I have a prebuilt HP computer that came with Vista home Premium installed.
The airflow in the case isn't what I want it to be, but I like everything
else. I'm thinking about moving the whole nine yards to a bigger case with
room for a couple more fans. I'd like to avoid the expense of buying an
operating system I already have, tho. If I reuse the same motherboard, won't
I be OK from a licensing standpoint?
--
Best, Wm. E

wme1221 wrote:
> I have a prebuilt HP computer that came with Vista home Premium installed.
> The airflow in the case isn't what I want it to be, but I like everything
> else. I'm thinking about moving the whole nine yards to a bigger case with
> room for a couple more fans. I'd like to avoid the expense of buying an
> operating system I already have, tho. If I reuse the same motherboard, won't
> I be OK from a licensing standpoint?

Changing the case won't affect *anything*. You won't have to reinstall
Windows or worry about buying a new operating system. That said, HP
makes weird cases so make sure that the innards will fit properly into
the new case.

Alias

wme1221 wrote:
> I have a prebuilt HP computer that came with Vista home Premium installed.
> The airflow in the case isn't what I want it to be, but I like everything
> else. I'm thinking about moving the whole nine yards to a bigger case with
> room for a couple more fans. I'd like to avoid the expense of buying an
> operating system I already have, tho. If I reuse the same motherboard, won't
> I be OK from a licensing standpoint?


If you can find a case to fit, yes, you should be OK.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

locoeng wrote:
> I've heard that M$ is being pretty lenient with Vista purchasers and
> allowing stretching the license a bit to keep users from coming down
> even harder than they already are with Vista. If you have problems
> activating after reinstalling I would contact M$ via phone and explain
> what you are doing and you will likely get a new reg key for your
> troubles.
>
>

Man, your entire post is not true. Vista is stricter than XP and
changing a case will not affect the Vista install one iota. Where did
you get your information, a cracker jack box?

Alias

Why in the world would he have any need to reactivate? He is just changing
the case for heaven's sake. You don't really think he will have to upgrade
his case driver do you?

"locoeng" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I've heard that M$ is being pretty lenient with Vista purchasers and
> allowing stretching the license a bit to keep users from coming down
> even harder than they already are with Vista. If you have problems
> activating after reinstalling I would contact M$ via phone and explain
> what you are doing and you will likely get a new reg key for your
> troubles.
>
>
> --
> locoeng
>
> Vista Ultimate 32/64 bit dual boot
> Gigabyte EP35 DS3R
> XFX GeForce 8600GT
> Corsair 520HX
> G.Skill DDR II 800 X2 gigs
> Seagate 120GB (IDE) X2
> WD 750 (SATA)
> Samsung SH203B SBO3 patched codeking
> Pioneer 215L patched MCSE
> NEC/Optiarc 7200S 1.06bt Liggy&Dee
> Lite-On 20A1L BL06 -FB FBL EOS EOHT 6-

Colin Barnhorst wrote:
> Why in the world would he have any need to reactivate? He is just
> changing the case for heaven's sake. You don't really think he will
> have to upgrade his case driver do you?
>


Yes, I have had to reactivate Vista at least twice simply because
Microsoft said so, all I did ws turn the machine off and back on again,
so do not ridicule the OP for what is a MICROSOFT PROBLEM.

You cannot run a business by continually calling legitimate purchasers
thieves and liars... Microsoft have officially called me a thief on a
number of occasions, I know I am not and it does not bother me, but many
people it does bother and frankly if Ballmer chose to do that in person
he might well regret doing so.

The OP is right to ask, it is a legitimate question because the smallest
change in configuration used to trigger it. Lucky you if you have not
experienced it.

Things seem to have improved a lot, I hope so, but in < 5 minutes I can
be back here using Ubuntu or Debian with no such worries, why? Because
Ballmer is not allowed to deactivate me is why.

Moving your internal hardware to a different computer
case will not affect your Windows Vista activation status
in the least bit.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------

"wme1221" wrote:

I have a prebuilt HP computer that came with Vista home Premium installed.
The airflow in the case isn't what I want it to be, but I like everything
else. I'm thinking about moving the whole nine yards to a bigger case with
room for a couple more fans. I'd like to avoid the expense of buying an
operating system I already have, tho. If I reuse the same motherboard, won't
I be OK from a licensing standpoint?
--
Best, Wm. E

"Charlie Tame" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Colin Barnhorst wrote:
>> Why in the world would he have any need to reactivate? He is just
>> changing the case for heaven's sake. You don't really think he will have
>> to upgrade his case driver do you?
>>
>
>
> Yes, I have had to reactivate Vista at least twice simply because
> Microsoft said so, all I did ws turn the machine off and back on again, so
> do not ridicule the OP for what is a MICROSOFT PROBLEM.
>
> You cannot run a business by continually calling legitimate purchasers
> thieves and liars... Microsoft have officially called me a thief on a
> number of occasions, I know I am not and it does not bother me, but many
> people it does bother and frankly if Ballmer chose to do that in person he
> might well regret doing so.
>
> The OP is right to ask, it is a legitimate question because the smallest
> change in configuration used to trigger it. Lucky you if you have not
> experienced it.
>
> Things seem to have improved a lot, I hope so, but in < 5 minutes I can be
> back here using Ubuntu or Debian with no such worries, why? Because
> Ballmer is not allowed to deactivate me is why.

There is no problem with the system working in a different case. As long as
it all fits in. The working parts are all the same. But the Vista COA and
licence Key is stuck to the case so the question is is it legal to change
the case. Or is the case the only thing you can't replace?

"Darkelldar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OxiKTt%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> There is no problem with the system working in a different case. As long
> as it all fits in. The working parts are all the same. But the Vista COA
> and licence Key is stuck to the case so the question is is it legal to
> change the case. Or is the case the only thing you can't replace?

A pair of tin snips and a little epoxy will have that old Key stuck on the
new case in no time. )

Transfer them to the new case if you can or copy them and affix the copy.
The case does not figure into what constitutes a different computer. If you
rewrap a loaf of bread it is still a loaf of bread.

"Darkelldar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OxiKTt%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Charlie Tame" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Colin Barnhorst wrote:
>>> Why in the world would he have any need to reactivate? He is just
>>> changing the case for heaven's sake. You don't really think he will
>>> have to upgrade his case driver do you?
>>>
>>
>>
>> Yes, I have had to reactivate Vista at least twice simply because
>> Microsoft said so, all I did ws turn the machine off and back on again,
>> so do not ridicule the OP for what is a MICROSOFT PROBLEM.
>>
>> You cannot run a business by continually calling legitimate purchasers
>> thieves and liars... Microsoft have officially called me a thief on a
>> number of occasions, I know I am not and it does not bother me, but many
>> people it does bother and frankly if Ballmer chose to do that in person
>> he might well regret doing so.
>>
>> The OP is right to ask, it is a legitimate question because the smallest
>> change in configuration used to trigger it. Lucky you if you have not
>> experienced it.
>>
>> Things seem to have improved a lot, I hope so, but in < 5 minutes I can
>> be back here using Ubuntu or Debian with no such worries, why? Because
>> Ballmer is not allowed to deactivate me is why.
>
> There is no problem with the system working in a different case. As long
> as it all fits in. The working parts are all the same. But the Vista COA
> and licence Key is stuck to the case so the question is is it legal to
> change the case. Or is the case the only thing you can't replace?