MS - "OEM Vista on home built PCs is UNLICENSED"

Burnsy2023 · 24 Mar 2008 at 17:20

Slam62 said:
Burnsy, I think the main problem for people is that when they buy a music Cd, a tv, a dvd player,etc they can use it whereever and whenever they like and it won't tell them they can't. I can see MS point of view but people feel like its big brother all the time and given that you pretty much have to have the MS product it's even more painful.

I think your probably right.

Burnsy

mattyrigby00 · 24 Mar 2008 at 22:49

usually if it activates without any hacks, cracks, patches or exploits its considered liscensed.

Burnsy2023 · 24 Mar 2008 at 22:57

mattyrigby00 said:
usually if it activates without any hacks, cracks, patches or exploits its considered liscensed.

That couldn't be much further form the truth. But it's a good attempt.

Burnsy

no_1_dave · 25 Mar 2008 at 00:21

Piracy 1
MS 0

stoofa · 25 Mar 2008 at 11:43

Bomag said:
Probably Burnsy.

Every time I have to reactivate something from MS (on average one a month for all the different OS and office programs on all the different PCs in the house) the following is required.

1. Go and get the phone extension cable.
2. Scramble under the table and plug the phone in.
3. Phone up MS and after 5-10 min get somebody from east of Aden who has no idea of how to speak English.
4. After another 5-10 mins get somebody who you can at least communicate with (barely, but passable).
5. Spend another 5 minutes confirming that you are not installing the software on more PCs than the number allowed.
6. Spend another 5 minutes typing in the activation code while juggling the phone receiver.

Total time = best part of half an hour.

The alternative is for the software to work without threatening you with non-functioning software.

If you are reactivating every month - why are you bothering to activate your software at all?
MS software runs for 30 days without the need to activate.
So if you're reinstalling on a monthly basis then don't bother activating at all.
If you do activate - activate once and that is it, you certainly don't need to activate monthly.

3. Phone up MS and after 5-10 min get somebody from east of Aden who has no idea of how to speak English.

Incorrect.
I have had to phone the MS activation line many times (not just from home but work related as well).
Never once have I got through to a non-UK call centre.
The "worst" accent I got was somebody from Scotland - took a while for us to understand one another.

4. After another 5-10 mins get somebody who you can at least communicate with (barely, but passable).

As above - don't know if you were just the most unlucky person in the world, but every single time I've called MS I've spoken to an English call centre.

5. Spend another 5 minutes confirming that you are not installing the software on more PCs than the number allowed.

The people on the end of the activation line are no more technically competant than first level support.
It doesn't take 5 minutes - they ask you how many machines the OS is installed on, you either tell the truth and say 1 or lie and say 1, activation will soon follow, certainly not 5 minutes.

6. Spend another 5 minutes typing in the activation code while juggling the phone receiver.

Cradle phone against ear and shoulder - takes a minute or two to type in the number, really not the end of the world.

Deluxe1 · 25 Mar 2008 at 11:54

Just do as i do,do a fresh installation of Vista (fully updated) and make sure its activated then make a image of it.

gareth170 · 25 Mar 2008 at 12:11

the activate by phone process only takes about 5-7 minutes total

stoofa said:
If you are reactivating every month - why are you bothering to activate your software at all?
MS software runs for 30 days without the need to activate.
So if you're reinstalling on a monthly basis then don't bother activating at all.
If you do activate - activate once and that is it, you certainly don't need to activate monthly.

also if his reinstalling vista without changeing hardware, it should activate via online.. or image a clean install of vista when its activated

nightmare99 · 25 Mar 2008 at 13:08

also if his reinstalling vista without changeing hardware, it should activate via online..

Not always it depends on how long it has been since his last activation, there is a complex set of rules that determines what triggers a phone activation request.

gareth170 · 25 Mar 2008 at 13:54

nightmare99 said:
Not always it depends on how long it has been since his last activation, there is a complex set of rules that determines what triggers a phone activation request.

i read somewhere that vista gives 5 activates per week or 3 activates per day via online (on the same hardware)

anyway it works that way for me..

Bomag · 25 Mar 2008 at 19:33

stoofa said:
If you are reactivating every month - why are you bothering to activate your software at all? MS software runs for 30 days without the need to activate.
So if you're reinstalling on a monthly basis then don't bother activating at all.
If you do activate - activate once and that is it, you certainly don't need to activate monthly.

If only you had to activate once! I have seven PCs, each double, tipple or quad booting; four have copies of Office on them - with that little lot you only need to reactivate the software on only half the PCs to have to phone MS 12 times a year.

stoofa said:
3. Phone up MS and after 5-10 min get somebody from east of Aden who has no idea of how to speak English.

Incorrect.
I have had to phone the MS activation line many times (not just from home but work related as well).
Never once have I got through to a non-UK call centre.
The "worst" accent I got was somebody from Scotland - took a while for us to understand one another.

4. After another 5-10 mins get somebody who you can at least communicate with (barely, but passable).

As above - don't know if you were just the most unlucky person in the world, but every single time I've called MS I've spoken to an English call centre.

You must be special to remember every single phone call I have made to MS better than I do. Most of my calls have been past 11pm, or at weekends, even so I have always ended up with a foreign call centre.

stoofa said:
6. Spend another 5 minutes typing in the activation code while juggling the phone receiver.

Cradle phone against ear and shoulder - takes a minute or two to type in the number, really not the end of the world.

You may be happy to overstress your neck but I want to keep mine as evolution directs.

Burnsy2023 · 25 Mar 2008 at 19:56

Bomag said:
If only you had to activate once! I have seven PCs, each double, tipple or quad booting; four have copies of Office on them - with that little lot you only need to reactivate the software on only half the PCs to have to phone MS 12 times a year.

So do you have four licences for each install? If not, this doesn't surprise me, looks like activation is doing it's job correctly.

Burnsy

Bomag · 26 Mar 2008 at 19:56

Burnsy2023 said:
So do you have four licences for each install? If not, this doesn't surprise me, looks like activation is doing it's job correctly.

Burnsy

Umm - yes. Over the last 19 years since I purchased a PC with my second year student grant I have acquired the following MS OS licenses.

1* Windows Home Server
1* Vista Ultimate 64 oem
1* Vista HP 32 oem
1* Win XP pro locked to Acer laptop
1* Win XP pro retail (inherited)
4* Win XP MCE oem (for £100 the lot)
2* Win 2k pro (educational licence).
1* Win Me (not used)

1* Win 98 SE oem
1* Win 98 upgrade
2* Win 95 v2 oem
1* Win 98 v1 upgrade retail.
1* Win3.11
3* Win3.1
1* Win3.0
1* MS Dos 6.0 upgrade
1* MS Dos 6.0 full
1* MS Dos 5.0 full
2* MS Dos 4.0

The one which was the best value for money was DOS 5.0 followed by Win 2k and Win 98 SE. If is wasn't for media centre or the need to fully use 4GB of ram I would still be with Win2K as my main OS.

Burnsy2023 · 26 Mar 2008 at 21:10

I was referring to Office licences btw

Burnsy

Bomag · 27 Mar 2008 at 19:13

Burnsy2023 said:
I was referring to Office licences btw

Burnsy

Sorry I must be blind as I missed you mentioning Office; and yes I have the required number of licences for the single install on the main OS (OXP*1, O2K*3, O97*1, O95*1, Office 4*2). If pushed I could use my copy of Works 1 from 1988.

I don't mind buying MS software I just ensure I don't have to pay the current extortionate charges for full retail versions.

smids · 27 Mar 2008 at 19:55

Bomag said:
I don't mind buying MS software I just ensure I don't have to pay the current extortionate charges for full retail versions.

Tell me about it. Take Vista Ultimate for example:

OEM: £115
Upgrade: £180-210
Retail: £340

It works out that you can buy 3 OEM licenses before even breaking even on a retail install. To me, this is just ridiculous. I want a retail version, as I want to be able to upgrade my computer over it's life, but I cannot justify such a high cost for it. It's almost worth buying 3 OEM copies for each motherboard upgrade. I'm thinking that I may get it from the states for $320 which works out about £160 - I don't believe this breaks the EULA, so long as it is not an import and I buy it in the region. The whole debate on distribution means that it need only be bought in the correct region and then after this you can take it with you... surely....

burnsy, care to verify my mumblings?

z0mbi3 · 27 Mar 2008 at 20:23

Bomag said:
1. Go and get the phone extension cable.
2. Scramble under the table and plug the phone in.
3. Phone up MS and after 5-10 min get somebody from east of Aden who has no idea of how to speak English.
4. After another 5-10 mins get somebody who you can at least communicate with (barely, but passable).
5. Spend another 5 minutes confirming that you are not installing the software on more PCs than the number allowed.
6. Spend another 5 minutes typing in the activation code while juggling the phone receiver.

Total time = best part of half an hour.

tbh.

Burnsy2023 · 27 Mar 2008 at 21:07

smids said:
I don't believe this breaks the EULA, so long as it is not an import and I buy it in the region.
burnsy, care to verify my mumblings?

Verified

Burnsy

smids · 27 Mar 2008 at 21:09

Burnsy2023 said:
Verified

Burnsy

Excellent. I'm heading to the states this summer on holiday (highly likely). So, I will get me a retail Vista Ultimate for the nice sum of £160.

beano · 30 May 2008 at 19:06

Fire Wizard said:
Now if you change your motherboard for a performance upgrade (We are not talking about replacing your motherboard under warranty), then I am afraid you will have to purchase a new copy of Windows (License).

Where do i stand if my motherboard has died, but my warranty is void because some pins in the CPU socket have been bent!?! Both mobo and vista OEM are less than a year old.

Burnsy2023 · 31 May 2008 at 13:46

beano said:
Where do i stand if my motherboard has died, but my warranty is void because some pins in the CPU socket have been bent!?! Both mobo and vista OEM are less than a year old.

You'd be ok, the license would still be valid as your doing it for repair purposes not upgrade.

Burnsy