Refurbisher?
Public or private and commercial or non-commercial organizations are eligible to apply for the program. Organizations should be carrying out good quality computer refurbishment for end user customers that may be commercial, i.e. small businesses and consumers, or citizenship customers such as schools and non-profit charitable organizations.

Is there a charge to join the program?
There is no charge to join the program but there are charges to buy the licenses to be preinstalled through the program. These vary depending on the type of product and type of license.

What are the benefits to refurbishers participating in the program?
The program enables refurbishers to purchase and preinstall genuine Microsoft software that is affordable for refurbished PCs. This allows refurbishers to differentiate themselves in the market by supplying refurbished computers preinstalled with genuine Microsoft software. They will also have access to utilities and information to help with preinstalling software and marketing themselves as a provider of genuine software and as a member of the program.

What are the benefits of this program for end user customers?
End user customers will benefit from quality refurbished PCs preinstalled with genuine licenses for Microsoft software. Genuine licenses mean they will be able to access the benefits of downloads, updates, and enhanced features such as free anti-virus software. Registered Refurbisher licenses for refurbished PCs also provide an upgrade path to future releases.

Are there different types of licenses for different types of customers?
Yes. There are two types of licenses available in the Registered Refurbisher Program.

• Commercial licenses are available for you to supply to any type of customer. This can include end user customers who are consumers or small businesses.
• Citizenship licenses are available for you to supply only to Eligible Recipients. Citizenship licenses are available for a cost-recovery fee for certain customer groups such as educational institutions, non-profit charitable organizations and other approved recipients.

What steps are taken to help ensure the quality of the refurbishers that participate in this program?
Microsoft works to confirm the validity of applications before granting a refurbisher the status of Registered Refurbisher, and applications are reviewed by Microsoft’s Anti Piracy group. Members of the program must stay in touch through a secure portal in order to obtain products keys needed for their licenses and, in some cases, must submit information about the PCs they supply. All Registered Refurbishers are also subject to audit and must meet environmental and data wiping standards specified in the program agreement. In addition, Microsoft will investigate any complaint received about a Registered Refurbisher and has the option to withdraw Registered Refurbisher status at any time.

How does a refurbisher become a member of the program?
There is an online application process and the link can be found here. The process includes signing, online, a program agreement and providing information that can be used to assess the application. This is fully explained at the start of the application process and the program agreement can be downloaded and reviewed before the application process starts.

What are the differences between commercial licenses and citizenship licenses?
The Registered Refurbisher Program includes commercial licenses and citizenship licenses for different types of customers. They are priced differently because citizenship licenses are for customers that Microsoft wishes to subsidize. However, perhaps the most important difference is how they may be supplied.

• Commercial licenses may be supplied to any type of end user customer, these including small businesses, consumers, etc.
• Citizenship licenses may only be supplied to Eligible Recipients as defined in the program agreement – see below for more information about Eligible Recipients.

What products are available?
The following products are available in the program. However, not all products are available in all countries. Please see below for information about geographical availability:

• Commercial licenses:

  Windows XP Starter Edition Windows XP Home Edition Windows XP Home Edition N Windows XP Home Edition K Windows XP Home Edition KN Windows XP Professional Windows XP Professional N

  Windows XP Professional K Windows XP Professional KN Windows 7 Starter Windows 7 Home Premium Windows 7 Home Premium N Windows 7 Home Premium K Windows 7 Home Premium KN

  Windows 7 Professional Windows 7 Professional N Windows 7 Professional K Windows 7 Professional KN Microsoft Office Home & Student 2007 Microsoft Office Basic 2007

• Citizenship licenses:

  Windows XP Professional Edition Windows XP Professional Edition N Windows XP Professional Edition K Windows XP Professional Edition KN Windows 7 Professional Windows 7 Professional N Windows 7 Professional K

  Windows 7 Professional KN Microsoft Office Basic 2007 Microsoft Office Personal 2007 (Japanese Only)

What are the N editions of the products shown above?
N editions of Windows 7 Professional, Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional were released in response to a European Commission decision and are for distribution only in the EEA, Croatia and Switzerland. N editions of Windows 7 Professional and Windows XP include the same functionality as the standard editions, except that they not include Windows Media® Player and related technologies. As a result, you will need software from Microsoft or a third party in order to play or create audio CDs, media files, and video DVDs, organize content in a media library, create playlists, convert audio CDs to media files, view artist and title information of media files, view album art of music files, or transfer music to personal music players. More information can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/eudecision/default.mspx.

What are the K editions of the products shown above?
The K editions of Windows 7 Professional, Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional were released in response to a Korean Fair Trade Commission order. The order requires that the software contain links to a Media Player Center Web site and a Messenger Center Web site which has links to third party sites to enable consumers to download and install third party media players and instant messaging software. The third party sites are not under the control of Microsoft, and Microsoft is not responsible for the software or content of any third party sites, any links contained in third party sites, or any changes or updates to the third party software or sites. The inclusion of any link on the Media Player Center Web site or Messenger Center Web site does not imply an endorsement by Microsoft of the third party software, the site or its contents. More information can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/koreanorder/faq.mspx.

What are the KN editions of the products shown above?
The KN editions of Windows 7 Professional, Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional were released in response to a Korean Fair Trade Commission order and are for distribution only in the Republic of Korea. KN editions of Windows 7 Professional, and Windows XP include the same functionality as the standard editions, except that they not include Windows Media® Player and related technologies or Windows Messenger. As a result, you will need software from Microsoft or a third party in order to play or create audio CDs, media files, and video DVDs, organize content in a media library, create playlists, convert audio CDs to media files, view artist and title information of media files, view album art of music files, transfer music to personal music players or to engage in instant messaging. More information can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/koreanorder/faq.mspx.

Which products are available in which countries?
The table below shows product availability by country:


What languages are available for Registered Refurbisher products?
Products in the program are available in the following list of languages.

Is there a limit to the number of licenses that a refurbisher can preinstall through the program?
The program is designed to help refurbishers preinstall genuine Microsoft software on as many of the PCs that they refurbish as possible. To help ensure that the products in the program are only used on the correct PCs, each member of the program has a monthly allowance of product keys.

What is an Eligible Recipient?
Eligible Recipient is the term used to describe an organisation that qualifies to receive citizenship licenses through the Registered Refurbisher program. Eligible Recipients include:

• Eligible Charitable Organizations
• Eligible Academic Users
• Specially Approved Recipients

Is there a list of organizations that qualify as Eligible Recipients?
No. A definition of an eligible recipient is given in the program agreement and members of the program have access to a Program Guide that explains these definitions in more detail. If you have a question about whether a specific organisation qualifies after reading the definition of Eligible Recipients in the agreement, please contact the customer service centre for that region.

The program agreement can be downloaded for review from the online application page which also includes contact information.

What are Specially Approved Recipients?
Specially Approved Recipients are projects, programs or groups of recipients that Microsoft has specifically approved to be eligible for citizenship licenses. If you are working with an educational or community group that are not currently eligible but that you feel could be supported by this program, please contact us. We will explain how to obtain approval for specially approved recipients.

Are individuals eligible to receive citizenship licenses?
Yes, provided they are Qualified Individuals participating in a Technology Access Programme (TAP).

What is a Technology Access Programme (TAP)?
A TAP is a documented programme run by one of the following:

• A charitable organization that would be considered an Eligible Charitable Organisation as defined in the program agreement.
• An academic organization that would be considered an Eligible Academic User as defined in the program agreement.
• A national, state/provincial or local government agency that distributes refurbished computers.
• An International Governmental Organization (IGO).

What types of individuals are considered Qualified Individuals for TAPs?
Qualified Individuals are individuals that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• in a community with limited access to technology, and
• registered with a disability, or
• a member of a low income family. Examples of ways to identify low-income include those:
  • receiving state benefits based on need
  • receiving aid from an International Governmental Organization (IGO)
  • in a country defined as a low-income economy by the World Bank

Can other individuals that are not part of a TAP use a program license on a PC at home?
Yes. A PC preinstalled with a citizenship license can be used in any location (subject to applicable laws, such as those regarding exports-imports). However, if it is to be used by an individual that is not part of a TAP, ownership of the PC and the citizenship licence must remain with the organisation that qualifies as an Eligible Recipient.

For example, a charitable non-profit organisation may receive PCs preinstalled with citizenship licenses and then loan them to their clients for use at home.

Do all Eligible Recipients qualify for all citizenship products?
No. Microsoft Office may only be supplied to Eligible Charitable Organizations and Specially Approved Recipients. Eligible Academic Users are not eligible for Citizenship Office Products.

Eligible Academic Users may receive PCs preinstalled with citizenship licenses for Windows XP Professional only. Microsoft Office 2007 may not be preinstalled on PCs for Eligible Academic Users. Microsoft’s Partners In Learning program and the Academic Open licensing program provide cost-effective ways for educational establishments to obtain Microsoft Office and many other products. The following web sites will be helpful.

• In Learning: http://www.microsoft.com/education/pil
• Microsoft Education web site: http://www.microsoft.com/education

Are there rules about the PCs that can be refurbished through the program, and how they should be refurbished?
Yes, the program agreement sets out rules for the type of PCs that can be refurbished and preinstalled through the program, and how that refurbishment should take place.

What type of PCs can be refurbished through the program?
The program agreement includes a definition for Qualified PCs which are allowed to be refurbished and preinstalled with a license in the program. A Qualified PC must:

• have been in distribution, or used by an end user, for at least 6 months, and
• to the best of the refurbishers’ knowledge, must contain the original motherboard, and
• for commercial Windows products, have a pre-existing Windows COA affixed.

The Agreement explains that refurbishers must use commercially reasonable efforts to determine whether the PC has been in distribution or used by an end user for at least 6 months.

How should PCs be refurbished through the program?
For PCs to be preinstalled with Registered Refurbisher licenses, refurbishment processes must meet the following criteria.

• Components of the PC including the random access memory and the hard disk drive may be upgraded.
• The central processing unit (CPU) may not be upgraded.
• If the PC has a faulty motherboard it must be replaced with a motherboard of the same specifications as the original.
• Reused hard drives must be reformatted in accordance with the Guidelines for Media Sanitization published in the National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-88 or similar standard.

What does Microsoft consider to be the difference between refurbishing and recycling?
When you see us use these terms, we mean the following:

• Refurbishing describes the work that is required to make a used, essentially intact PC suitable for a new owner.
• Recycling is different from refurbishing and is defined as the process of breaking down a PC and disposing of the separate components.

How does licensing work on refurbished PCs?
We have published a Licensing Guide for Refurbished PCs that provides more detailed information.

If a refurbished PC has a pre-existing COA, is a new license needed?
Yes, unless the PC also has its original recovery media or hard disk based recovery image. A new license is required if the PC no longer has its original recovery media or hard disk based recovery image. This is explained fully in the Licensing Guide for Refurbished PCs.

What does the end user customer receive?
When a Registered Refurbisher distributes a refurbished PC to an end user customer, they must include the following:

• The PC preinstalled with the program license and the original pre-existing COA still affixed to the PC.
• A new program COA affixed to the PC.
• A product key information sheet including the product key for that PC.
• Also:
  • If the license is a commercial license, recovery media will be included and the Registered Refurbisher may also include a hard disk based recovery image if they wish.
  • If the license is a citizenship license, there is no recovery media but the Registered Refurbisher may include a hard disk based recovery image if they wish.
  • Depending on the product supplied, a printed End User License Agreement may also be included.

What should an end user customer do if they need to reinstall their software?
If they purchased a commercial license then they can use the recovery media to recover their installation. Or, if supplied, they may use the hard disk based recovery image. If they purchased a citizenship license they may use the hard disk based recovery image if supplied. They may then use the product key on the product key information sheet to activate the recovered installation.

What should an end user do if they wish to obtain support?
Some Registered Refurbishers provide support to end user customers and may do this for an additional charge. In addition to any support that is provided with the PC, product support is also available from Microsoft's free web-based service or can be purchased from Microsoft. For more information about Microsoft support options, visit: http://support.microsoft.com.