Activation: recycling an existing license

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chris Cowles
  • Start date Start date
C

Chris Cowles

I have a full retail license for Vista Ultimate installed on a
computer. I'm buying a new computer with an OEM license for Home
Premium. I want to apply the Ultimate license from the old computer
onto the new computer. The old computer will be recycled without an
OS. What steps do I need to take to make this work?

Thanks in advance.
 
You can format the old computer's hard drive (after you backup your old
files) or do a disk wipe (http://dban.sourceforge.net/). Once you install
Ultimate on your new machine, and try to activate it, it may say the license
is already in use. You can choose to activate by phone and call Microsoft.
They will give you an activation code, and you're good to go. No need to
"deactivate" or anything like that.
 
Hi, Chris.

Just install your retail Vista onto your new computer and activate it online
as usual. If it has been more than 120 days since your previous activation,
it should "just work". If it doesn't, then you should see a toll-free
number to call and explain the situation; it seldom takes more than 5 or 10
minutes.

Afterwards, of course, reformat the old computer drive to remove Vista from
it. There is no other "uninstall" procedure for Vista.

As you probably know, your OEM license is no good on any other computer.
You COULD, if you like and if you think it worth the disk space used, keep
your Home version in place and install your retail copy into a separate
volume and dual-boot your Home and Ultimate versions. (There have been
times when I've been very happy to have a "parallel installation" of Windows
when I've needed to fix my main installation. That was much more true with
WinXP and prior versions than with Vista.)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)
 
As you probably know, your OEM license is no good on any other
computer.
Click to expand...

I am aware of that limitation. I got my retail license at a
ridiculously low cost so the 'sacrifice' of the OEM license really
isn't a problem.

One thing I'd like out of the OEM license is that Home Premium comes
with DVD codecs, I think. Is there any way to install those from the
OEM source? My main reason for wanting Ultimate over Home Premium is
that Ultimate allows more control over user accounts. I'm not ready to
allow my kids to change their passwords, and I want all accounts to
have passwords (at least nominally) so shared files have some level of
security.
 
Hi, Chris.
that Ultimate allows more control over user accounts. I'm not ready to
allow my kids to change their passwords, and I want all accounts to have
passwords (at least nominally) so shared files have some level of
security.
Click to expand...

Another reason you might want to dual-boot Home & Ultimate. ;^}

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)
 
Hi Chris,

Ultimate also has the DVD codecs.

Chris Cowles said:
I am aware of that limitation. I got my retail license at a ridiculously
low cost so the 'sacrifice' of the OEM license really isn't a problem.

One thing I'd like out of the OEM license is that Home Premium comes with
DVD codecs, I think. Is there any way to install those from the OEM
source? My main reason for wanting Ultimate over Home Premium is that
Ultimate allows more control over user accounts. I'm not ready to allow my
kids to change their passwords, and I want all accounts to have passwords
(at least nominally) so shared files have some level of security.
Click to expand...
 
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