Vista OEM or... ?

Hi all,

I'd like to upgrade PCs from my family to Vista (2 PC).

I also have to precise I regularly change PCs configuration : ex. I rebuilt
completly one of the PC to put a big graphic card (for Games): the mother
board and connectic were so old I had to change almost everything (box,
mother board, new wireless PCI card...). The only things that didn't changed
were the screen, the keyboard and the mouse :-)

Knowing this, what do you recommend : Vista OEM or the DVD pack?

And to be complete, is there somewhere reliable information with differences
and possiblities of all Vista version (number of installation, what can be
changed, what can't be changed in PC in order to reinstal, etc...)

Thx for help

You need to purchase retail versions of Windows Vista.
OEM versions cannot be used as an upgrade from a
previous version of Windows and do not permit a
significant hardware change, such as upgrading to a
different motherboard.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

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

"Vswildcat" <> wrote in message news:8D901142-EAC3-4E7A-B4F3-...
Hi all,

I'd like to upgrade PCs from my family to Vista (2 PC).

I also have to precise I regularly change PCs configuration : ex. I rebuilt
completly one of the PC to put a big graphic card (for Games): the mother
board and connectic were so old I had to change almost everything (box,
mother board, new wireless PCI card...). The only things that didn't changed
were the screen, the keyboard and the mouse :-)

Knowing this, what do you recommend : Vista OEM or the DVD pack?

And to be complete, is there somewhere reliable information with differences
and possiblities of all Vista version (number of installation, what can be
changed, what can't be changed in PC in order to reinstal, etc...)

Thx for help

More info:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070130-8730.html

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2087792,00.asp

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116485







--
oscar

....Right click is your best friend...


"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> You need to purchase retail versions of Windows Vista.
> OEM versions cannot be used as an upgrade from a
> previous version of Windows and do not permit a
> significant hardware change, such as upgrading to a
> different motherboard.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Vswildcat" <> wrote in message news:8D901142-EAC3-4E7A-B4F3-...
> Hi all,
>
> I'd like to upgrade PCs from my family to Vista (2 PC).
>
> I also have to precise I regularly change PCs configuration : ex. I rebuilt
> completly one of the PC to put a big graphic card (for Games): the mother
> board and connectic were so old I had to change almost everything (box,
> mother board, new wireless PCI card...). The only things that didn't changed
> were the screen, the keyboard and the mouse :-)
>
> Knowing this, what do you recommend : Vista OEM or the DVD pack?
>
> And to be complete, is there somewhere reliable information with differences
> and possiblities of all Vista version (number of installation, what can be
> changed, what can't be changed in PC in order to reinstal, etc...)
>
> Thx for help
>

Thank you for this answer. That's what I though...

Now what about the second thing : having detailed (and reliable) information
on what you can and can't do with Vista retail?

I found many forum, but there is everything and the contrary...

It's quite easy to find what you can do (or what you're suppose to be able
to do), but I'm a PC-pessimistic (I personnaly switched to Mac few month
ago), and I'd like to find impartial info on Vista.

I'm the "administrator" at home, I don't want to force my familly to switch
to Mac, but I'll have anyway to "repair" there PC if (when) crashes happen...

Thx again.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> You need to purchase retail versions of Windows Vista.
> OEM versions cannot be used as an upgrade from a
> previous version of Windows and do not permit a
> significant hardware change, such as upgrading to a
> different motherboard.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Vswildcat" <> wrote in message news:8D901142-EAC3-4E7A-B4F3-...
> Hi all,
>
> I'd like to upgrade PCs from my family to Vista (2 PC).
>
> I also have to precise I regularly change PCs configuration : ex. I rebuilt
> completly one of the PC to put a big graphic card (for Games): the mother
> board and connectic were so old I had to change almost everything (box,
> mother board, new wireless PCI card...). The only things that didn't changed
> were the screen, the keyboard and the mouse :-)
>
> Knowing this, what do you recommend : Vista OEM or the DVD pack?
>
> And to be complete, is there somewhere reliable information with differences
> and possiblities of all Vista version (number of installation, what can be
> changed, what can't be changed in PC in order to reinstal, etc...)
>
> Thx for help
>

Thx !!
Didn't saw your message before posting the nex one...

"oscar" wrote:

>
> More info:
>
> http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070130-8730.html
>
> http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2087792,00.asp
>
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116485
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> oscar
>
> ...Right click is your best friend...
>
>
> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:
>
> > You need to purchase retail versions of Windows Vista.
> > OEM versions cannot be used as an upgrade from a
> > previous version of Windows and do not permit a
> > significant hardware change, such as upgrading to a
> > different motherboard.
> >
> > --
> > Carey Frisch
> > Microsoft MVP
> > Windows Desktop Experience -
> > Windows Vista Enthusiast
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > "Vswildcat" <> wrote in message news:8D901142-EAC3-4E7A-B4F3-...
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I'd like to upgrade PCs from my family to Vista (2 PC).
> >
> > I also have to precise I regularly change PCs configuration : ex. I rebuilt
> > completly one of the PC to put a big graphic card (for Games): the mother
> > board and connectic were so old I had to change almost everything (box,
> > mother board, new wireless PCI card...). The only things that didn't changed
> > were the screen, the keyboard and the mouse :-)
> >
> > Knowing this, what do you recommend : Vista OEM or the DVD pack?
> >
> > And to be complete, is there somewhere reliable information with differences
> > and possiblities of all Vista version (number of installation, what can be
> > changed, what can't be changed in PC in order to reinstal, etc...)
> >
> > Thx for help
> >

On Jul 5, 1:24*pm, "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfri...@nospamgmail.com>
wrote:
> You need to purchase retail versions of Windows Vista.
> OEM versions cannot be used as an upgrade from a
> previous version of Windows and do not permit a
> significant hardware change, such as upgrading to a
> different motherboard.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Vswildcat" <Vswild...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in messagenews:8D901142-EAC3-4E7A-B4F3-...
>
> Hi all,
>
> I'd like to upgrade PCs from my family to Vista (2 PC).
>
> I also have to precise I regularly change PCs configuration : ex. I rebuilt
> completly one of the PC to put a big graphic card (for Games): the mother
> board and connectic were so old I had to change almost everything (box,
> mother board, new wireless PCI card...). The only things that didn't changed
> were the screen, the keyboard and the mouse :-)
>
> Knowing this, what do you recommend : Vista OEM or the DVD pack?
>
> And to be complete, is there somewhere reliable information with differences
> and possiblities of all Vista version (number of installation, what can be
> changed, what can't be changed in PC in order to reinstal, etc...)
>
> Thx for help

You know Carey normanlly I would agree with that but I been reading in
other forums were many have indeed made hardware changes to their
computer and to activated would be to call MS about it ,
( motherboards / CPU ) At which time they would . I have always
thought OEM versions you couldn't but it would seem that not the
case .

"" wrote:

> On Jul 5, 1:24 pm, "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfri...@nospamgmail.com>
> wrote:
> > You need to purchase retail versions of Windows Vista.
> > OEM versions cannot be used as an upgrade from a
> > previous version of Windows and do not permit a
> > significant hardware change, such as upgrading to a
> > different motherboard.
> >
> > --
> > Carey Frisch
> > Microsoft MVP
> > Windows Desktop Experience -
> > Windows Vista Enthusiast
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > "Vswildcat" <Vswild...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in messagenews:8D901142-EAC3-4E7A-B4F3-...
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I'd like to upgrade PCs from my family to Vista (2 PC).
> >
> > I also have to precise I regularly change PCs configuration : ex. I rebuilt
> > completly one of the PC to put a big graphic card (for Games): the mother
> > board and connectic were so old I had to change almost everything (box,
> > mother board, new wireless PCI card...). The only things that didn't changed
> > were the screen, the keyboard and the mouse :-)
> >
> > Knowing this, what do you recommend : Vista OEM or the DVD pack?
> >
> > And to be complete, is there somewhere reliable information with differences
> > and possiblities of all Vista version (number of installation, what can be
> > changed, what can't be changed in PC in order to reinstal, etc...)
> >
> > Thx for help
>
> You know Carey normanlly I would agree with that but I been reading in
> other forums were many have indeed made hardware changes to their
> computer and to activated would be to call MS about it ,
> ( motherboards / CPU ) At which time they would . I have always
> thought OEM versions you couldn't but it would seem that not the
> case .
>

Indeed, I also saw that : from the moment ou don't call too many times...
But I also saw it is not recommended to count on it : MS can just say no,
so... you'll be stuck.

BTW, I just found somehting interresting/weird : all vista version are on
Vista Basic DVD, and to upgrade, you would just need to call (probably buy)
an activation key. If this is true, this is probably cheaper to buy basic +
key to activate to premium or ultimate?

wrote:

>On Jul 5, 1:24*pm, "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfri...@nospamgmail.com>
>wrote:
>> You need to purchase retail versions of Windows Vista.
>> OEM versions cannot be used as an upgrade from a
>> previous version of Windows and do not permit a
>> significant hardware change, such as upgrading to a
>> different motherboard.
>>
>> --
>> Carey Frisch
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Desktop Experience -
>> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
>You know Carey normanlly I would agree with that but I been reading in
>other forums were many have indeed made hardware changes to their
>computer and to activated would be to call MS about it ,
>( motherboards / CPU ) At which time they would . I have always
>thought OEM versions you couldn't but it would seem that not the
>case .

Both of you are correct.

Fact is: those who are assisting with phone activation rarely refuse
the request.

Vswildcat <> wrote:

>BTW, I just found somehting interresting/weird : all vista version are on
>Vista Basic DVD, and to upgrade, you would just need to call (probably buy)
>an activation key. If this is true, this is probably cheaper to buy basic +
>key to activate to premium or ultimate?

You think MS hasn't already thought of that???

You will need a new key for your choice of upgrade... which means
you'll have to shell out more money.

On Jul 5, 3:18*pm, Nonny <nonnymo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Vswildcat <Vswild...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> >BTW, I just found somehting interresting/weird : all vista version are on
> >Vista Basic DVD, and to upgrade, you would just need to call (probably buy)
> >an activation key. If this is true, this is probably cheaper to buy basic +
> >key to activate to premium or ultimate?
>
> You think MS hasn't already thought of that???
>
> You will need a new key for your choice of upgrade... which means
> you'll have to shell out more money.

You would like to believe it is cheaper but don't count on that