Original Equipment Manufacturer

Q. What is an OEM Version of Windows?

A. OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer = a company that makes/markets computers (and parts), etc. which include parts made by other companies, and not the “original” manufacturer as OEM implies, just masquerading as one. Licenses of OEM versions of Windows, etc. software are sold to computer manufactures for installation on new computers. They are full versions of Windows. They are widely available on the "grey market" and Internet and cost considerably less than retail full versions. Just be careful not to purchase a pirated copy.