what's an oem company?

Answer 1

OEMs are manufacturers who resell another company's product under their own name and branding.

example:
HP uses Intel's chips, ATI video cards & Western Digital hard drives to make a product called an HP computer. Therefore HP is an OEM manufacturer.

If you have a problem with one of these components the original manufacturer of the component (ATI, Microsoft, Western Digital, etc ...) will not offer support & ask you to contact the OEM manufacturer ... in the above example that would be HP.

Intel, ATI, Microsoft and SanDisk are not OEMs because they are not reselling another company's products ... OEMs use Intel, ATI, Microsoft and SanDisk brands to make their own products.
.... the A+ respondant got it backwards.

You will often find OEM components at a lower price than retail components. This is because they offer little or no packaging, manuals, or often even no support from the manufacturer.
They are meant for installation in PCs by a brander who will (in return for paying less) provide support & warranty.
They can be purchased by consumers but no support will be provider by the manufacturer.

source:
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/O/OEM.html

regards,
Philip T

Answer 2

Original Equipment Manufacturer

Answer 3

It stands for "Original Equipment Manufacturer", company's like Intel, ATI, Microsoft and SanDisk.

When someone or a guarantee requires the OEM information, it means the warranty or original documents for that hardware or software.

I am a MCSE and A+ tech and deal with this situation in my in-home tech based business.

Answer 4

OEM's are the "regular" companies building computers, like Dell and HP, as opposed to the smaller, custom builders that use multiple brand components to build a custom system.

Answer 5

Original Equipment Manufacturer. A manufacturer of equipment.

Answer 6

o.e.m. means original equipment manufacture.
o.e.m. company is a company that makes it's own repair parts for you to by, like ford making a ford engine.