Vista reactivation (OEM)

[Padders]

I've replaced my CPU from a 4600+ to 6400+, bumped up my ram from 2gb to 4, added 2 HDs and a TV card, updated my BIOS a few times...

And yet I've never been prompted to reactivate my OEM copy of Vista Ultimate.

Temptin fate I know - but is this unusual?

 

[Rackerz]

Nope, just very lucky. I updated my chipset drivers which were MSI official and I got asked for re-activation.

 

[ajgoodfellow]

I'd say you were very lucky!

I just upgraded my ram from 2 to 4GB and updated the BIOS at the same time - I was promptly asked to re-activate which failed as I had already activated once before!

 

[gareth170]

no.... its just depends on different systems. ive upgraded hdds , memory, dvd drives, cpu, bios. all without need of reactivate.. but going from sata mode to raid mode would need a reactivate..

 

[Smorgasbord]

Lol, i didn't upgrade anything at one point and was asked to reactivate :S - Had to phone Microsoft cos it refused to activate via the internet!

 

[Padders]

ah well - I'll be moving up from a 7900gt to a 8800gt in a week or two, perhaps that will pop my cherry

 

[sneakypenguin]

I'm pretty sure you only get asked to reactivate if you change your motherboard as somewhere in the T&C's of the OEM licence it clases a new mobo as a new computer.

 

[RJC]

I'm pretty sure you only get asked to reactivate if you change your motherboard as somewhere in the T&C's of the OEM licence it clases a new mobo as a new computer.

Change your motherboard you will require a new license if your original windows purchase was OEM.

Rob

 

[Deluxe1]

Ive added hd`s,memory,graphics card and cpu and was never prompted to reactive.

 

[Combat squirrel]

Just phone up the free phone support number, its now all automated so no awkward questions , just type in the numbers off the screen, you will get asked, is this being installed on the same computer, 1 for yes, 2 for no, (or somet like that), type back the numbers it reads out, sorted your windows vista pc is activated.

 

[Smorgasbord]

Aye, i had to do that on mine atm, as i said earlier, it randomly deactivated and i couldn't activate again, had to do it by phone

Activates via internet fine now though :S

I'm guessing it must've been a flaw or something!

 

[lokkers]

My father-in-law had to reactive his OEM Vista HP the other week after installing the latest nvidia drivers from Windows Update. No hardware change, and the drivers from the official update

 

[Fire Wizard]

I'm pretty sure you only get asked to reactivate if you change your motherboard as somewhere in the T&C's of the OEM licence it clases a new mobo as a new computer.

Hello sneakypenguin, if you have purchased an OEM license and are looking at upgrading your motherboard, then you will require a new license as RJC has already stated.

I haven't personally experienced having to reactivate my copy of Windows Vista at all after a hardware change and/or upgrade. Now, even though there seems to be quite a few posts from users explaining that they have had to reactivate after a hardware change such as memory, I honestly don't it's as big as problem as it seems. For example - If everyone created a thread that has changed there hardware and haven't been asked to reactivate, how many threads would there be?

 

[Grumpy]

Using XP rather than Vista but have changed everything except the first HDD and it has allways activated over the net.