Upgrading hardware while running Vista?

JonnyGeee

JonnyGeee

JonnyGeee

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Under XP i had to do a full re install when i changed by mobo.. i'm looking at putting in a new mobo again now under Vista, does anyone know if i'm going to have to do a full reinstall, or can vista cope with a new mobo?
 
I hate Vista for upgrading it wouldnt let me re-activate, it said it was on a different computer and that i would have to buy a new product key, phoned them up and sorted it though.
 
Vista OEM apparently only works with the current Mobo. Vista Retail doesnt matter. If you are changing to a completely new mobo, you will need to reinstall as it will have a heart attack. Basically all the chipset drivers etc. will be wrong.
 
Is that where i went wrong getting the OEM? I tend to do a lot of upgrading all i did was change the hard drive i had it installed on and vista didnt like it.
 
robj20 said:
Is that where i went wrong getting the OEM? I tend to do a lot of upgrading all i did was change the hard drive i had it installed on and vista didnt like it.
Click to expand...

Probably, Vista OEM is an absolute pig when it comes to upgrades. yet another why I'm still on XP ^^
 
I have the Ultimate retail, my mobo arrives in 3 days ( damn overclockers being out of stock..) so will let you know how i get on lol ..
 
Even if you buy the Retail version you may still have to call up to activate - retail keys get stolen/leaked too.
However where Retail is different is that it's basically no questions asked as the license allows you to move it from machine to machine.

If you manage to get Vista on again and activated okay i may have to get myself a retail copy. Damn Microsoft.

Not Microsoft's fault.
They make it very clear in the license agreement what you can and cannot do.
 
Just call them up and ask for the activation keys.

That's what I did with my XP Home OEM, works everytime. If I re-install every month then it won't let me activate but if I wait a few months to re-install it will activate with no probs.

Not sure about Vista though. It wouldn't hurt trying before you shell out on a retail version.
 
Good idea, maybe it could be because i re-installed it again in such a short time. I tried Vista on an external drive before i scrubed my old xp os. Only a coupld of days had passed.
 
I think i re-activated 5 times in 8 days.

New hard drive...call and activate

More memory ...call and activate

new cpu.....call and activate

new soundcard....call and activate

think had to reactivate for fun once more
 
I'll report in a couple of days, I have an old XP original disk (i.e. SP1 and SP2 on separate CD's) which I used a couple of times to reformat, but not recently. Probably over a year. However it will be going on The Phoenix, as I'm calling my old PC, rebuilt with some parts out of my Packard Hell Slow Media PC and other bits I've acquired plus a nice new Gigabyte mobo.

My biggest fear is not that I'll make a hash of putting the bits together, but that XP won't activate and I'll be cap in hand to the missus to authorise £60 for an OEM XP SP2.

And I know already that I'm goping to have to call to reactivate Flight Sim - X as a result of my PC misadventures this year will be the fourth machine it has been installed on.
 
Aye unfortunately the OEM version has a limitation of one set of hardware! however you will get past microsoft the first few changes then they will demand a new key purchase.

I luckily got hold of a full retail version of ultimate, happy it will last me my vista lifetime with no extra keys! may cost double but I think it's worth the stretch.
 
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