Vista OEM License requirements

DevilBeard · 22 Jan 2007 at 12:22

I have been hunting around the forums for a clear indication as to where I would stand with a Vista OEM license. Would I need to purchase any additional hardware with the software to meet the license agreement, or would I be fine installing on my system, provided I don't upgrade my motherboard?

I am sure the answer is out there, it's just I am in the office and not really supposed to be trolling the Internet all day. Although that tends not to stop me...

Thanks in advance.

R.O.S.S.I · 22 Jan 2007 at 12:40

Apparantly you can upgrade any other part of your pc but if you upgrade the motherboard that constitutes to having bought a new pc and you would have to buy another OEM copy.

PS - your sigs a bit too big, chop it down to 4 lines before the mods get ya lol and welcome btw.

DevilBeard · 22 Jan 2007 at 12:53

Thanks for the heads up

TrUz · 22 Jan 2007 at 12:54

DevilBeard said:
Thanks for the heads up

Dude you signature is too big. You can only have 4 lines of text. I would read the FAQ if I was you.

TrUz

DevilBeard · 22 Jan 2007 at 13:11

That better?...

Burnsy2023 · 22 Jan 2007 at 13:25

CDj-Rossi said:
Apparantly you can upgrade any other part of your pc but if you upgrade the motherboard that constitutes to having bought a new pc and you would have to buy another OEM copy.

Correct, and no addition hardware is required in the purchase.

Burnsy

Omnicron · 22 Jan 2007 at 13:39

Well when I called OC support on friday regarding my Ultimate OEM delivery. I asked if im able to upgrade my motherboard in 3/4 months as I want to upgrade to PCI-E and DX10.

He told me theres nothing to worry about, I could call Microsoft and simply state my mobo has broken and they would re-activate my key...

Wether this was to stop me changing my order from ultimate OEM to home premium as the oems had just been shipped and it would cause them hassle or wether I actually can do this I suppose is yet to be seen hehe

i would be mighty ******* if i spent 140 quid for 4 months of vista lol although others have also posted about being able to change if motherboard is damaged, a lot say if you get a replacement via warranty.. but what if you bought a 2nd hand pc :-0

also if it doesnt allow me to im gonna make a claim against that advisor !! lol :-D

Burnsy2023 · 22 Jan 2007 at 13:44

Omnicron said:
Snip

That advice is very naughty and MS may not honour activation.

If in doubt stick with retail.

Burnsy

Tute · 22 Jan 2007 at 13:49

In the past I think Microsoft have given people the benefit of the doubt with motherboard replacements.

However this time around there has been mumblings from the company that they will take a much tougher line with people who try and get around the OEM copies this way.

In a nutshell, you buy OEM at your own risk.

Omnicron · 22 Jan 2007 at 13:55

Ah well if they dont renew im gonna be mighty furious and go to linux :-(

cant really see the problem.. its still my computer and im only running one instance of the software on one machine. :-(

ah well gonna have to see, good few months away yet though.. it should be with my today or tomorrow \o/ no way am i waiting 4 months before i install it on my new machine.. too tempting.

dirtydog · 22 Jan 2007 at 14:05

burnsy2023 said:
That advice is very naughty and MS may not honour activation.

Indeed :/ It is simply incorrect.

Omnicron · 22 Jan 2007 at 14:07

Sorry if i'v gotten that advisor into trouble, but id be more angry if I couldnt upgrade and wasted 140 quid so i thought it worthwhile phoning and asking.

However he cant tamper with my delivery now by farting in the box or somthing to get revenge as its already shipped :-)

dirtydog · 22 Jan 2007 at 14:12

The whole point of the retail version being much more expensive than OEM, is that you can install it on more than one machine. (not at the same time). If you could legally do that with the OEM version, the retail version would have no purpose would it.

Tute · 22 Jan 2007 at 14:14

dirtydog said:
The whole point of the retail version being much more expensive than OEM, is that you can install it on more than one machine. (not at the same time). If you could legally do that with the OEM version, the retail version would have no purpose would it.

I thought they also saved a bit of money by not putting it in a box and by also cutting out a lot of the paper crap they put in retail copies.

dirtydog · 22 Jan 2007 at 14:30

Tute said:
I thought they also saved a bit of money by not putting it in a box and by also cutting out a lot of the paper crap they put in retail copies.

I'm sure they do save a 'bit' of money, yes

Somewhere between 50p and a pound maybe

metalmackey · 22 Jan 2007 at 14:59

How about a bios update? I've had to reactivate windows after a bios update, so would that count as a mobo upgrade?

Tute · 22 Jan 2007 at 15:03

metalmackey said:
How about a bios update? I've had to reactivate windows after a bios update, so would that count as a mobo upgrade?

I think that's just Windows being anal.

A BIOS update isn't a change of motherboard, you didn't physically replace the motherboard did you?

metalmackey · 22 Jan 2007 at 15:10

I changed the computers name once and I had to activate again.