Windows Home Activation

abbviper

abbviper

abbviper

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Hi i need some advice. I brought a computer last year with Windows Home pre installed on it. Since then I have upgraded my graphics card from a 5200 to 6800. My DVD rewriter broke so i ordered a new one from overclockers, after i put it in, Windows is now saying my hardware has changed significantly and i need a new key. Does this mean i now have to buy windows again? I have tried entering my key again but it just says it is invalid :confused:
 
abbviper said:
Hi i need some advice. I brought a computer last year with Windows Home pre installed on it. Since then I have upgraded my graphics card from a 5200 to 6800. My DVD rewriter broke so i ordered a new one from overclockers, after i put it in, Windows is now saying my hardware has changed significantly and i need a new key. Does this mean i now have to buy windows again? I have tried entering my key again but it just says it is invalid :confused:
Click to expand...

Should be able to phone them up and get a new key. Not too sure since I build my own PC's and buy the Windows OS.
 
choose the activation over the phone method and call them. you'll then get to speak to a human being who will probably interogate you about where you bought your pc from and what you've been doing with it. :D

I usually find the phrase "oh **** this I'll just go and install linux instead" usually gets results where MS is concerned. ;)
 
Slam62 said:
I find this situation ridiculous, you should be able to activate it over the internet with those few changes. Microsoft are really turning the screw now, its enough to make a man get a pirate copy :o
Click to expand...

Don't get so excited, no one needs a new key, if you phone the number given you'll get asked a few simple questions ("did Windows come installed on your computer?" and "Is the same software installed on any other computers or just this one?" and you'll get an activation code over the phone. Completely painless.
 
Slam62 said:
I find this situation ridiculous, you should be able to activate it over the internet with those few changes. Microsoft are really turning the screw now, its enough to make a man get a pirate copy :o
Click to expand...

Calm down - for some reason MS are trying to protect their IP from people who don't seem to care about the law and are more than willing to steal their software.
Sorry if this seems a little inconsiderate of them and everything.

There is no new key required, there is also no need to try and trick your way around their Activation system.
Oh and speaking to the girl on the activation phone and saying "I'll install Linux then" is really going to make her sit up and give you exactly what you want.....yer right.

Your steps are as follows:

1. Choose activation by phone
2. Enter the code that appears on the screen through the phone keypad
3a. You get a code read back to you, enter it and you are activated. However with an OEM copy, expect to actually go to 3b instead.
3b. You are asked to hang on the line while you are transferred to an operator.
4. You are asked the reason for activation - you answer with the truth, you've upgraded a couple of components.
5. You are asked how many machines this copy of Windows is installed on - you answer with the truth, 1 single machine as per the license agreement.
6. They read out a number, you enter it and click "activate".

Please not that the above method can take anything up to 10 minutes of your time on a freephone call.
Damn M$ to hellz!!
 
I have a genuine OEM version of XP Home that I had installed on my PC.

I've since re-formatted and installed a genuine Windows XP Pro that I obtained through my universities MSDN academic alliance scheme.

I now have my genuine OEM version of XP Home just sitting around.

I have a Dell Laptop that I've just formatted. Damn you Dell and all the pap you insist on including!

Would I be able to install XP Home OEM on my Laptop?
 
GuruJockStrap said:
I have a genuine OEM version of XP Home that I had installed on my PC.

I've since re-formatted and installed a genuine Windows XP Pro that I obtained through my universities MSDN academic alliance scheme.

I now have my genuine OEM version of XP Home just sitting around.

I have a Dell Laptop that I've just formatted. Damn you Dell and all the pap you insist on including!

Would I be able to install XP Home OEM on my Laptop?
Click to expand...

No. The OEM copy of XP is tied to your original PC. You can use the OEM disk and the license number that came with the Dell, that would be OK and you would get a clean reinstall with none of the Dell carp
Brian
 
Brian Stuart said:
No. The OEM copy of XP is tied to your original PC. You can use the OEM disk and the license number that came with the Dell, that would be OK and you would get a clean reinstall with none of the Dell carp
Brian
Click to expand...

Can't do that you.

My laptop came with a hidden partition on the HD with an image of the factory default (Dell bloated) installation.

No recovery CD and definitly no original Windows CD.:(
 
GuruJockStrap said:
Can't do that you.

My laptop came with a hidden partition on the HD with an image of the factory default (Dell bloated) installation.

No recovery CD and definitly no original Windows CD.:(
Click to expand...

Your Dell laptop should have the COA sticker on it somewhere. Just obtain a CD of that version of windows and type in the original serial key from the COA label.
 
burnsy2023 said:
I know its bizzare, but quite common with performance Dell lappies.

Legally speaking, you could probably install Windows XP Home and possibly pro because of your downgrade rights (stated in the EULA)

Burnsy
Click to expand...

Got anymore information on that?
 
I think you'll find that the downgrade rights are only applicable to actual licenses purchased and not OEM licenses.

To anybody who doesn't know, obviously MS replace versions of programs with newer ones.
However businesses quite often decide on a version and stick with it a while.
Problems occur if for example you want to buy a license for Office 2000 but you can only buy Office 2003 licenses.
MS allow you to run a previous software version under a license.
So I buy a Office 2003 license I can actually use that to run Office 2000 instead.
I buy a Win2k3 Server CAL, I can use it as a Win2k Server CAL etc.

This is also the case if I buy OS licenses - I buy for example 20 WinXP Professional licenses I can instead choose to run Win2000 Professional instead.
However as far as I know this is only for licenses (paper licenses) and not the case for OEM.
Also it is a like-for-like version not a lower version.
You cannot for example buy licenses for WinXP Home (as they are not considered a business OS).
If you buy WinXP Professional licenses you wouldn't actually be able to use those to legally run Home.
Those licenses would be good for WinXP Professional or Win2k Professional only.
 
Unfortuently, you have no downgrade rights, but only becuase you are using MCE or Tablet edition. Sorry mate.

However:

stoofa said:
You cannot for example buy licenses for WinXP Home (as they are not considered a business OS).
Click to expand...
This isn't correct, it's applicible to OEM licences as well.
stoofa said:
If you buy WinXP Professional licenses you wouldn't actually be able to use those to legally run Home.
Click to expand...
Not sure on this, its a rather grey area.

stoofa said:
Those licenses would be good for WinXP Professional or Win2k Professional only.
Click to expand...

Wrong. They are fine for NT and even 98.

Here's an extract of the XP Pro OEM EULA:
1.7 Use of Previous Version Of SOFTWARE. If the COA which
accompanies the HARDWARE identifies the SOFTWARE as
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SOFTWARE, then in
lieu of installing and using Microsoft Windows XP
Professional SOFTWARE, you may install, use, access,
display and run the same language version of ONE
(1) of the following versions: Microsoft(R)
Windows(R) 2000 Professional, Microsoft(R) Windows(R)
NT Workstation version 4.0 or Microsoft(R) Windows(R)
98 (Second Edition) ("Downgrade Software") on the
COMPUTER, provided (1) you agree that Downgrade
Software support will NOT be provided hereunder by
Manufacturer, MS or Microsoft Corporation, their
affiliates or subsidiaries; (2) you agree that neither
Manufacturer, MS nor Microsoft Corporation are obligated
to provide you with the Downgrade Software or media; (3)
you may not loan, rent, lease, lend or otherwise
transfer the CD or back-up copy of Microsoft Windows XP
Professional to another end user, except as otherwise
provided in the transfer provisions of this EULA;
and (4) such Downgrade Software shall be deemed
"SOFTWARE" for the purposes of this EULA and use
of the Downgrade Software shall be in compliance
with all the terms of this EULA, except that, with
respect to Microsoft Windows 98 (Second Edition),
your Connection Maximum shall be limited to five
(5) Devices. If you exercise the downgrade rights
granted herein, you may install, use, access, display
and run the Microsoft Windows XP Professional
SOFTWARE, provided (1) you remove the Downgrade
Software from your hard drive; (2) you do not loan,
rent, lease, lend or otherwise transfer the CD
or back-up copy of Downgrade Software to another
end user, except as otherwise provided in the transfer
provisions of the EULA for the Downgrade Software;
and (3) such Microsoft Windows XP Professional
SOFTWARE shall be deemed "SOFTWARE" for the purposes
of this EULA and use of the Microsoft Windows XP
Professional SOFTWARE shall be in compliance with
all of the terms of this EULA. If the COA which
accompanies the HARDWARE identifies the SOFTWARE
as either Windows XP Tablet PC Edition or Windows
XP Media Center Edition 2004 then no downgrade
rights are granted herein.
Click to expand...

Burnsy
 
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