Windows Vista OEM re-activation

I bought a load of new kit (including motherboard, graphics card, more
memory and new CPU). Internet re-activation failed (as I thought it would),
so did automated phone activation. But 2 minutes later, I was fully
re-activated after speaking to a Microsoft rep.

So this was essentially a complete new PC, but my generic OEM key was
validated without question. I just said I'd made a hardware change, and that
Windows was only intalled on one PC (which is the case).

What the EULA says regarding OEM installs and what can actually be done are
two different things!

On Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:17:57 +0000, Brian W wrote:

> I bought a load of new kit (including motherboard, graphics card, more
> memory and new CPU). Internet re-activation failed (as I thought it
> would), so did automated phone activation. But 2 minutes later, I was
> fully re-activated after speaking to a Microsoft rep.
>
> So this was essentially a complete new PC, but my generic OEM key was
> validated without question. I just said I'd made a hardware change, and
> that Windows was only intalled on one PC (which is the case).
>
> What the EULA says regarding OEM installs and what can actually be done
> are two different things!

Yea I don't think that even Microsoft would want to deal with the
backlash they'd get if they'd actually enforce the complete
ridiculousness of their OEM EULA. Nobody in their right mind is about to
throw away their operating system and buy a new copy just because they
changed a piece of hardware.


--
Stephan
2003 Yamaha R6

������出�日�ん�����
����忘れ�������ら

The OEM license agreement forbids what you did (depending on your definition
of a PC), but as you found out, reality is usually quite different. I have
never had an activation issue under those same circumstances.

--

----
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How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
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__________________________________________________ _______________________________


"Brian W" <> wrote in message
news:Vk1Ni.98$...
>I bought a load of new kit (including motherboard, graphics card, more
>memory and new CPU). Internet re-activation failed (as I thought it would),
>so did automated phone activation. But 2 minutes later, I was fully
>re-activated after speaking to a Microsoft rep.
>
> So this was essentially a complete new PC, but my generic OEM key was
> validated without question. I just said I'd made a hardware change, and
> that Windows was only intalled on one PC (which is the case).
>
> What the EULA says regarding OEM installs and what can actually be done
> are two different things!
>

It sounds like the OP did an upgrade, major and almost everything, but
still an upgrade.
And an upgrade is still the same computer and thus the same license is
still valid.

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


"David B." <> wrote in message
news:%...
> The OEM license agreement forbids what you did (depending on your
> definition of a PC), but as you found out, reality is usually quite
> different. I have never had an activation issue under those same
> circumstances.
>
> --
>
> ----
> Crosspost, do not multipost
> http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
> How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

It sounds like an upgrade.
A major one but still essentially an upgrade.

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


"Brian W" <> wrote in message
news:Vk1Ni.98$...
>I bought a load of new kit (including motherboard, graphics card,
>more memory and new CPU). Internet re-activation failed (as I thought
>it would), so did automated phone activation. But 2 minutes later, I
>was fully re-activated after speaking to a Microsoft rep.
>
> So this was essentially a complete new PC, but my generic OEM key
> was validated without question. I just said I'd made a hardware
> change, and that Windows was only intalled on one PC (which is the
> case).
>
> What the EULA says regarding OEM installs and what can actually be
> done are two different things!
>

As I said, it depends on what the license means by PC, IIRC it's not clearly
defined. Some of the MVP's say the motherboard is the qualifying part, some
say the entire PC, some say in between.

--

----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
__________________________________________________ _______________________________


"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> It sounds like the OP did an upgrade, major and almost everything, but
> still an upgrade.
> And an upgrade is still the same computer and thus the same license is
> still valid.
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
> http://www.dts-l.org
>
>
> "David B." <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> The OEM license agreement forbids what you did (depending on your
>> definition of a PC), but as you found out, reality is usually quite
>> different. I have never had an activation issue under those same
>> circumstances.
>>
>> --
>>
>> ----
>> Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
>> How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>

Nothing in the license agreement says motherboard although some make
reference to private sites not normally accessible to many users.

For practical purposes, many major OEMs have the Windows media tied to
the BIOS on the motherboard which tends to make the motherboard a
determining factor.
However that is a decision made by the OEM and does not apply to
generic OEM which can be installed on any brand computer.

By the OP description, the case and other hardware remains which
clearly leaves room for an upgrade.

However if the OP feels it is entirely a new computer then the OP must
also feel the license has been violated since the license was agreed
and hopefully read.

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


"David B." <> wrote in message
news:...
> As I said, it depends on what the license means by PC, IIRC it's not
> clearly defined. Some of the MVP's say the motherboard is the
> qualifying part, some say the entire PC, some say in between.
>
> --
>
> ----
> Crosspost, do not multipost
> http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
> How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> __________________________________________________ _______________________________
>
>
> "Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> It sounds like the OP did an upgrade, major and almost everything,
>> but still an upgrade.
>> And an upgrade is still the same computer and thus the same license
>> is still valid.
>>
>> --
>> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
>> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
>> http://www.dts-l.org
>>
>>
>> "David B." <> wrote in message
>> news:%...
>>> The OEM license agreement forbids what you did (depending on your
>>> definition of a PC), but as you found out, reality is usually
>>> quite different. I have never had an activation issue under those
>>> same circumstances.
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> ----
>>> Crosspost, do not multipost
>>> http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
>>> How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>>
>

I am aware of all of that, I was just stating that it is a subject with much
debate over what defines a different PC, and it is not clearly spelled out
in the LA.

--

----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
__________________________________________________ _______________________________


"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Nothing in the license agreement says motherboard although some make
> reference to private sites not normally accessible to many users.
>
> For practical purposes, many major OEMs have the Windows media tied to the
> BIOS on the motherboard which tends to make the motherboard a determining
> factor.
> However that is a decision made by the OEM and does not apply to generic
> OEM which can be installed on any brand computer.
>
> By the OP description, the case and other hardware remains which clearly
> leaves room for an upgrade.
>
> However if the OP feels it is entirely a new computer then the OP must
> also feel the license has been violated since the license was agreed and
> hopefully read.
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
> http://www.dts-l.org
>
>
> "David B." <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> As I said, it depends on what the license means by PC, IIRC it's not
>> clearly defined. Some of the MVP's say the motherboard is the qualifying
>> part, some say the entire PC, some say in between.
>>
>> --
>>
>> ----
>> Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
>> How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>> __________________________________________________ _______________________________
>>
>>
>> "Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <> wrote in message
>> news:%...
>>> It sounds like the OP did an upgrade, major and almost everything, but
>>> still an upgrade.
>>> And an upgrade is still the same computer and thus the same license is
>>> still valid.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
>>> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
>>> http://www.dts-l.org
>>>
>>>
>>> "David B." <> wrote in message
>>> news:%...
>>>> The OEM license agreement forbids what you did (depending on your
>>>> definition of a PC), but as you found out, reality is usually quite
>>>> different. I have never had an activation issue under those same
>>>> circumstances.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> ----
>>>> Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>>> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
>>>> How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>>>
>>
>

"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Nothing in the license agreement says motherboard although some make
> reference to private sites not normally accessible to many users.
>
> For practical purposes, many major OEMs have the Windows media tied to the
> BIOS on the motherboard which tends to make the motherboard a determining
> factor.
> However that is a decision made by the OEM and does not apply to generic
> OEM which can be installed on any brand computer.
>
> By the OP description, the case and other hardware remains which clearly
> leaves room for an upgrade.

I changed the case as well! All that's left of the original kit is the HDD I
installed Vista on originally (note this is not the hardware that came with
the licence, as the OEM disc was purchased legally without any hardware
under UK law).

As far as I'm concerned, I've simply upgraded several PC components in one
go (which isn't in violation of the EULA).

Then is sounds to me like an upgrade.

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


"Brian W" <> wrote in message > I
changed the case as well! All that's left of the original kit is the
HDD I
> installed Vista on originally (note this is not the hardware that
> came with the licence, as the OEM disc was purchased legally without
> any hardware under UK law).
>
> As far as I'm concerned, I've simply upgraded several PC components
> in one go (which isn't in violation of the EULA).