Re-Installation of Vista Home Premium (32 bit)

[Sidd]

Hi,
I am facing problems with the registry of the OS. When I install new
software, I get some unusual error messages pointing to registry... When I
try to uninstall old software, it leaves traces of the software even on the
Start up Menu.

Can I do a format of the entire hard disk, reinstall Vista Home Premium (32
bit) again ?? Will it consider my old license or do I need to purchase an
additional license ?

If I do a clean installation of the entire OS, what will be the case for
Microsoft Office Student Edition 2003 ? Will it consume additional license if
I clean install it ?

Let me know.

Thanks,
Sidd.

 

[Mike Brannigan]

Hi,
I am facing problems with the registry of the OS. When I install new
software, I get some unusual error messages pointing to registry... When I
try to uninstall old software, it leaves traces of the software even on
the
Start up Menu.

Can I do a format of the entire hard disk, reinstall Vista Home Premium
(32
bit) again ?? Will it consider my old license or do I need to purchase an
additional license ?

If I do a clean installation of the entire OS, what will be the case for
Microsoft Office Student Edition 2003 ? Will it consume additional license
if
I clean install it ?

Let me know.

Thanks,
Sidd.

Boot from the DVD and follow the onscreen instructions that will allow you
to completely reformat your PC and perform a clean install.
Your license will still be valid - but you may need to reactivate either
online or by phone (no big deal)
If you wipe and clean install you will have to reinstall all your software
etc. The license will still be valid but where activation is required as
with Windows you may have to reactivate and this may be by phone.

 

[Mark H]

As Mike stated, your license remains valid for both OS and applications.

Just a note:
If your OS came pre-installed, then it is most likely OEM. And, if OEM, then
re-activation gets a bit stickier. Microsoft does not have to help you. They
will in most cases for reactivation, but they may defer you to the maker of
your computer. Be prepared for online activation to fail. You will have to
talk to a real person if it is OEM.

I'm not sure Office 2003 allowed multiple installations (like 2007.) Either
way, it will definately re-install on the same machine.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

If it is preinstalled it may not even require activation. My wife's HP
laptop doesn't require entry of a product key or activation no matter how
many times the OS is reinstalled from scratch, either from the recovery
partition with F11 or by booting with the dvd that shipped with the unit.

 

[Mark H]

As long as the recovery partition is intact, the "extra" activation file HP
installs remains intact no longer requiring activation. If the recovery
partition is corrupt or removed, then online activation will be required.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I believe HP uses SLP technology. If so, activation is not even an issue.
The supplied dvd will not install Windows on another computer so I suspect
they are using SLP.

 

[Mark H]

Okay... for what it is worth:
I did not receive an installation disk with my HP laptop. So, there's no
SLP that I can take advantage of when restoring MY computer.
When I re-installed my OS, I used a standard DVD (recovery partition
corrupt) and entered the Product Key on the bottom of the computer. That
required a phone call with a representative to activate.

Another time, after having my recovery partition restored and it going
corrupt again, I found that copying the product key and license file from
the computer before wiping it, installing Vista with a regular DVD, then
restoring the product key and license file put it back to normal (HP OEM)
without requiring activation.

Funny, the product key on the installed and activated HP computer is not
what is on the bottom label of the computer.
------
So, if you use the Product Key on the bottom label and a regular DVD,
you will be on the phone to activate.
Beyond that the OP didn't give a lot of details, so make any other
assumptions you would like.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I have done both the F11 and used the supplied dvd (I spent the extra $20
for the media kit) in order to deal with a critical system error that was
occuring. In neither case was there an opportunity to enter a product key
nor was activation ever required.

Just to check it out, I used VMWare Workstation 6 to create a 64bit virtual
machine and when I tried to use the dvd to install VHP x64 in it the
installation halted after loading files with the message that the software
could not be installed from the dvd on this machine. That's about all I
have tried.

So, there's no SLP that I can take advantage of when restoring MY computer.

SLP (System Locked Pre-installation) would not be something you could "take
advantage" of.

See this link for a summary of what is involved with "pre-activated" Windows
and SLP:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457054.aspx
The pertinent section is "Product Activation and new pre-loaded PCs." There
is mention of how the pk on the label is used to rescue the customer from a
situation where the BIOS ID in the machine no longer matches the BIOS ID
recorded in the installation media. Such a situation might occur as the
result of the replacement of the mobo with a compatible replacement but on
which the BIOS ID is different. Essentially, the pk on the label is a
fallback so that the customer can use phone activation in such a scenario.
The label is required by MS through their OEM agreements.

 

[Mohammed]

Hi Sidd,

If you re-install the operating system obviously you have to purchase the
lisence once again but to avoid that and to remove the startup item Follow
these steps given below:

Goto start> Regedit>enter> Hkey-Local Machine

software>Microsoft>windows>Current version> hightlight Run>on the right Pane

and delete the all the entries except Default and then Goto
Start>Hkey-Current User>software>Microsoft>windows>Current version>
hightlight Run>on the right Pane and delete the all the entries except
Default and then restart the system in normal mode you will not find the
startup item traces again,

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

What license would Sidd have to purchase again? That does not sound right.

 

[Mohammed]

The Product key ...

What license would Sidd have to purchase again? That does not sound right.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

No Windows product key expires due to reinstallation of the software on the
same hardware.

Regardless of whether the software is OEM or retail, it may be reinstalled
repeatedly without requiring a new pk. The only exception would be an OEM
pk when both a motherboard and system hard drive have been replaced with
non-repair replacements. Repair replacements (same exact models) are OK.

 

[Mohammed]

Yes thats correct Collin, I agree with you.

No Windows product key expires due to reinstallation of the software on the
same hardware.

Regardless of whether the software is OEM or retail, it may be reinstalled
repeatedly without requiring a new pk. The only exception would be an OEM
pk when both a motherboard and system hard drive have been replaced with
non-repair replacements. Repair replacements (same exact models) are OK.

 

[Rodger with a ''d'']

Hi,
I am facing problems with the registry of the OS. When I install new
software, I get some unusual error messages pointing to registry... When I
try to uninstall old software, it leaves traces of the software even on the
Start up Menu.

Can I do a format of the entire hard disk, reinstall Vista Home Premium (32
bit) again ?? Will it consider my old license or do I need to purchase an
additional license ?

If I do a clean installation of the entire OS, what will be the case for
Microsoft Office Student Edition 2003 ? Will it consume additional license if
I clean install it ?

Let me know.

Thanks,
Sidd.