Vista Ultimate Upgrade version.

[Guest]

My scenario is this. I got a HP computer before with XP, then I bought this
Vista Upgrade. I activated it on the HP system. Now I have taken everything
apart. All the was left from the HP system was the hardrive and CD Rom. Now,
I built a new system, installed XP OEM. Cause CPU, Motherboard, Video Card,
Ram, another Harddrive, extra CD Rom and sound card are all new. Then, I
installed back the Vista upgrade cause I formatted the old hard drive and
start from the ground up. And of course, it now tells me the key has already
been activated. But since I erased the old XP upgraded Vista and everything
is new, can I call the them ask them to re-reactivate my Vista upgrade?

 

[Guest]

"CoNFusED" wondered...

My scenario is this. I got a HP computer before with XP, then I bought
this
Vista Upgrade. I activated it on the HP system. Now I have taken
everything
apart. All the was left from the HP system was the hardrive and CD Rom.
Now,
I built a new system, installed XP OEM. Cause CPU, Motherboard, Video
Card,
Ram, another Harddrive, extra CD Rom and sound card are all new. Then, I
installed back the Vista upgrade cause I formatted the old hard drive and
start from the ground up. And of course, it now tells me the key has
already
been activated. But since I erased the old XP upgraded Vista and
everything
is new, can I call the them ask them to re-reactivate my Vista upgrade?

Yes, using the phone activation option, stay on the line to talk to someone,
explain the hardware upgrades on the original system/hard-drive, and they
will re-activate you.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Yes. That is the way to do it and get Activated again. Explain the situation and no worries

 

[Steve K.]

You know, if you hunt down the activation crack, this wont be a problem,
as logn as you have a legal copy of Vista. Then everything will work as
normal. And before someone says "oh you shouldn't be advertising
cracks", keep in mind I'm not advertising to download illega copies of
Vista. I'm saying if you -own- a -legal- copy of Vista, then I don't see
any reaso not go through the unneed hoops that redmonds wants everyone
to jump though if it can be avoided.

Best best is bit torrent. Search for "torrent Vista activation" on on
torrent sites and always read the comments to make sure the download
isn't tainted.

It worked on my virtual test system. I've already been through roughtly
20 reinstalls to test different things and hasn't had any issue using
the activation disabler. As far as the OS is concerned, the Activation
went through and succeeded and that's that, and no more nagging.

Believe me, I once would of never suggested such a route, but I feel
that Microsoft, like the RIAA and MPAA and such, have gone way too far.
Protecting intellectual property is one thing, but the steps they take
would NEVER be tolerated in other industries. Too far is too far. If
anything, all these companies have actually contributed to more piracy,
activation cracks (Os and some programs that followd Microsoft's (bad)
example) and such.

So please think about all this and more before you say I'm automatically
wrong for making my suggestion.

 

[Adam Albright]

"CoNFusED" wondered...

Yes, using the phone activation option, stay on the line to talk to someone,
explain the hardware upgrades on the original system/hard-drive, and they
will re-activate you.

The point is if you have a more involved setup where you may have half
or dozen or more applications you need to reactivate it gets to be a
pain in the ass. Totally so when you consider it isn't necessary and
does nothing to stop real hackers or software thieves and only serves
to annoy and irritate actual paying customers.

 

[Leythos]

Totally so when you consider it isn't necessary and
does nothing to stop real hackers or software thieves and only serves
to annoy and irritate actual paying customers.

I know many instances from many people where license violations were
prevented by the activation process. We also found, in the XP group, a
violation that a nice lady reported that exposed a company that was
installing XP against licensing and she was able to sue them in court
and get money.

So, it appears that Activation does stop pirates.

--

Leythos
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
(e-mail address removed) (remove 999 for proper email address)

 

[Saran]

I know many instances from many people where license violations were
prevented by the activation process. We also found, in the XP group, a
violation that a nice lady reported that exposed a company that was
installing XP against licensing and she was able to sue them in court
and get money.

So, it appears that Activation does stop pirates.

Only the stupid more layman types. However, it does nothing to stop
piracy, as people use use activation cracks that completely disable the
activation mechanism, turning it into the corporate version in that
regard. Oh hell, some people download the corporate versions which don't
require activation.

Yet we as users have to jump through hoops while pirates in geenral
still do there thing. This is true for Windows, general software that
followed Micorsoft's lead with activation schemes, and media and content
DRM. It makes things more difficult for paying legit customers and in
fact piracy, especially of songs and movies, seems to have increased and
a lot of these bone headed restrictive schemes are (at least a good
part) to blame.

-saran

 

[Leythos]

Only the stupid more layman types. However, it does nothing to stop
piracy,

You don't technically stop piracy, you stop that the product an be used
- and that's already been proven to work in many cases.

--

Leythos
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
(e-mail address removed) (remove 999 for proper email address)

 

[Robert Firth]

Why use a cracked version of Vista when you have a perfectly good Vista
license? That makes absolutely no sense. Activation only takes a second, it
isn't like it takes too long or can only be done once. Even in the situation
where you have to call in it doesn't take long and they usually don't ask
for explainations. They might ask if that license is installed on another
computer, but that's about it. "Then everything will work as normal".

Robert Firth
http://www.winvistainfo.org

 

[Caretaker]

This is a trick I learned. , REFORMAT the drive with any Linux OP then do a
full install of your upgrade disk, and Windows will accept your Key. (
Windows leafs a small partition on your Drive, and a reformat with win. will
NOT delete it )

 

[Paul Randall]

The problem is the inconvenience of having to revalidate. Suppose I'm
writing the next killer novel at my cabin in a national wilderness area. No
wired phones. No cell phone access. Next 3-seater plane out won't arrive
for a week. I reseat my video card and Vista says "I quit" in two days if
you don't reactivate? That is just plain stupid. Crack it and it runs on
my schedule, not M$'s schedule.

-Paul Randall

 

[Curtis D. Levin]

The problem is the inconvenience of having to revalidate. Suppose I'm
writing the next killer novel at my cabin in a national wilderness area.
No wired phones. No cell phone access. Next 3-seater plane out won't
arrive for a week. I reseat my video card and Vista says "I quit" in two
days if you don't reactivate? That is just plain stupid. Crack it and it
runs on my schedule, not M$'s schedule.

You raise a valid point. Why should you have to use the computer
online? Of course, if that was the case ( and it's like, what if I'm
on the moon. and I left my dvd at the space station? ) then maybe
since you thought of it you could call Microsoft and ask them
before you go out into the woods. And no, I don't want to go camping.

Curtis

 

[ceed]

I know many instances from many people where license violations were
prevented by the activation process. We also found, in the XP group, a
violation that a nice lady reported that exposed a company that was
installing XP against licensing and she was able to sue them in court
and get money.

So, it appears that Activation does stop pirates.

I think the important word here is "appears". If you want to steal
Windows activation is not going to stop you. And in the case you
mention it didn't stop anyone but the old lady who you choose to call
a pirate or am I missing something?

//ceed

 

[ceed]

Why use a cracked version of Vista when you have a perfectly good Vista
license? That makes absolutely no sense. Activation only takes a second, it
isn't like it takes too long or can only be done once. Even in the situation
where you have to call in it doesn't take long and they usually don't ask
for explainations. They might ask if that license is installed on another
computer, but that's about it. "Then everything will work as normal".

Robert Firthhttp://www.winvistainfo.org

It does not take a second if you have to call them. It takes at least
15 minutes x2 since it's almost impossible to get all those numbers
they give you down right the first time.

If I own something I can crack it, give it away, step on it, paint it
black coz it's mine! I hate having to sit and explain that I am not a
thief to some person who I absolutely do not want to talk to! The last
time it happened I refused to tell them why I need to reactivate. I
told them I called because I am an honest person and that's all
there's to it. I had to talk to a manger (who knew English much better
than the first person) and she chose to reactivate me anyway!

//ceed

 

[Saran]

You don't technically stop piracy, you stop that the product an be
used - and that's already been proven to work in many cases.

Proven to work? The few success stories that I've heard a just drops in
a very large pond. These days it's so easy find movies, song, and
software if you know where and how to look, which proves to me piracy
has increased, and it appears to be in correlations with all the
increased unfair DRM/"Content Protection" and Activation schemes over
the years.

-saran

 

[Saran]

You raise a valid point. Why should you have to use the computer
online? Of course, if that was the case ( and it's like, what if I'm
on the moon. and I left my dvd at the space station? ) then maybe
since you thought of it you could call Microsoft and ask them
before you go out into the woods. And no, I don't want to go camping.

But why should I call Microsfot when 1) I legally paid for the product,
or 2) simply reseated or changed out a piece of hardware? What business
is it anyway of Microsoft what hardware I'm running anyhow or that I've
changed it out? You can't tell me this isn't just down right intrusive
and annoying to boot. This is why the crack was made to disable the
activation scheme altogether.

I really think some paying customers are sick and tired of being treated
like they are the criminals. I know I am. Weather it's software
activation, music/movie DRM, I'm sick and tired of having to jump
throuhg a dozen or two hoops to watch, listen, or use something when
theres plenty of people downloading movies and music from bittorrent and
such with any resticitons holding them back, and using software without
ant bigbrother-esque activation bs.

Just like some poorly thought out "gun laws", it's the people trying to
do things the right way that get effected, and those who do things
illegally will continue to do so, largely uneffected. The few success
stories you may hear are little more than publicity for the cause, to
give the *appearance* that it's working.

-saran