Windows Vista OEM

hargi · 29 Sep 2009 at 20:17

I been having trouble with my computer think its either a mb or processor issue but my copy of windows is OEM is it true that it will stop working if i replace the motherboard?

Mattus · 29 Sep 2009 at 21:36

I believe you're allowed to replace the motherboard with another of the same model if it's faulty.

sturmtruppe · 29 Sep 2009 at 21:37

I think you can ring MS and they should be able to help you out. I would ring them first to be safe - dunno what number you would need tho

raptormonkey · 29 Sep 2009 at 22:16

It won't stop working. You just need to phone MS if it doesn't 'activate' when you try to do that online.

robinbredin · 29 Sep 2009 at 23:05

I been having trouble with my computer think its either a mb or processor issue but my copy of windows is OEM is it true that it will stop working if i replace the motherboard?

If you replace your motherboard with an retail model, then your OEM software will not activate.

raptormonkey · 29 Sep 2009 at 23:11

robinbredin said:
If you replace your motherboard with an retail model, then your OEM software will not activate.

Not quite true.

Retail what? Motherboard? OS?

If he replaces the Motherboard, because it is faulty and then re-installs the OEM OS and tries to 'Activate' it online, 99% of the time it will do so automatically. If not, then all he has to do is ring the 0800 number and if put through to an MS bod explain what he has done. He will then get it activated. Never failed for me in the past!

If we are talking about the EULA etc, then it will probably still work even if the mobo was just being replaced because he wanted an upgrade. The matter would then be down to wether of not he really cares about the EULA / Licensing rules!!

stoofa · 30 Sep 2009 at 10:18

Of course he should care about licensing - because if he doesn't then he is nothing more than a pirate/thief and as we don't allow conversations of that kind here....

You can replace your motherboard under an OEM license in only one situation:

Your motherboard fails and is replaced under warranty with either the same or different model.

You cannot replace or swap your motherboard for any other reason (including if the motherboard fails and you just buy a new one) without breaking the license agreement.
Once you've broken the agreement you are no more license legal than a thieving pirate who downloaded their copy of the OS.
In that situation it was a complete waste of time/money every buying a copy of the OS.

As for those people who say "Just call up, they will activate it".
I can promise you now, if you do call up and actually tell the whole truth then your OS will NOT be reactivated.
Before I get pulled up on that - to those people who have called up, tell me you told the person on the phone the whole, 100% truth and still got reactivated.

raptormonkey · 30 Sep 2009 at 15:45

stoofa said:
Of course he should care about licensing - because if he doesn't then he is nothing more than a pirate/thief and as we don't allow conversations of that kind here....

You can replace your motherboard under an OEM license in only one situation:

Your motherboard fails and is replaced under warranty with either the same or different model.

You cannot replace or swap your motherboard for any other reason (including if the motherboard fails and you just buy a new one) without breaking the license agreement.
Once you've broken the agreement you are no more license legal than a thieving pirate who downloaded their copy of the OS.
In that situation it was a complete waste of time/money every buying a copy of the OS.

As for those people who say "Just call up, they will activate it".
I can promise you now, if you do call up and actually tell the whole truth then your OS will NOT be reactivated.
Before I get pulled up on that - to those people who have called up, tell me you told the person on the phone the whole, 100% truth and still got reactivated.

If Microsoft are willing to activate it, which they have done for me on many occasions, then i don't see any harm in it.

Yes, i told an MS bod that i had 'Swapped' the mobo for a newer version and had no problem in it being re-activated.

Do you think that MS really care if someone is trying to re-activate an OEM OS? I don't think so bud. It is the people who actually use 'pirated' software that they are after. If you think that re-activating an OEM version of the software is the same as using pirate software then you are in the minority bud.

I don't believe in people using pirated software.

So, if MS say that and they activate the OS, who's wrong? They gave the green light so what do we do? Tell MS that they can't activate it for us?

Buy the software, i agree. Use it more than twice etc, on 'your' PC, i agree. Download Illegal software, i am totally against.

If any 'Mod. thinks what i have written is against any rules here then i apologise in advance. Just wanted to get my point across. Be it wrong or right in some people's eyes.

WatchTower · 30 Sep 2009 at 15:57

If someones mobo dies and they replace it and re-install OEM Vista they're a thief? Don't be pathetic. Now if the guy was to trying to install his copy of Vista on Multiple PC I'd agree but he's not.

raptormonkey · 30 Sep 2009 at 16:10

WatchTower said:
If someones mobo dies and they replace it and re-install OEM Vista they're a thief? Don't be pathetic. Now if the guy was to trying to install his copy of Vista on Multiple PC I'd agree but he's not.

I agree. This is what i was trying to get across.

Some people take the EULA too seriously! We are only on about the average guy here. Not someone who deliberately goes out of his way to pirate software!

stoofa · 1 Oct 2009 at 11:45

WatchTower said:
If someones mobo dies and they replace it and re-install OEM Vista they're a thief? Don't be pathetic. Now if the guy was to trying to install his copy of Vista on Multiple PC I'd agree but he's not.

You know it really is a shame when people don't want to accept the truth.
People hear what they want to hear and when they hear something they don't like they get upset.

If somebody replaces their motherboard in any way OTHER than as a warranty swap their OEM license is no longer valid.
To continue using that license makes the user no more license legal than somebody who downloads a pirate copy from the internet.

I know you don't want to hear this.
As for "being pathetic" - no, I am telling you how it is.
If you decide to stick to the license agreement that is your call, but pretending that you are not license illegal because you "once bought an OEM copy" is extremely pathetic.

I'm afraid I class anyone who is not license legal as a pirate/thief.
Once again I'm sorry if the truth hurts - but that's just the way it is.
If you are not going to stick to the OEM license then don't ever buy a copy, simply download your OS.
Because as I said you are no more license legal.

Why people cannot understand the difference between OEM and Retail licenses and realise you get more than "support" when you pay for the boxed version over OEM, you get a much more flexible license agreement to.
But of course there are some people who lack the intelligence and simply buy on price alone.

raptormonkey · 1 Oct 2009 at 12:01

Usually, the only people who moan about others using an OEM again and again are the ones who went out and bought a retail copy!!

stoofa · 1 Oct 2009 at 12:03

raptormonkey said:
If Microsoft are willing to activate it, which they have done for me on many occasions, then i don't see any harm in it.

Yes, i told an MS bod that i had 'Swapped' the mobo for a newer version and had no problem in it being re-activated.

Do you think that MS really care if someone is trying to re-activate an OEM OS? I don't think so bud. It is the people who actually use 'pirated' software that they are after. If you think that re-activating an OEM version of the software is the same as using pirate software then you are in the minority bud.

I don't believe in people using pirated software.

So, if MS say that and they activate the OS, who's wrong? They gave the green light so what do we do? Tell MS that they can't activate it for us?

Buy the software, i agree. Use it more than twice etc, on 'your' PC, i agree. Download Illegal software, i am totally against.

If any 'Mod. thinks what i have written is against any rules here then i apologise in advance. Just wanted to get my point across. Be it wrong or right in some people's eyes.

If Microsoft are willing to activate it, which they have done for me on many occasions, then i don't see any harm in it.

It is not Microsoft that is authorising the reactivation.
Just because your product is activated does not mean it is legal - a lot of people do not realise this.

Yes, i told an MS bod that i had 'Swapped' the mobo for a newer version and had no problem in it being re-activated.

If you simply told the person on the phone you'd swapped your motherboard you would not have been reactivated.
I have a feeling the word "warranty" was used in your phone conversation.
As I said, don't tell the whole truth and it's easy to get reactivation.
However it still doesn't make you legal - see above.

Do you think that MS really care if someone is trying to re-activate an OEM OS? I don't think so bud. It is the people who actually use 'pirated' software that they are after. If you think that re-activating an OEM version of the software is the same as using pirate software then you are in the minority bud.

I'm not your "bud".
Yes Microsoft do care if people are trying to illegally reactivate their OS.
If they didn't then there would be no product activation - why have the process in place if they simply don't care?
Any "mass piracy" is not going to be done via mass installs of an OEM disk, so why not make all OEM disks activation free?
Why?
Because Microsoft do care.
Oh and just because I KNOW that using the OEM license outside of the T&C's does make you no more legal than a pirate doesn't neccessarily make me in the minority.
People like to place fingers in their ears when the inconvenient truth comes out.

I don't believe in people using pirated software.

What is pracy exactly?
Somebody downloading an illegal copy and installing it.
It's "piracy" because they are using the product outside of the license agreement (the aprt saying you will not copy or illegally distribute said product).
Using the OEM product outside of the license agreement is exactly the same.

So, if MS say that and they activate the OS, who's wrong? They gave the green light so what do we do? Tell MS that they can't activate it for us?

Call up the activation line and lie (sorry, withold some information if you prefer) and you will always get reactivated, 100%, without fail.
This is because the person on the phone can only go on the information given.
As I said above, an activated product is not neccessarily a legal product.

Buy the software, i agree. Use it more than twice etc, on 'your' PC, i agree. Download Illegal software, i am totally against.

Good to hear.
But why are you having such a difficult time realising that there is a massive difference between the OEM and Retail licenses?
OEM is cheap, geat of you only plan on owning 1 or 3 PC's during the OSs lifetime because you cannot transfer it.
Retail is more expensive, however can be transferred any number of times.
You pay your money you get the more flexible license - you simply want your cake and eat it.

stoofa · 1 Oct 2009 at 12:07

raptormonkey said:
Usually, the only people who moan about others using an OEM again and again are the ones who went out and bought a retail copy!!

Why are you finding it so difficult to understand that the more you pay the more flexible license you get?
For some reason there are some people around who just cannot understand this concept.

To break it down further, OEM licenses are not aimed at home users at all.
They are aimed at System builders as the cheapest way to sell Windows with a machine.
That is why the license is so restrictive - OEM license cheap, valid for one motherboard only.

The retail license is more expensive.
Why?
Because it can be moved from machine to machine and you can perform any number of motherbaord changes and the license is still valid.
This is the license aimed at the home user.

Now I'm sorry you are failing to understand this.
As I said in the post above you simply want your cake (Windows OEM - OO nice and cheap) and eat it (treat it like the more expensive Retail license).
And they you sit back and say you're doing nothing wrong (in your eyes of course).

Yes I've bough the reatil versions of the OS - have done ever since Windows 95.
That way I can move the OS around as much as I like.
No I haven't wasted my money because when I do a motherboard swap I'm still license legal and not a pirate.

raptormonkey · 1 Oct 2009 at 15:16

Figures bud. Guessed you had bought a retail copy!! lol

I bought OEM and have used it on a few different setups of my own. If MS activate it then thats good enough for me.

You can go on all you like about the licensing of the OS etc but as far as i am concerned bud, i bought the OS and if i want to use it again on the same PC i will do so. It is an individual choice. My choice.

And its not the more you pay the more flexible the licence gets as i have had no problem getting the OS activated which is good enough for me.

So bud, no point in trying to convert me. I have pre-ordered Win 7 though if that makes you feel any better!! lol

And just for the record, i have never used a 'Pirated' copy of any software!! I don't class using an OEM OS more than once, on the same PC as a Pirate type action etc.

BeeP · 1 Oct 2009 at 18:34

I think the point is that it's not the same PC if you change to another mobo.

sturmtruppe · 2 Oct 2009 at 10:09

Retail is far more worth the money. And I can sell it when i get a new O/S or use it elsewhere instead of throwing it in the bin.

Bane · 2 Oct 2009 at 20:08

Until Microsoft adapt a zero tolerance policy and refuse re-activation when they know the motherboard has been changed, possibly more than once, then the OEM market will still thrive.

Lets face it, Microsoft won't want the backlash of implementing the above. So it’s a complicity of Microsoft turning a blind eye.

If Microsoft seem so blasé about the license then it's to be expected the end user will be too.

It would be interesting to know if the activation human service would indeed refuse activation. I imagine it's dependant on the operator.

mmj_uk · 2 Oct 2009 at 21:38

If it doesn't automatically reactivate just ring Microsoft and go through the automated system (or you may need to talk a person), they'll reactivate it for you no problem as long as they know you aren't trying to use a single license on more than one computer at the same time.