What are OEM media used for?

OEM media, or Original Equipment Manufacturer media, are specifically designed to allow users to reformat the hard drive and reinstall the operating system and software that originally came with the hardware. This media contains the necessary files and applications to restore a system to its factory settings or to set it up for the first time.

When a system is reformatted, all data is usually wiped from the hard drive, making it necessary to have a way to reinstall the operating system and any bundled software to bring the machine back to a functional state. OEM media simplifies this process and ensures that the right version of the software is used, aligned with the specific hardware configuration.

While options such as upgrading the operating system, creating backups of user data, or restoring system settings are important activities associated with system maintenance, they are not the primary function of OEM media. Upgrading usually requires a separate installation medium or download, backups are typically handled through different software or methods, and restoring system settings does not necessitate the use of OEM media as it pertains more to the configuration of existing software rather than a complete reinstallation.