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Windows Forum / Windows Vista / Setup and Deployment / May 2007Activating Windows Vista
I'm on Home Premium 64bit and installed on this computer. Then upgraded the CPU, RAM and replaced the motherboard. On the first install I activated Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use. Anyone know what I should do? > I'm on Home Premium 64bit and installed on this computer. Then upgraded > the > CPU, RAM and replaced the motherboard. On the first install I activated > Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use. > Anyone know what I should do? You call MS Activation Support to have them reactivate it.You should have seen a phone number somewhere in your attempt to activate it. Hi Andrew, Start activation, choose the option to phone it in. If it doesn't do it through the automated system, get a representative on the line and explain what you did. By the by, if this copy of Vista was OEM (purchased as stand-alone OEM disk or came preinstalled on the system), then you cannot migrate it to new hardware and would need a new license for Vista. Only retail box versions of Vista can be moved to different hardware, OEM versions are locked to hardware they are first activated on.  SignatureBest of Luck, Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/ Windows help - www.rickrogers.org My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com > I'm on Home Premium 64bit and installed on this computer. Then upgraded > the > CPU, RAM and replaced the motherboard. On the first install I activated > Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use. > Anyone know what I should do? Oh dear, its OEM. Thanks for your help anyway. > Hi Andrew, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use. > > Anyone know what I should do? Hmmmm...I think that if all Andrew did was to upgrade those three components that would not equate to a different "box" and it would be legal for him to use the same OEM license. When he phones in the activation he would only need to explain what he upgraded and he should be activated without a problem. But I'm not a EULA expert either... Tim > Hi Andrew, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use. >> Anyone know what I should do? Niether am I an expert at the EULA, but a new motherboard, cpu, and ram is essentially a new system. All other components can be swapped with minimal impact on how a system operates, but those core ones define the system's capabilities. SignatureBest of Luck, Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/ Windows help - www.rickrogers.org My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com > Hmmmm...I think that if all Andrew did was to upgrade those three > components that would not equate to a different "box" and it would be [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >>> Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use. >>> Anyone know what I should do? I tried this with XP Pro and ran into problems. I have a Dell and upgraded the mb, ram and cpu and the idiot in India, or wherever, gave me nothing but grief. Said I should call Dell to get a new number! >Hmmmm...I think that if all Andrew did was to upgrade those three components >that would not equate to a different "box" and it would be legal for him to [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >>> Windows and when I try to activate now it says my key is already in use. >>> Anyone know what I should do? I think XP OEM licenses really are tied to a motherboard, not a "system." >I tried this with XP Pro and ran into problems. I have a Dell and > upgraded the mb, ram and cpu and the idiot in India, or wherever, gave [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] >>>> use. >>>> Anyone know what I should do? Looks like you are correct. I found this well-written article on InfoWorld: http://weblog.infoworld.com/gripeline/archives/2007/05/motherboard_rep.html Of particular interest is this paragraph: "Fortunately, I was able to find a Microsoft official who was gracious enough to look into the reader's questions for me. "The rule is in place to protect the OEM, or in this specific case the System Builder, so that as computers are upgraded, the System Builder is not obligated (per the EULA) to support a version of Windows that may be on what is essentially a new PC," wrote Tom Moran, director of customer and partner experience for Microsoft Operations. "Generally, you may upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on your customer's computer and the end user may maintain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software, with the exception of an upgrade or replacement of the motherboard. Upgrading the motherboard essentially results in a new computer, to which the original operating system software cannot be transferred. This is not the case if the motherboard is replaced (same make/model) due to a defect." Personally, as someone who has been building PCs for many years, I wasn't aware of this and I find this disturbing. Shouldn't "not enough RAM capacity on the motherboard to run Vista" be considered a "defect"? ;-) Tim >I think XP OEM licenses really are tied to a motherboard, not a "system." > [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] >>>>> use. >>>>> Anyone know what I should do? Yes it probably should, so do you think I should try using the automated phone line to activate anyway and just explain to a technician what I have done? > Looks like you are correct. I found this well-written article on InfoWorld: > http://weblog.infoworld.com/gripeline/archives/2007/05/motherboard_rep.html [quoted text clipped - 61 lines] > >>>>> use. > >>>>> Anyone know what I should do? Well...other than purchasing a new Vista license, you really don't have a choice (the worst that could happen is that they say no). Hope you get to talk to someone a little on the sympathetic side when you call :-) Good luck...and if you do call, please post back with what happens. I would be very interested to hear what happens. Tim > Yes it probably should, so do you think I should try using the automated > phone line to activate anyway and just explain to a technician what I have [quoted text clipped - 75 lines] >> >>>>> use. >> >>>>> Anyone know what I should do? Thanks for your help, that article on InfoWorld was really good. I'm pretty sure I'll need lots of luck too. And I definitely will post the outcome. Thanks, Andrew > Well...other than purchasing a new Vista license, you really don't have a > choice (the worst that could happen is that they say no). Hope you get to [quoted text clipped - 84 lines] > >> >>>>> use. > >> >>>>> Anyone know what I should do? Right, I called the activation line and eventually was put onto a tech. I explained the problem and he apologised profusely but refuse. So I phoned again the next day. This time i was told in no uncertain terms where to go!!! I then phoned yet again for one last go and got somebody either incompetent or sympathetic, but they activated it for me anyway. Within two days i got Blue Screen of Doom and the computer refuses to boot. Replaced hard drive and installed xp, it works fine. So I'm now looking at getting a new license for Vista but going for Ultimate this time. And I have another question. What difference will 32bit windows make on a 64bit CPU as i have heard that there are fewer compatibility issues on 32bit. Thanks everyone, Andrew > Well...other than purchasing a new Vista license, you really don't have a > choice (the worst that could happen is that they say no). Hope you get to [quoted text clipped - 84 lines] > >> >>>>> use. > >> >>>>> Anyone know what I should do? What an interesting story...thanks for posting. Sorry about the sad ending. You are correct, there are fewer issues with 32 bit versus 64 bit Windows...drivers mostly. I don't see any real advantage to running 64 bit right now, at least until 64 bit applications come out. If you purchase 32 bit Windows now, I don't think there is an upgrade to 64 bit Windows, so it would end up costing you more money. We went through the same exercise when switching from 16 to 32 bit years ago. Tim > Right, I called the activation line and eventually was put onto a tech. I > explained the problem and he apologised profusely but refuse. So I phoned [quoted text clipped - 118 lines] >> >> >>>>> use. >> >> >>>>> Anyone know what I should do? Just tell the activation rep that you had to replace a defective motherboard with a different model because the original model is no longer available. Gary VanderMolen > Yes it probably should, so do you think I should try using the automated > phone line to activate anyway and just explain to a technician what I have [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] >> >>>>> use. >> >>>>> Anyone know what I should do? > Just tell the activation rep that you had to replace a defective > motherboard with a different model because the original model is > no longer available. > > Gary VanderMolen Or not suitable for running Vista. If Vista never ran properly on the first one, then a Vista license shouldn't be tied to it. (I've lost track of whether that was actually the situation being asked about.) >> Yes it probably should, so do you think I should try using the automated >> phone line to activate anyway and just explain to a technician what I [quoted text clipped - 80 lines] >>> >>>>> use. >>> >>>>> Anyone know what I should do? |
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