OEM and Retail Vista DVDs identical?

[Brian W]

I have a generic OEM Vista DVD and product key (System Builder Disc). If I
install Vista without entering the product key, I get the Retail EULA shown
(it states EULAID:VISTA_RM.0_CONSUMER_RTL_en-US at the bottom). If I use the
same disc and enter my product key, I get the OEM EULA
(EULAID:VISTA_RM.0_CONSUMER_OEM_en-US).

Does this mean that an OEM key can be used on a Retail disc and vise-versa?
I know with XP, the OEM/Retail keys were specific to the media and couldn't
be swapped.

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

No, OEM Keys are hard coded to system they are distributed with, OEM
versions of Windows do not allow upgrades. Windows Vista retail FPP can be
transferred according to the license agreement.

 

[John Smith]

OEM Keys are hard coded to system they are distributed with

No this is incorrect.. again Andre you seem to be saying more wrong things
than right

what you say applies to only a few companies like HP or DELL

the majority all over the world have product keys

 

[Mick Murphy]

"OEM versions of Windows do not allow upgrades!"

How did all the people that bought OEM computers pre-installed with XP
manage to upgrade to Vista?????

You are dangerous on here!!!!

This is being all logged!

 

[Brian W]

No, OEM Keys are hard coded to system they are distributed with, OEM
versions of Windows do not allow upgrades. Windows Vista retail FPP can be
transferred according to the license agreement.

I've done an upgrade from XP to Vista using an OEM product key. It does work
(as i've said before). And System Builder OEM keys are not hard-coded to
anything.

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

Try using a Dell Vista Home Premium DVD to upgrade an XP installation on
another computer.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

"OEM versions of Windows do not allow upgrades!"

How did all the people that bought OEM computers pre-installed with XP
manage to upgrade to Vista?????

What the Andre meant - and what those of us with a modicum of
experience understood - is that one cannot perform an upgrade using an
OEM disk; they're specifically designed to perform only clean
installations. There's nothing to prevent one from upgrading *from* and
OEM installation of a qualifying OS.

You are dangerous on here!!!!

On the contrary, Andre is consistently one of the most helpful and
knowledgeable posters in the Vista newsgroups.

This is being all logged!

You're logging your own mistakes and misunderstandings? Good idea, but
don't forget to review and learn from them, now and then.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


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

 

[Kerry Brown]

This is being all logged!

LOL - by whom and for what purpose?

 

[Brian W]

Try using a Dell Vista Home Premium DVD to upgrade an XP installation on
another computer.

Fair enough, but I did say I was using a generic System Builder disc (ie a
MS supplied one with no PC manufacturer modifications). These are, as far as
I can tell, identical to Retail media.

 

[Brian W]

What the Andre meant - and what those of us with a modicum of experience
understood - is that one cannot perform an upgrade using an OEM disk;
they're specifically designed to perform only clean installations.
There's nothing to prevent one from upgrading *from* and OEM installation
of a qualifying OS.

As I've said, one can do an in-place upgrade from XP to Vista using an OEM
product key (a generic system builder key, not one supplied on the side of a
PC from Dell etc). I have done this, and it does work. It acts just like a
Full Retail key.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

As I've said, one can do an in-place upgrade from XP to Vista using an
OEM product key (a generic system builder key, not one supplied on the
side of a PC from Dell etc). I have done this, and it does work. It acts
just like a Full Retail key.

And were you also using a generic OEM DVD?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


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

 

[Brian W]

And were you also using a generic OEM DVD?

Yes I was.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Yes I was.

This is a radical departure from the practices/policies established for
previous Microsoft operating systems, then. I wonder if it was
intentional, or if you've found an inadvertent loophole that will
someday be closed.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


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

 

[Brian W]

This is a radical departure from the practices/policies established for
previous Microsoft operating systems, then. I wonder if it was
intentional, or if you've found an inadvertent loophole that will someday
be closed.

Who knows, but it does work! I did read something before Vista was released,
that MS said OEM keys could be used for doing upgrades from XP. Can't
remember the source of the article now though

 

[norm]

This is a radical departure from the practices/policies established
for previous Microsoft operating systems, then. I wonder if it was
intentional, or if you've found an inadvertent loophole that will
someday be closed.

Bruce, the generic oem vista home premium disk that I used also upgraded
the last release candidate. I was surprised as anyone that it had
created an *.old folder, which I noticed when looking for a different
folder.

 

[junovie]

what happens is that when you install any copy of Windows Vista without
entering the product key or if the installation process does not accept the
product key, what you'd be doing is what they now call as a keyless
installation. When you perform a keyless installation, it will give you that
30 day grace period to either activate or enter the PK for winVista. During
this 30day period you'd be given a chance to use vista and activate or enter
a product key. Once this 30day period is up, it would give you the option to
use a different product key or buy a product key online. If you entered a
retail product key, it sure will accept it and you'd be able to activate that
online. When you perform a keyless installation, it sort of "assumes" that
what you're installing is a retail copy of Vista.