Vista deactivation due to hardware change

kkbigal

kkbigal

kkbigal

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So I foolishly decided that I wanted to upgrade my rig to 4gb of memory, so I ordered 2Gb of the Geil RAM that OCUK has had on offer recently (fantastic deal!)

Imagine my amazement when my copy of Vista(OEM) promptly announced it had deactivated due to a hardware change.

I was well aware that the OEM did this, but certainly not for something so trivial as adding extra RAM - thought it had to be the motherboard or something similarly major.

I've read you can phone MS to get it reactivated, but I'm not sure where to find the number, and is it going to charge my phone bill through the roof to do it?
 
kkbigal said:
So I foolishly decided that I wanted to upgrade my rig to 4gb of memory, so I ordered 2Gb of the Geil RAM that OCUK has had on offer recently (fantastic deal!)

Imagine my amazement when my copy of Vista(OEM) promptly announced it had deactivated due to a hardware change.

I was well aware that the OEM did this, but certainly not for something so trivial as adding extra RAM - thought it had to be the motherboard or something similarly major.

I've read you can phone MS to get it reactivated, but I'm not sure where to find the number, and is it going to charge my phone bill through the roof to do it?
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The phone number will be an 0800 (freephone) number and you'll be given it when you run the activation wizard on your PC. I was told to reactivate when I flashed the bios on my board (and spent 15 mins arguing with a microsoft monkey over it too).
 
I just fitted a new mobo and had the same thing happen. When it tells you to reactivate there's a phone number there and you'll get thro to a Microshaft operator who will give you a 2million digit reactivation code, 3 numbers at a time.

:)
 
Changing any hardware is likely to require re-activation (in both Vista and XP, although Vista does seem pickier). Phone Microsoft, tell them what you've done and they will issue you with the necessary code (except in the following case).

Changing the motherboard (except under RMA) invalidates the OEM licence and so Microsoft would NOT issue you with an Activation code.

That is all :)
 
ALLI said:
I just fitted a new mobo and had the same thing happen. When it tells you to reactivate there's a phone number there and you'll get thro to a Microshaft operator who will give you a 2million digit reactivation code, 3 numbers at a time.

:)
Click to expand...

Were they okay with you fitting the new mobo? :eek:
 
ALLI said:
I just fitted a new mobo and had the same thing happen. When it tells you to reactivate there's a phone number there and you'll get thro to a Microshaft operator who will give you a 2million digit reactivation code, 3 numbers at a time.

:)
Click to expand...

*Sigh* :(

Burnsy
 
lol we will have to give him the benefit of the doubt lads.

he hasnt said if he has oem or retail. Im betting its oem but there we go ;)

In regards to ALLI btw :D
 
div0 said:
Changing any hardware is likely to require re-activation (in both Vista and XP, although Vista does seem pickier). Phone Microsoft, tell them what you've done and they will issue you with the necessary code (except in the following case).

Changing the motherboard (except under RMA) invalidates the OEM licence and so Microsoft would NOT issue you with an Activation code.

That is all :)
Click to expand...

So why did they activate mine?
 
OEM

But, after 2 p35-ds3r boards going boobs up in 2 weeks, I changed to a p35c-ds3r.

The op didn't ask any details other than the long number, and then read out an equally long number.
 
Their is a slight difference between being activated and being licensed. If you have the OEM version of Windows Vista, you can change any system component in your machine apart from the motherboard and you will still be licensed. You may have to re-activate Windows Vista after a hardware change but you will still be allowed to activate Vista and will not be breaking the EULA. Now depending how significant the hardware change is, for example updating the BIOS of your motherboard, you may have to ring Microsoft up yourself because online activation may fail. If you do have to ring them up, just tell them what has happened and they will happily activate your copy of Windows Vista for you.

If you change your motherboard, (We are not talking about replacing your motherboard under warranty here) for a performance upgrade then I am afraid you will have to purchase a new copy of Windows Vista. If you don't do this and buy a new motherboard, the only way you will be able activate the copy of Windows Vista you already have is to lie to Microsoft, now if they give you a new code, you now may be activated but you are certainly no longer licensed and would have just broken the EULA.

Some of you may say that, Microsoft themselves gave me a new code so how can I be violating the EULA. They gave you a new code because you had lied to them, if you said the truth and told them you changed your motherboard for a performance upgrade, they will tell you to go out and purchase a new copy of Windows Vista. Theirs a certain amount of trust Microsoft give its customers, if you wish to abuse this that is up to you.

As you can see, their is also a difference between what you can physically do and what you can do legally. :)
 
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Fire Wizard said:
As you can see, their is also a difference between what you can physically do and what you can do legally. :)
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Agree with most of what Fire Wizard said. However, as long as Retail versions are so expensive, people will not think twice about violating the EULA. Unfortunately the law favours big corporations like MS and even when they FUBAR or renege on promises, consumers will get screwed.

There are 2 main stances on this. Fire Wizard articulates one very clearly. The other is of the "save myself a lot of money" variety. Anyway, any further discussion is just deviating from the Original Thread.
 
Well, as I said. My mobo was replaced as two others were RMA'd. I purchased Vista OEM when I bought the original mobo too.


There's tonnes of people using pirated keys and versions of Vista. I think MS would push for legal proceedings against them, rather than people who've been swamped by their EULA.

I know of people who have never bought an OS in their lives. Personally, I wouldn't want a hacked OS on my system in the first place.
 
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Burnsy2023 said:
Because they didn't understand the situation properly through either their fault or yours. They should not have activated your product. That's why I was sighing.

Burnsy
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im honestly not suprised

they werent supposed to do it in the XP days, and they still did. It was announced that the would be tightenning this up and ensuring staff were better trained etc..

and guess what, the same is still happenning.
 
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