Installing Vista OEM version on a different computer

I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home Premium
pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista Ultimate
and have installed it on the new HP computer.

Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
(Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
computer?

Also, provided it is legal to do so, would I just use the Ultimate DVD for
the install but use the Home Premium Product key to install Vista on my Dell
computer?

Thanks

"pk" <> wrote in message
news:43A2ED06-6021-48EC-AEF4-...
>I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home
>Premium
> pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
> instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista
> Ultimate
> and have installed it on the new HP computer.
>
> Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
> (Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
> computer?
>
> Also, provided it is legal to do so, would I just use the Ultimate DVD for
> the install but use the Home Premium Product key to install Vista on my
> Dell
> computer?
>
> Thanks


Legally? You will have consult a lawyer etc. etc.

Microsoftally? Microsoft would probably say the OEM license is for only the
computer Windows was first installed & activated on .. and usually not
thereafter transferable to another computer.

Morally? Don't steal nor be the cause any grievous copywrite offence.

Saucy

OEM Versions of Windows Vista are non transferrable, they are tied to the
motherboard.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"pk" <> wrote in message
news:43A2ED06-6021-48EC-AEF4-...
>I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home
>Premium
> pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
> instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista
> Ultimate
> and have installed it on the new HP computer.
>
> Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
> (Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
> computer?
>
> Also, provided it is legal to do so, would I just use the Ultimate DVD for
> the install but use the Home Premium Product key to install Vista on my
> Dell
> computer?
>
> Thanks

On Mon, 24 Dec 2007 16:28:00 -0800, pk <>
wrote:

> I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home Premium
> pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
> instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista Ultimate
> and have installed it on the new HP computer.
>
> Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
> (Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
> computer?


Unfortunately, no. If the HP came with Vista preinstalled, it's an OEM
version of Vista. The biggest disadvantage of an OEM version is that
its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed
on. It can never legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given
away without the computer it came with.

This is the main reason I almost always recommend against OEM
versions.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Mon, 24 Dec 2007 20:12:10 -0500, "Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]"
<> wrote:

>OEM Versions of Windows Vista are non transferrable, they are tied to the
>motherboard.

That really depends on the TYPE of OEM distro one has. Some are
BIOS-locked, while some (Like Dell's) is a "FULL OEM" which will only
install "pre-activated" on a Dell motherboard, but will ALSO install
(not pre-activated) on any Intel-based PC. I've heard that HP's OEMs
are more cheaply-made, so they probably will only install on a machine
with an HP motherboard.

Now, if you are referring to the LICENSE, that of course, is
non-transferrable to a second machine, according to Microsoft's OEM
license.

This is also the case for so-called "FULL OEM" distros. Their
licenses may only be applied to a single machine, unless sold to a new
owner (according to the terms of the EULA, of course), in which case,
the new owner may only use the license on the machine with which it
was sold.


Donald L.McDaniel
Please reply to original thread and newsgroup.
================================================

No, not to the motherboard unless the company that sold the computer to him
says its tied to the motherboard..

it is tied to the "computer" and the computer is a fuzzy term since you can
change some components at a time, and over time you might end up with
totally different hardware thus having a new computer...

Microsft itself does not mention "motherboard" this is an urban myth that is
going around..

something like the "vista is faster than xp" myth

"Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]" <> wrote in message
news:...
> OEM Versions of Windows Vista are non transferrable, they are tied to the
> motherboard.
> --
> Andre
> Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
> My Vista Quickstart Guide:
> http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
> "pk" <> wrote in message
> news:43A2ED06-6021-48EC-AEF4-...
>>I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home
>>Premium
>> pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
>> instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista
>> Ultimate
>> and have installed it on the new HP computer.
>>
>> Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
>> (Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
>> computer?
>>
>> Also, provided it is legal to do so, would I just use the Ultimate DVD
>> for
>> the install but use the Home Premium Product key to install Vista on my
>> Dell
>> computer?
>>
>> Thanks
>
>

Hypothetically this scenario might have happened
.... due to bad weather and stormes various components like the motherboard
got fried on the original computer, thus you had to replace them...
activation by phone would then restore the computers function


"pk" <> wrote in message
news:43A2ED06-6021-48EC-AEF4-...
>I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home
>Premium
> pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
> instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista
> Ultimate
> and have installed it on the new HP computer.
>
> Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
> (Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
> computer?
>
> Also, provided it is legal to do so, would I just use the Ultimate DVD for
> the install but use the Home Premium Product key to install Vista on my
> Dell
> computer?
>
> Thanks

1. NO
2. NO

"pk" wrote:

> I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home Premium
> pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
> instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista Ultimate
> and have installed it on the new HP computer.
>
> Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
> (Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
> computer?
>
> Also, provided it is legal to do so, would I just use the Ultimate DVD for
> the install but use the Home Premium Product key to install Vista on my Dell
> computer?
>
> Thanks

Hi,

My two cents and see if it works out for you,

Using Amazon's price for reference,

(1) Ultimate full version: USD 323
(2) Home Premium 32-bit OEM: USD 109
(3) Ultimate 64-bit OEM: USD 193 (rounded)

So if you return the full version and buy the OEM version for each, you will
save USD 21 and can have both.

Please noted that OEM version cannot be transferred to another system, and
you may want to compare with the upgrade versions, but the above could give
you an idea about how to get what you wanted.

Hope this helps and good luck.




"pk" <> wrote in message
news:43A2ED06-6021-48EC-AEF4-...
>I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home
>Premium
> pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
> instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista
> Ultimate
> and have installed it on the new HP computer.
>
> Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
> (Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
> computer?
>
> Also, provided it is legal to do so, would I just use the Ultimate DVD for
> the install but use the Home Premium Product key to install Vista on my
> Dell
> computer?
>
> Thanks

Legally I can't say. I know MSFT allows one software license to be activated
on the licensee's computer and a laptop. Philosophically speaking, MSFT
would want you to do in this situation whatever gets them more of your money
(say, buy two licenses for each computer). Ethically and morally I believe
you should be within your rights to switch the OS to another computer if you
want to. You are not cheating anyone out of a license fee; you paid for both
OS's, you should use them how you wish as long as you're not trying to use
one license for multiple computers. For what it's worth, that's my opinion.

"pk" wrote:

> I recently purchased a new computer from HP that came with Vista Home Premium
> pre-installed but decided I wanted to install and use Vista Ultimate-64
> instead. I bought a full-version (not the upgrade version) of Vista Ultimate
> and have installed it on the new HP computer.
>
> Can I now, legally, install Vista Home Premium on a different computer
> (Dell) using the product key and license that originally came with my new
> computer?
>
> Also, provided it is legal to do so, would I just use the Ultimate DVD for
> the install but use the Home Premium Product key to install Vista on my Dell
> computer?
>
> Thanks