Very interesting experiment.

Faustus

Faustus

Faustus

Soldato
Joined
20 Mar 2007
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I've completed an interesting experiment which I thought Vista would not let me achieve and yet it has. I don't have a Vista installation disk for my main computer, just a recovery image. However, I do have two OEM Vista disks for my other machines. What I have done is this - I have created an installation disk using my OEM disk and Vlite, found out the key for my recovery image, typed that in when using the Vlite installation disk and Windows has then started a fresh installation of Vista . So that's the product key from recovery image, installation files from my OEM copy of Vista and Vlite to put it all together.

1. I thought you could only put an OEM version of Windows on one machine?

2. I thought the product key was tied to the one Windows product?
 
Well I just did it on Friday. Came up with the product key screen as per normal. Key wasn't recognised (was a legit Acer OEM key which came with the laptop). Clicked back a few times, looking to restart the laptop so as to start again with a different CD, hit forward again, just out of frustration, and, similar to Vista, it asked me if I wanted to continue without putting a key in (or it might have been with the 'invalid' key in, but whatever).

//edit:

xp_home_nokey.gif


This is on an original SP2 XP Home CD, slipstreamed with SP3. No key entered, as you can see.

//edit2: interestingly, it doesn't work on XP Pro OEM. Same old standard "The product ID you entered is not valid"..... hmm...
 
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But what about the fact that I was using an OEM version of Vista made on Vlite which was for another machine entirely and input the key from an image recovery file and voile it worked?
 
I've done this also with a HP recovery disk with XP.

Slipstreamed tons of updates and SP2 and SP3.

Completely unattended install with a CD key used from the side of one of the machines at work :)
 
Faustus said:
But what about the fact that I was using an OEM version of Vista made on Vlite which was for another machine entirely and input the key from an image recovery file and voile it worked?
Click to expand...

all vista media is the same. there is no difference between oem/retail like there was with xp. the only exception being custom oem disks from the likes of dell etc....
 
So what we are saying is that using the method I used then providing I have a key from whatever source I could install Vista on multiple machines?
 
yes but you wont be able to activate them all assuming its the same as it is with XP. theres nothing actually physically stopping you from installing a copy of vista on many different machines and using the same OEM product key each time. the problem is that you can only activate 1 of them, and even then if you try and activate the OEM licence on a totally different machine to the one it was originally activated on, it may complain and you'll probably end up on the phone to MS to try and activate it....or at least thats how i understand it?
 
I think you both, peterattheboro and Faustus have had some luck with your key's and an experience of lazy licensing procedures from the admin's at work or manufacturers of your computers. Unless maybe vLite has something special about it.. guessing from gav's experience probably not!
 
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I think you both, peterattheboro and Faustus have had some luck with your key's and an experience of lazy licensing procedures from the admin's at work or manufacturers of your computers. Unless maybe vLite has something special about it.. guessing from gav's experience probably not!
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what the reason is - all I know is what I've said i.e. used Vlite to make an install disk from my OEM Vista DVD, which by the way just copied Home Premium and not the other versions that are on the MS DVD so file much smaller, and used the key which is supposed to be tied to custom image on my other PC.
 
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