VISTA is on its way!!

[Gibbo]

id rather know just how easy it is to fob off M$ after a hardware change.

Hi there

Well many people here and myself included have just rang MS when it requires re-activation due to hardware changes. Basically tell them your PC crashed, re-install failed so you started again or you put a replacement motherboard in and ran into issues.

So in essence the PC that Windows was originally registered on is still that same PC but due to either failure or hardware upgrade Windows needs re-activation and as many people will confirm Microsoft are quite helpful at giving out re-activation keys for free over the phone.

Now whether they will be as easy going with Vista is another thing though, I guess only time will tell.

 

[Gibbo]

Out of interest if HP and DELL have the largest market share of PC sales (well over 30%) how is it irrelevant for 99% of people ?

In fact if OCUK is an approved MS system builders (for your 300-400 builds per month) many of your customers could well benefit from this or am I mistaken/confused?

Hi there

All the Windows XP licences/CD's we ship do include this voucher/coupon. However most who buy Windows with just other random bits of hardware cannot use this coupon and hence why we do not advertise this fact.

However those who have purchased full systems from OcUK and have recieved this coupon can indeed claim/down a free copy of Vista from Microsoft.

 

[NathanE]

Is anyone but me really not that excited about the Aero interface? I think I'd probably end up turning it off or using a different theme anyway, and I'm pretty sure the benchmark crowd aren't going to want all the associated crap running with it?

Does not excite me at all, never has really. I'm more interested in the development framework behind it

 

[Burnsy2023]

Maybe if you're the System Builder, you could claim against yourself.. and just be generous

Good try, but needs to be from the maufacturer

Burnsy

 

[DavidQ]

I'm shocked at these prices, will definately be pre ordering this weekend, Thanks OcUK

 

[bikes]

Oh well, looks like retail home prem & another 2gb of ram for me

 

[Things change I've changed]

Hi there

Well many people here and myself included have just rang MS when it requires re-activation due to hardware changes. Basically tell them your PC crashed, re-install failed so you started again or you put a replacement motherboard in and ran into issues.

So in essence the PC that Windows was originally registered on is still that same PC but due to either failure or hardware upgrade Windows needs re-activation and as many people will confirm Microsoft are quite helpful at giving out re-activation keys for free over the phone.

Now whether they will be as easy going with Vista is another thing though, I guess only time will tell.

forgive me for not reading the whole thread but is this only a matter of concern for OEM versions ?

Is anyone but me really not that excited about the Aero interface? I think I'd probably end up turning it off or using a different theme anyway, and I'm pretty sure the benchmark crowd aren't going to want all the associated crap running with it?

not even in the slightest, I have my XP currently running with practicly every effect disabled with the 'Windows Classic Style Theme', I'm just hopeing you can do the same with Vista.

 

[Ronaldo]

forgive me for not reading the whole thread but is this only a matter of concern for OEM versions ?



not even in the slightest, I have my XP currently running with practicly every effect disabled with the 'Windows Classic Style Theme', I'm just hopeing you can do the same with Vista.

Yes OEM version


Yes Classic is there

 

[Hen_Dawg]

Hi there

Well many people here and myself included have just rang MS when it requires re-activation due to hardware changes. Basically tell them your PC crashed, re-install failed so you started again or you put a replacement motherboard in and ran into issues.

So in essence the PC that Windows was originally registered on is still that same PC but due to either failure or hardware upgrade Windows needs re-activation and as many people will confirm Microsoft are quite helpful at giving out re-activation keys for free over the phone.

Now whether they will be as easy going with Vista is another thing though, I guess only time will tell.

What's the worst case scenario? Microsoft make you pay the full OEM price again? It does seen very unlikely they'd do that.
If you have to request a new key, they would probably deactivate the old one meaning no more updates etc so Microsoft know you prob still only using 1 machine. And they're happy. Or am I talking rubbish?

 

[mr_barbra]

just want to confirm - i have a copy of win98 Se around, if i buy the upgrade ver. of windows vista, can i use this? or can you only use the upgrade from winxp onwards?

 

[DavidQ]

Argh, paranioa setting in here. Currently im running a 4200+ AM2 @2.8ghz, with 1gb of corsair pc6400(2x512's) I have two slots remaining on my K9N Neo-F motherboard, I want to be able to run games smoothly on my X1950Pro. What would you guys suggest doing ram wise? getting another 2x512's and run 2 channels of ram bringing me to a total of 2gb or what. I don't intend to be upgrading any part of my pc untill next year or so it would need to make do untill then .

 

[Mr Latte]

If the OEM copy rejects your hardware changes just phone up the 0800 number and get through to a human operator. They barely ask any questions and in 2 minutes you'll be up and running again.

The prices are very slightly cheaper than I was expecting. I was thinking £145 for Ultimate but I'm glad to have been proven wrong

So glad too and its such a lovelly looking OS personally i really like having the additional visual presentation and quite frankly have outgrown the whole overclocking / optimal running scanario.

CTRL ALT DEL even works shutting down a "non responding program"
Damn its worth the upgrade for this alone, totally hate this with XP.

BTW Guys
Anyone using an X360 will be glad to know that Vista Media Centre also applies to the X360 looking identical. I always assumed MCE 2005 as an extender was in some way installed on the X360 but whatever you have on the PC it goes directly across as the same. Big improvement over MCE 2005 in feel and looks.

Certainly a welcome addition

 

[Caged]

Pardon me if I'm reading this the wrong way, but Gibbo are you basically suggesting that people violate the terms of their OEM license agreement in order to transfer the software between machines?

I'd have thought as someone representing OcUK you would have stuck to the Microsoft licensing to the letter.

I'll probably be making the Home Premium (Retail) purchase when Parallels fully supports 3D acceleration.

 

[Tom|Nbk]

slightly off topic - I have a copy of Windows XP Home OEM which is dead asi could not reactivate it after a hardware change, has anyone got the 0800 number so i can try and fob them off and get a new key , will be appreciated, thanks!

 

[Gibbo]

Pardon me if I'm reading this the wrong way, but Gibbo are you basically suggesting that people violate the terms of their OEM license agreement in order to transfer the software between machines?

I'd have thought as someone representing OcUK you would have stuck to the Microsoft licensing to the letter.

I'll probably be making the Home Premium (Retail) purchase when Parallels fully supports 3D acceleration.

Hi there

Where have I mentioned multiple machines or transferring a license from one machine to another? I believe I have not!

Read the entire thread and many people are asking how many hardware changes you can have, basically if I upgrade my PC do I need to buy a new copy or can they just ring Microsoft to get a re-activation. At the moment this is what people do with Windows XP.

If Microsoft are OK I am sure they will allow for hardware changes and as such give out new keys to use that license on one PC, just that one PC may have had a fatal crash or had a hardware change to cause Windows to flag re-activation. This is common with XP and as such Microsoft seem to have no issues in giving customers a new key.

Therefor it possible they may operate similar for Vista, but only POSSIBLE. They may enforce it more so and tell you to go away and buy another copy, but I am not 110% up on if they can even do that or where it all stands.

If you want peace of mind and freedom of changing your hardware and upgrading as often as you like as many of our customers do then buy a Retail version.

If you want to save money then do buy OEM but when you do change a piece of hardware in the PC for whatever reason be warned that Microsoft may not issue you a new key. But if its the same as XP is now then you will probably be fine.

So once again I've never mentioned transferring the license from one machine to another as that is illegal, one license per PC. But people upgrade their PC's and PC's can crash and burn. This I am sure Microsoft understand and will help out where they can.

 

[Caged]

A "machine" is a motherboard, so a motherboard change would count as a new machine, and requires a new license. Just because Microsoft will activate it when a user calls up to say something broke, doesn't mean that it's within the terms of the license to do this.

The only time a motherboard can be replaced and the same OEM license used is when there is a failure, and even then that's under very strict conditions which have already been outlined in the thread.

OEM is a great deal if you shove it on a PC and then that PC stays as one unit, and gets sold on / handed down with the software when you're bored with it, but if you part them up and sell the bits, the software license dies with it.

 

[Tom|Nbk]

A "machine" is a motherboard, so a motherboard change would count as a new machine, and requires a new license. Just because Microsoft will activate it when a user calls up to say something broke, doesn't mean that it's within the terms of the license to do this.

The only time a motherboard can be replaced and the same OEM license used is when there is a failure, and even then that's under very strict conditions which have already been outlined in the thread.

What do you work for M$ or somthing, get real, we all would like to get this OS as cheaply as possible, the price is already extortionate. Gibbo what did you have to provide M$ with when you needed the key reactivating?

 

[Caged]

What do you work for M$ or somthing, get real, we all would like to get this OS as cheaply as possible, the price is already extortionate. Gibbo what did you have to provide M$ with when you needed the key reactivating?

I don't work for Microsoft, no. Once you've done what you're intending to do - phone up MS and get an OEM reactivation, then that software is every bit as legal as one you copied off a mate, except you've spent ~£100 for the privilege. If you don't think the software is worth the asking price, don't use it.

 

[Things change I've changed]

A "machine" is a motherboard, so a motherboard change would count as a new machine, and requires a new license. Just because Microsoft will activate it when a user calls up to say something broke, doesn't mean that it's within the terms of the license to do this.

The only time a motherboard can be replaced and the same OEM license used is when there is a failure, and even then that's under very strict conditions which have already been outlined in the thread.

Not even Microsoft is this pedantic, I've rung them up plently of times after a hardware upgrade and I have declared this to them over the phone and they have been happy to issue me with a new activation code straight away, windowsXP only really flags major hardware changes as a deterrent to stop people from installing one copy of windows XP on multible machines.

 

[Aidoscuz]

Does anyone know if there are any differences in how many times you can reactivate between Retail and Upgrade versions? I currently have an OEM copy of XP Home, so if I buy an Upgrade version of Vista Home Premium, will I be able to re-activate if I get a new motherboard?