Vista Home Premium OEM

Ace Modder · 10 Feb 2007 at 08:22

Am I correct, that if I purchase this, I am not able to use it, once I have upgraded/chnaged my mobo!

Will it not allow a reinstall?

Things change I've changed · 10 Feb 2007 at 08:48

this is a very touchy topic on this forum, technicly you will be breaking the EULA (End User Licsence Agrement) so reinstalling would mean that your copy is'nt 100% legal, however Microsoft the majority of the time will reactivate your copy for you if it gets flagged, they could change thier policey on this at any given time though and it depends if you want that hanging over your head, I would really go retail if I was you, you have to look at it as an investment, you could be using this OS for the next 6-7 years, think of all the times you'll be upgrading through those years it's just not worth the hassel.

Meatball · 10 Feb 2007 at 08:49

OEM software is only licensed to the original PC it was installed upon. You can upgrade everything as much as you like accept for the motherboard. When a new motherboard is installed Microsoft take that as a new pc. You can install Vista HP as much as you like, after a few online activations though you'll have to phone Microsoft which is quick and easy

EDIT: As the poster above as said, these restrictions are the same with XP OEM but Microsoft have been very loose with enforcing it. Most people can reactivate XP OEM on a new PC and it seems people can do the same with Vista OEM

Vista OEM - You can swap motherboards...

Slam62 · 10 Feb 2007 at 09:10

The other issue with buying retail now is that in a year or so, there will be so many updates it will be unrecogniseable - leading to a load of hassle when you reinstall. Whereas if you buy another oem copy it will have all the updates in it.

Things change I've changed · 10 Feb 2007 at 09:19

Slam62 said:
The other issue with buying retail now is that in a year or so, there will be so many updates it will be unrecogniseable - leading to a load of hassle when you reinstall. Whereas if you buy another oem copy it will have all the updates in it.

I'd much rather have to install a load of updates than have Microsoft question the validity of my copy of Vista, anyhow I don't see why you can't have a backup with all the updates slip streamed on to it like many people did with XP.

bikes · 10 Feb 2007 at 09:20

lowrider007 said:
I'd much rather have to install a load of updates than have Microsoft question the validity of my copy of Vista

Slam62 · 10 Feb 2007 at 09:25

lowrider007 said:
I'd much rather have to install a load of updates than have Microsoft question the validity of my copy of Vista, anyhow I don't see why you can't have a backup with all the updates slip streamed on to it like many people did with XP.

Yes but if you buy a second oem it will be valid and I have experience of early oem xp to know that even after being updated its not the same as a new copy.

Personally I wouldnt trust it to end up the same after updating even, just my first hand experience though.

The last time I tried a fresh install of a fairly late copy of mce2005 it downloaded 66 updates and the tuners wouldnt work, I did go back to an image but it still installed 44 updates. :eek:

Sel · 10 Feb 2007 at 11:23

lowrider007 said:
this is a very touchy topic on this forum, technicly you will be breaking the EULA (End User Licsence Agrement) so reinstalling would mean that your copy is'nt 100% legal, however Microsoft the majority of the time will reactivate your copy for you if it gets flagged, they could change thier policey on this at any given time though and it depends if you want that hanging over your head, I would really go retail if I was you, you have to look at it as an investment, you could be using this OS for the next 6-7 years, think of all the times you'll be upgrading through those years it's just not worth the hassel.

My not be 6-7 years http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20070209/tc_infoworld/85937

Type_R · 15 Feb 2007 at 22:58

So let me just get this straight please, reinstalling an OEM copy onto a new hard drive with the same PC setup will be allowed without any problems (but changing mboard obviously might require a call to MS)?

Meatball · 15 Feb 2007 at 23:44

Type_R said:
So let me just get this straight please, reinstalling an OEM copy onto a new hard drive with the same PC setup will be allowed without any problems (but changing mboard obviously might require a call to MS)?

Yes as a replacement hard drive isn't a new PC in Microsoft's eyes, where as a new motherboard is

Caged · 16 Feb 2007 at 01:05

Slam62 said:
Yes but if you buy a second oem it will be valid and I have experience of early oem xp to know that even after being updated its not the same as a new copy.

Personally I wouldnt trust it to end up the same after updating even, just my first hand experience though.

The last time I tried a fresh install of a fairly late copy of mce2005 it downloaded 66 updates and the tuners wouldnt work, I did go back to an image but it still installed 44 updates.

You've not heard of slipstreaming then? A Windows XP CD with a slipstreamed SP2 is exactly the same as a pressed copy with SP2.