Releasing a Vista license

I have a laptop with Vista Business installed. I need to reformat the drive
and install Win XP on that machine. I would like to release the Vista license
prior to reformatting it and use it on a different computer. It is a volume
license and has a MAK.

Is there a way to do this? I just don't want to burn a license when I
reformat the one machine.

Thanks

Just take your vista disk and the product key from the green sticker on
the side of your computers case(or from the package)and install vista on
the new computer.

You will have to activate vista by phone.

Thats it.


--
joel406

Since it is a Volume License, you need to talk to the IT department of
your organization.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"a_guy_and_a_dog" <> wrote in
message news:C79B1D59-8A19-4089-979E-...
>I have a laptop with Vista Business installed. I need to reformat the
>drive
> and install Win XP on that machine. I would like to release the
> Vista license
> prior to reformatting it and use it on a different computer. It is a
> volume
> license and has a MAK.
>
> Is there a way to do this? I just don't want to burn a license when
> I
> reformat the one machine.
>
> Thanks

That does not apply to Volume License.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"joel406" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Just take your vista disk and the product key from the green sticker
> on
> the side of your computers case(or from the package)and install
> vista on
> the new computer.
>
> You will have to activate vista by phone.
>
> Thats it.
>
>
> --
> joel406

On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:12:57 -0600, "Jupiter Jones [MVP]"
<> wrote:

>That does not apply to Volume License.

Why do you keep acting like you work for Microsoft when you clearly
don't?

"Whenever an operating system is reinstalled, the computer
will have to be reactivated and thus, if you are using MAK,
it will count against the total number of activations.
Additional activations are available by calling the
Product Activation Call Center."

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../bb335291.aspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------

"a_guy_and_a_dog" wrote:

I have a laptop with Vista Business installed. I need to reformat the drive
and install Win XP on that machine. I would like to release the Vista license
prior to reformatting it and use it on a different computer. It is a volume
license and has a MAK.

Is there a way to do this? I just don't want to burn a license when I
reformat the one machine.

Thanks

Adam Albright wrote:
> On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:12:57 -0600, "Jupiter Jones [MVP]"
> <> wrote:
>
>
>>That does not apply to Volume License.
>
>
> Why do you keep acting like you work for Microsoft when you clearly
> don't?
>

Why do you keep acting like a big mouth idiot?
Oh...cause you are?
Figures.
Frank

I am the IT manager. Thanks though.



"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:

> Since it is a Volume License, you need to talk to the IT department of
> your organization.
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
> http://www.dts-l.org
>
>
> "a_guy_and_a_dog" <> wrote in
> message news:C79B1D59-8A19-4089-979E-...
> >I have a laptop with Vista Business installed. I need to reformat the
> >drive
> > and install Win XP on that machine. I would like to release the
> > Vista license
> > prior to reformatting it and use it on a different computer. It is a
> > volume
> > license and has a MAK.
> >
> > Is there a way to do this? I just don't want to burn a license when
> > I
> > reformat the one machine.
> >
> > Thanks
>
>

Thanks Carey. That is what I was afraid of. I was really hoping that there
was some kind of "self serve" method where you could release and re-use a
license. It seems kind of silly to me that there isn't. Anyhow, I apreciate
your answer and will have to contact Misrosoft to reclaim that license.

Thanks,

Mike Smith
MCSE/CCNP

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> "Whenever an operating system is reinstalled, the computer
> will have to be reactivated and thus, if you are using MAK,
> it will count against the total number of activations.
> Additional activations are available by calling the
> Product Activation Call Center."
>
> Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../bb335291.aspx
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "a_guy_and_a_dog" wrote:
>
> I have a laptop with Vista Business installed. I need to reformat the drive
> and install Win XP on that machine. I would like to release the Vista license
> prior to reformatting it and use it on a different computer. It is a volume
> license and has a MAK.
>
> Is there a way to do this? I just don't want to burn a license when I
> reformat the one machine.
>
> Thanks