That's not entirely correct. I don't know if definition of "OEM" license has changed in the past 10 years, but in my case it wasn't tied to MB at all.
It is correct. As for yours being tied to a motherboard or not, if it came preinstalled on a factory made computer, or if you installed it on a computer you assembled, then it was indeed inextricably tied to that first motherboard.
The only difference from full retail license was that I wasn't eligible for MS support if something was wrong with Windows
Not true. It is true you were not eligible for MS support. But that is not the "only" difference.
Note that OEM licenses are also called System Builder/OEM licenses. That system builder could be a big factory like Dell or HP. Or it could be a local shop who built it for you. Or it could be you, as a self builder.
But those are all different from the "end user" who has a different set of agreements they agreed to abide by. If you recall, the very first time you booted your computer after installing Windows, you had to agree on a set of terms. It does not matter if you read them or not - who does? The point is, if you clicked to continue using the computer, that was your agreement to abide by those terms. At that point, the OEM license became "tied" (linked, associated with - whatever term you prefer) to that specific motherboard.
Again, just because you were able to upgrade the motherboard before, that does not mean it was perfectly legal (or legitimate, if you prefer) to do so.
Digital mean nothing. That is just the media for which it was delivered to you - as opposed to a piece of paper, DVD, flash drive, etc.
Please note I had my own shop building custom computers for years. I have been round and round with this exact same conversation 100s of times.
OEM licenses are tied to the "
O"riginal "
E"quipment. And for a computer, that means the motherboard.
Remember, we don't own the software. We own the license.