Customer Advisory: Risks and Policies for Second-Hand Device Purchases

Customer Advisory: Risks and Policies for Second-Hand Device Purchases

Scope

While purchasing pre-owned NComputing devices may seem cost-effective, it carries significant risks regarding management control, licensing compliance, and hardware compatibility. NComputing strongly recommends purchasing new products through authorized resellers to ensure full access to support, valid warranties, and seamless licensing.
If you have acquired a device and see a warning that it is "already registered to another owner," please review the following critical policies.

Risks to Consider

1. Management Portal & Device Ownership

NComputing has no control over the secondhand market. If a device remains registered to a previous owner:

  • Loss of Administrative Control: The original owner retains the ability to remotely manage the unit. This includes the power to mark the device as "Lost" in the portal, which will remotely block the device from receiving sessions.
  • Registration Barriers: You cannot list the device under your "My Devices" menu or manage it via 📗 PMC until it is released by the previous account.
  • Ownership Transfer Fees: If the original owner cannot be reached to "deregister" the unit, NComputing Technical Support can assist with a manual reset. This requires verification of purchase and incurs a one-time deregistration assistance fee per incident.

2. Licensing & Compliance (The "Hidden Costs")

Services and licenses attached to a unit do not automatically transfer to the new owner.

  • Non-Transferable Licenses: Most licenses (vSpace Device Connection Licenses, AMP, etc.) are tied to the original owner’s account. Moving a device to a new account typically results in the immediate loss of existing licenses.
  • Retroactive Device AMP Payments: To bring a device back into compliance, Device AMP licensing policy requires payment for any "missed" years. These retroactive payments must be settled before the device is eligible for new firmware or support. 
    Reference: 📗 NComputing AMP Licensing Policy

Device-Specific Nuances:

  • vSpace Native Devices (L/MX/RX300):

    • AMP for vSpace licensing does not transfer. You must purchase new AMP for your own account.
    • Critical Requirement: If you acquired an L300 manufactured prior to 2015, your account must be fully invested with vSpace AMP for vSpace, or the unit will not function at all.

  • RDP & EX Series (RX-RDP, RX-RDP+, RX420, RX440, RX540, RX580, LEAF OS):

    • These units include a complimentary 1-year Device AMP period from the factory. On second-hand units, this is often partially or fully expired.
    • Without active Device AMP, PMC will not detect the units, and you will be unable to download firmware updates or allocate new license keys (like NC-AMP-RXRDP).

3. Hardware Compatibility & Limitations

A common misconception is that all accessories work across all generations of the RX series.

  • SDA Compatibility: The RX-RDP+ (built on the Raspberry Pi 3+ platform) is a single-monitor device. It does not support the Secondary Display Adapter (SDA) used by the RX300 or the legacy RX-RDP.
  • Dual-Monitor Requirements: If you require a dual-monitor setup, you must use the RX420(RDP) or RX440(RDP), which feature native dual-display support.

4. Warranty & Support

  • Warranty Expiration: The 1-year hardware warranty is applicable only to the original owner. Warranties do not reset or transfer upon resale.
  • Limited Support: Technical support is limited for devices purchased through unauthorized second-hand channels.

What Should You Do?

  1. Contact the Seller: Your first and best option is to have the original owner "deregister" the device from their Management Portal account.
  2. Verify Hardware Specs: Before purchasing, check the Official Datasheets to ensure the model supports your specific needs (e.g., dual-monitor support).
  3. Consult Support: If you are stuck, submit a ticket with your serial number and proof of purchase so we can investigate the ownership status.

NComputing is committed to your success. If you have questions about migrating from second-hand units to a fully supported new deployment, please contact our sales team.



Article #KB867

Last Edited: 05/21/2026