Using pre-owned laptops with OEM windows

Question

We use pre-owned laptops with OEM windows in our company. I think there is no license issue because the OEM windows is using with the original hardware. I also found this while searching. But I still have some doubts.

• Since we are a company do we have to buy windows registered to the company name?
• We bought these laptops from a store and we don't have any details of the previous owners. Does it matter?

Answer 1

This is perfectly OK.
OEM licenses are always linked to the hardware and only valid on that hardware. The license sticker (which is clearly marked as OEM) should be somewhere on the device.

And it doesn't matter if the owner is a company or a private person.
If hardware is transferred to another owner the license moves with the hardware.

Be aware that there exist school and student versions of the licenses as well.
These (even if OEM and linked to the hardware) are NOT transferable to another owner.
Such licenses are marked as such on the license sticker too.

(You may have to look for the sticker. I've seen laptops where the sticker was hidden underneath the battery and desktops where it was on the inside of the case.)