Activating Windows Vista

[Guest]

I'm on Home Premium 64bit and installed on this computer. Then upgraded the
CPU, RAM and replaced the motherboard. On the first install I activated
Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use.
Anyone know what I should do?

 

[Mr. Arnold]

I'm on Home Premium 64bit and installed on this computer. Then upgraded
the
CPU, RAM and replaced the motherboard. On the first install I activated
Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use.
Anyone know what I should do?

You call MS Activation Support to have them reactivate it.You should have
seen a phone number somewhere in your attempt to activate it.

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi Andrew,

Start activation, choose the option to phone it in. If it doesn't do it
through the automated system, get a representative on the line and explain
what you did.

By the by, if this copy of Vista was OEM (purchased as stand-alone OEM disk
or came preinstalled on the system), then you cannot migrate it to new
hardware and would need a new license for Vista. Only retail box versions of
Vista can be moved to different hardware, OEM versions are locked to
hardware they are first activated on.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Guest]

Oh dear, its OEM.
Thanks for your help anyway.

Hi Andrew,

Start activation, choose the option to phone it in. If it doesn't do it
through the automated system, get a representative on the line and explain
what you did.

By the by, if this copy of Vista was OEM (purchased as stand-alone OEM disk
or came preinstalled on the system), then you cannot migrate it to new
hardware and would need a new license for Vista. Only retail box versions of
Vista can be moved to different hardware, OEM versions are locked to
hardware they are first activated on.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Tim]

Hmmmm...I think that if all Andrew did was to upgrade those three components
that would not equate to a different "box" and it would be legal for him to
use the same OEM license. When he phones in the activation he would only
need to explain what he upgraded and he should be activated without a
problem. But I'm not a EULA expert either...

Tim

 

[Rick Rogers]

Niether am I an expert at the EULA, but a new motherboard, cpu, and ram is
essentially a new system. All other components can be swapped with minimal
impact on how a system operates, but those core ones define the system's
capabilities.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[f/fgeorge]

I tried this with XP Pro and ran into problems. I have a Dell and
upgraded the mb, ram and cpu and the idiot in India, or wherever, gave
me nothing but grief. Said I should call Dell to get a new number!

 

[Michael A. Covington]

I think XP OEM licenses really are tied to a motherboard, not a "system."

 

[Tim]

Looks like you are correct. I found this well-written article on InfoWorld:
http://weblog.infoworld.com/gripeline/archives/2007/05/motherboard_rep.html

Of particular interest is this paragraph:

"Fortunately, I was able to find a Microsoft official who was gracious
enough to look into the reader's questions for me. "The rule is in place to
protect the OEM, or in this specific case the System Builder, so that as
computers are upgraded, the System Builder is not obligated (per the EULA)
to support a version of Windows that may be on what is essentially a new
PC," wrote Tom Moran, director of customer and partner experience for
Microsoft Operations. "Generally, you may upgrade or replace all of the
hardware components on your customer's computer and the end user may
maintain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system
software, with the exception of an upgrade or replacement of the
motherboard. Upgrading the motherboard essentially results in a new
computer, to which the original operating system software cannot be
transferred. This is not the case if the motherboard is replaced (same
make/model) due to a defect."

Personally, as someone who has been building PCs for many years, I wasn't
aware of this and I find this disturbing.

Shouldn't "not enough RAM capacity on the motherboard to run Vista" be
considered a "defect"? ;-)

Tim

 

[Guest]

Yes it probably should, so do you think I should try using the automated
phone line to activate anyway and just explain to a technician what I have
done?

 

[Tim]

Well...other than purchasing a new Vista license, you really don't have a
choice (the worst that could happen is that they say no). Hope you get to
talk to someone a little on the sympathetic side when you call

Good luck...and if you do call, please post back with what happens. I would
be very interested to hear what happens.

Tim

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help, that article on InfoWorld was really good. I'm pretty
sure I'll need lots of luck too. And I definitely will post the outcome.
Thanks, Andrew

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Just tell the activation rep that you had to replace a defective
motherboard with a different model because the original model is
no longer available.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Michael A. Covington]

Just tell the activation rep that you had to replace a defective
motherboard with a different model because the original model is
no longer available.

Gary VanderMolen

Or not suitable for running Vista. If Vista never ran properly on the first
one, then a Vista license shouldn't be tied to it. (I've lost track of
whether that was actually the situation being asked about.)

 

[Guest]

Right, I called the activation line and eventually was put onto a tech. I
explained the problem and he apologised profusely but refuse. So I phoned
again the next day. This time i was told in no uncertain terms where to
go!!! I then phoned yet again for one last go and got somebody either
incompetent or sympathetic, but they activated it for me anyway. Within two
days i got Blue Screen of Doom and the computer refuses to boot. Replaced
hard drive and installed xp, it works fine. So I'm now looking at getting a
new license for Vista but going for Ultimate this time. And I have another
question. What difference will 32bit windows make on a 64bit CPU as i have
heard that there are fewer compatibility issues on 32bit.
Thanks everyone, Andrew

 

[Tim]

What an interesting story...thanks for posting. Sorry about the sad ending.

You are correct, there are fewer issues with 32 bit versus 64 bit
Windows...drivers mostly. I don't see any real advantage to running 64 bit
right now, at least until 64 bit applications come out. If you purchase 32
bit Windows now, I don't think there is an upgrade to 64 bit Windows, so it
would end up costing you more money. We went through the same exercise when
switching from 16 to 32 bit years ago.

Tim