Vista Ultimate OEM

[Guest]

I am a gamer, and as a gamer when i upgrade things such as my motherboard i
have to re install Windows, now i have heard that Vista only lets you upgrade
your motherboard twice and then you have to buy a new copy of Vista Ultimate
OEM is this true?

Or can i re install Vista Ultimate OEM as many times as i like no matter the
ammount of times i upgrade or reinstall?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Once you install and activate an OEM version of Windows Vista,
the license is permanently tied to the original motherboard. If you
are planning on upgrading your motherboard in the future, then you
need to purchase a "Full Retail Version" of Windows Vista.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

:

I am a gamer, and as a gamer when i upgrade things such as my motherboard i
have to re install Windows, now i have heard that Vista only lets you upgrade
your motherboard twice and then you have to buy a new copy of Vista Ultimate
OEM is this true?

Or can i re install Vista Ultimate OEM as many times as i like no matter the
ammount of times i upgrade or reinstall?

 

[jel183\(UK\)]

I am a gamer, and as a gamer when i upgrade things such as my motherboard i
have to re install Windows, now i have heard that Vista only lets you
upgrade
your motherboard twice and then you have to buy a new copy of Vista
Ultimate
OEM is this true?

Or can i re install Vista Ultimate OEM as many times as i like no matter
the
ammount of times i upgrade or reinstall?

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2087792,00.asp

 

[Dave B.]

According to this http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2087792,00.asp that
is not so, I quote;

"A Microsoft representative confirmed that users may buy an OEM copy of
Windows Vista at a substantial discount, provided they adhere to the terms
of the license - which, incidentally, may mean providing support for family
members.
In addition, users should still be subject to the same familiar
re-activation restrictions as users of a retail Vista license and Windows
XP, a spokeswoman said. Users can alter the PC's hardware substantially, but
they will be forced to reactivate - not repurchase the OEM software - if
they do, she said.

One system builder pointed out, however, that Microsoft's OEM license
forbids the software from being transferred to a whole new machine, from
scratch, once it is installed on the original target machine."

This implies to me that a motherboard swap is within the EULA.

 

[John Barnes]

Mobo swaps have been considered a new computer. Carey is correct. Remember
the OEM is also subject to the system builder license.

 

[David B.]

The same terms apply to XP OEM, but you can still get it reactivated without
a problem after replacing a mobo, I've done it many times. I would disagree
that mobo swaps are considered a new computer, read the link I provided,
they are referring to the OEM version.

 

[John Barnes]

Read your own link

"It's important that people understand the OEM EULA when it says that your
OEM Vista (XP is the same) can not be transferred to a new computer, and a
new (upgraded) motherboard is also considered a new computer,"

 

[David B.]

That quote is not from a Microsoft rep, they just quoted some unidentified
system builder, that's his opinion, not the facts.

 

[John Barnes]

It is Microsoft's policy. It has been in the System Builders area for
several years.

 

[Dave B.]

Whether it is the actual policy or not, it has always been allowed.

 

[John Barnes]

Sorry, it hasn't. You have to have a defective motherboard to be allowed to
change from the original. If you mean that sometimes you can get away with
it because the algorithm doesn't catch it or you can lie to the operator,
then the word 'allowed' is being used very strangely.

 

[Dave B.]

I can tell you it has. Lets take a Dell for instance. The XP COA that it
comes with is allowed to be used with a Dell OEM mobo only, even if the
board dies, your supposed to replace it with a Dell board to continue using
the license. Many many times I have called, told the MS rep that I swapped
the Dell mobo for a 3rd party one, and they activate the install with no
problems.

 

[John Barnes]

If you tell them the board died, you can change for another board. You are
not legally allowed to swap out a good board because you want an new one
with other features.

 

[Dave B.]

I give up.