PHONE REACTIVATION WHY

G

Guest

If i activated the first install of windows vista over the internet why
when i av'e to install vista again, i av'e to use the phone service to call
in for activation on the reinstall.
And av'e been reading these posts that when people install drivers for
hardware or software, they av'e to reactivate they copy of vista again WHY.
So if somebody upgrades they hardware they could reactivate they copy of
vista about 10 times a year or more if they av'e problems I dont see the
point of this kind of activation,where u av'e to reactivate every time u
update a driver, or put in a new video card. I know alot of people that wont
buy windows vista? When i asked them why not,they say that the activation
would realy get on my nerves, I will stick with xp.

Thanks
IQON
 
J

John Barnett MVP

Updating drivers doesn't require activation. Changing major components in
your PC does. The same procedure existed in XP. If you are replacing
hardware regularly, as far as activation goes, the information the PC
gathers from the hardware doesn't match with the original activation file.
In this instance activation will be requested. I know a lot of people don't
like activation but changing hardware is as good as installing Vista or XP
on another machine. Because the activation process is automated it cannot
distinguish whether you have moved the copy of vista to a new machine or
simply upgraded that machine. It only has a set of numbers to check by.
Activation is no big deal. Adobe and many other software companies also now
demand that you activate the product so why all the fuss? I haven't changed
any hardware in my PC but I've re-installed Vista three times so far and
activated automatically over the internet. Even if I had to call the
activation line it would be a problem. It isn't costing me anything other
than about 10 to 20 minutes of my time depending upon whether activation
goes through automatically or whether I need to speak to a support
technician about activation. There are a probably, depending upon your
viewpoint, a thousand and one reason not to install Vista, Activation isn't
one of them!

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..
 
G

Guest

I dont av'e a problem with activation, the problem i av'e is using the phone
and explaining myself to customer services because iv'e updated my hardware.
I update my hardware alot and this kind of activation is a pain in the neck,
And what about the activation problem,where it trys to reactive when it is
already activatied,even when theys been no hardware or software changes. Like
i said i dont mind activation,its just the phone method, i dont like.
Thanks for replying John
IQON:)
 
G

Guest

I disagree with you. I have had to phone in activation 2 times since
installing Vista. Each time I have only updated my display driver and have
not added nor removed any hardware. It's quite frustrating actually to have
to reactivate when only trying to keep your drivers up to date and more
compatible with Vista. I never had to reactivate in XP.

Also activation is not a big deal if it works properly. I have bought and
paid for this software. Installed it on only this machine, however to have
to CALL in each time is crazy. Why can't it activate online. Even assuming
that the display driver causes reactivation because it changed the way the
card is recognized, why should that cause deactivation? One piece of
hardware? It seems Vista's activation software is a little too paranoid.
 
G

Guest

I agree totally with Chris's Remark....

I just purchased a new HP M8120N, and it came with Home Premium by the
OEM... I decieded to purchase the upgrade yesterday at ~6:00 PM and
installed without a hitch... I then activated it electronically all is well..

Then as I continue to go on through the day installing and updating
software... Finally connecting up some of the hardware from my Old Laptop (MS
Wireless Keyboard and Mouse set 7000 series, my fingerprint reader, and USB
stick for readyboost). I then get notified that hardware has changed and that
I need to re-activate... This is at 10:00 PM and it won't go
electronically... No I need to call MS support and spend the time doing this
activation...

Its disturbing.... I know that the major components of the Activation rely on:

Video Card
Processor Serial Number
Mother Board

But what else??? I'm trying to figure out what else I have to still connect
that is going to cause me further headache's.... Nothing like spending lots
of money on a new system and spending more time on the phone with microsoft!
Whoopieeee!

Little agriviated, can you tell!??!!?!?
 
R

Ronnie Vernon MVP

There isn't a lot of information that can be easily found on the activation
components, but here is what I have seen.

The following list shows each component that is included and the numeric
value for each activation component. If a weight value of 25 is met or
exceeded, then re-activation is required. These values are cumulative and
have a timed period of 120 days. ( ie: the component list is reset every 120
days)

Component Class Name = Default Weight
CD-ROM/CD-RW/DVD-ROM = 1
IDE Adapter = 3
Physical OS Hard Drive Device Serial# = 11
Display Adapter = 1
SCSI Adapter = 2
Audio Adapter = 2
Network Adapter MAX Address = 2
Processor = 3
RAM Amount Range (i.e. 0-512mb, 512–1 GB) = 1
BIOS ID (‘0’ always matches) = 9

There is no denying that there are glitches in the activation components.
 

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