Can I get a refund for Vista?

I bought a new pc with Vista-64 ultimate OEM installed. But now I discovered
that I cannot use it, because I need Cisco VPN IPSec Client to connect to
work, and Cisco does not support Vista 64.

So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista, or a credit toward purchase
of XP Pro, or can I resell Vista to someone else?

thanks, john

The answer to all of the questions is no.

You can use your downgrade rights to install XP Pro. There is no charge for
this if you already have XP Pro media to install from. If you don't then you
will have to contact the OEM manufacturer to see if they will supply it to
you. They may charge for this.

http://download.microsoft.com/downl...erencesheet.pdf

Before you do this make sure you have a good backup. Make sure you have XP
drivers available for all your hardware. You will lose all the applications
that came with your computer unless you have the disks to reinstall them.

You could also contact the OEM about switching to Vista x86.

--
Kerry Brown
MS-MVP - Windows Desktop Experience: Systems Administration
http://www.vistahelp.ca/phpBB2/



"John Henckel" <John Henckel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9BCC6557-31BE-4ABD-93B3-38D66A908736@microsoft.com...
>I bought a new pc with Vista-64 ultimate OEM installed. But now I
>discovered
> that I cannot use it, because I need Cisco VPN IPSec Client to connect to
> work, and Cisco does not support Vista 64.
>
> So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista, or a credit toward
> purchase
> of XP Pro, or can I resell Vista to someone else?
>
> thanks, john

OEM versions of Microsoft Windows cannot be resold.
The license is permanently tied to the very first computer
it is installed and activated on.

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

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

"John Henckel" <John Henckel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:9BCC6557-31BE-4ABD-93B3-38D66A908736@microsoft.com...
I bought a new pc with Vista-64 ultimate OEM installed. But now I discovered
that I cannot use it, because I need Cisco VPN IPSec Client to connect to
work, and Cisco does not support Vista 64.

So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista, or a credit toward purchase
of XP Pro, or can I resell Vista to someone else?

thanks, john

Guess you didn't read the label:
"Verify compatibility with 64-bit services prior to purchase."

That said, you could probably have the manufacturer send you the 32-bit
version.
(For a nominal fee to cover shipping and handling.)

You could take the computer back to the dealer and maybe swap it for
something comparable in 32-bit.

But, to get a credit for just the OS being incompatible. Not likely.

"John Henckel" <John Henckel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9BCC6557-31BE-4ABD-93B3-38D66A908736@microsoft.com...
> I bought a new pc with Vista-64 ultimate OEM installed. But now I
discovered
> that I cannot use it, because I need Cisco VPN IPSec Client to connect to
> work, and Cisco does not support Vista 64.
>
> So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista, or a credit toward
purchase
> of XP Pro, or can I resell Vista to someone else?
>
> thanks, john

That's an interesting concept since the Product Key on the bottom of the
computer is never actually used to activate the computer.
Instead, a corporate "OEM" activation license and key are installed on the
computer. Even the manufacturer doesn't activate the machine. They are
simply authorized to make so many computers with the corporate "OEM" license
and key. So, what exactly is tied to the machine. Nothing.



"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:u9N9Tvu0IHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> OEM versions of Microsoft Windows cannot be resold.
> The license is permanently tied to the very first computer
> it is installed and activated on.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "John Henckel" <John Henckel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9BCC6557-31BE-4ABD-93B3-38D66A908736@microsoft.com...
> I bought a new pc with Vista-64 ultimate OEM installed. But now I
discovered
> that I cannot use it, because I need Cisco VPN IPSec Client to connect to
> work, and Cisco does not support Vista 64.
>
> So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista, or a credit toward
purchase
> of XP Pro, or can I resell Vista to someone else?
>
> thanks, john

Major computer manufacturer's, such as Dell, HP, Acer, etc. use
"System Locked Pre-installation," or SLP with their OEM discs.
SLP uses information stored in an OEM PC's BIOS. No communication by
the end customer to Microsoft is required and no hardware hash is created or
necessary. At boot, Windows Vista compares the PC's BIOS to the SLP information.
If it matches, no activation is required.

If someone were to use the OEM's Windows Vista recovery disc
on a different computer, the license will never activate since the
BIOS does not contain the information necessary to activate
Windows Vista. Phoning Microsoft for activation help won't
work either.

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

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

"Mark H" <jmhonzell@nospam.comcast.net> wrote in message news:%23X5M00u0IHA.1628@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
That's an interesting concept since the Product Key on the bottom of the
computer is never actually used to activate the computer.
Instead, a corporate "OEM" activation license and key are installed on the
computer. Even the manufacturer doesn't activate the machine. They are
simply authorized to make so many computers with the corporate "OEM" license
and key. So, what exactly is tied to the machine. Nothing.



"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:u9N9Tvu0IHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> OEM versions of Microsoft Windows cannot be resold.
> The license is permanently tied to the very first computer
> it is installed and activated on.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "John Henckel" <John Henckel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9BCC6557-31BE-4ABD-93B3-38D66A908736@microsoft.com...
> I bought a new pc with Vista-64 ultimate OEM installed. But now I
discovered
> that I cannot use it, because I need Cisco VPN IPSec Client to connect to
> work, and Cisco does not support Vista 64.
>
> So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista, or a credit toward
purchase
> of XP Pro, or can I resell Vista to someone else?
>
> thanks, john

The computer and the OS are licensed as a single unit. He needs to exchange
the unit.

"Mark H" <jmhonzell@nospam.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:eZbwhwu0IHA.5564@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Guess you didn't read the label:
> "Verify compatibility with 64-bit services prior to purchase."
>
> That said, you could probably have the manufacturer send you the 32-bit
> version.
> (For a nominal fee to cover shipping and handling.)
>
> You could take the computer back to the dealer and maybe swap it for
> something comparable in 32-bit.
>
> But, to get a credit for just the OS being incompatible. Not likely.
>
> "John Henckel" <John Henckel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9BCC6557-31BE-4ABD-93B3-38D66A908736@microsoft.com...
>> I bought a new pc with Vista-64 ultimate OEM installed. But now I
> discovered
>> that I cannot use it, because I need Cisco VPN IPSec Client to connect to
>> work, and Cisco does not support Vista 64.
>>
>> So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista, or a credit toward
> purchase
>> of XP Pro, or can I resell Vista to someone else?
>>
>> thanks, john
>
>

My point was not to pirate the software, but that there should be no reason
he could not return the Vista license he never used or activated..
They made 10,000 computers with the same hardware signature. Put it back in
the bin for the next computer made and give him the 32-bit version.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23E1NmIv0IHA.1240@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Major computer manufacturer's, such as Dell, HP, Acer, etc. use
> "System Locked Pre-installation," or SLP with their OEM discs.
> SLP uses information stored in an OEM PC's BIOS. No communication by
> the end customer to Microsoft is required and no hardware hash is created
or
> necessary. At boot, Windows Vista compares the PC's BIOS to the SLP
information.
> If it matches, no activation is required.
>
> If someone were to use the OEM's Windows Vista recovery disc
> on a different computer, the license will never activate since the
> BIOS does not contain the information necessary to activate
> Windows Vista. Phoning Microsoft for activation help won't
> work either.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Mark H" <jmhonzell@nospam.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:%23X5M00u0IHA.1628@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> That's an interesting concept since the Product Key on the bottom of the
> computer is never actually used to activate the computer.
> Instead, a corporate "OEM" activation license and key are installed on the
> computer. Even the manufacturer doesn't activate the machine. They are
> simply authorized to make so many computers with the corporate "OEM"
license
> and key. So, what exactly is tied to the machine. Nothing.
>
>
>
> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
> news:u9N9Tvu0IHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> > OEM versions of Microsoft Windows cannot be resold.
> > The license is permanently tied to the very first computer
> > it is installed and activated on.
> >
> > --
> > Carey Frisch
> > Microsoft MVP
> > Windows Desktop Experience -
> > Windows Vista Enthusiast
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > "John Henckel" <John Henckel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9BCC6557-31BE-4ABD-93B3-38D66A908736@microsoft.com...
> > I bought a new pc with Vista-64 ultimate OEM installed. But now I
> discovered
> > that I cannot use it, because I need Cisco VPN IPSec Client to connect
to
> > work, and Cisco does not support Vista 64.
> >
> > So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista, or a credit toward
> purchase
> > of XP Pro, or can I resell Vista to someone else?
> >
> > thanks, john
>
>

On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:39:23 -0500, "Carey Frisch [MVP]"
<cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote:

>OEM versions of Microsoft Windows cannot be resold.

Yes they can, although Microsoft say they may not.

Note the distinction between "can" and "may".

On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:25:04 -0700, John Henckel <John
Henckel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>So my question is. Can I get a refund on Vista

If you are in the UK, you have 7 days to change your mind on an online
purchase.