Steven said:
Hi,
I have Vista Ultimate, I understand you can only load the OS on a
certain number of machines (Perhaps 2?)
No, it's 1, actually. You need to purchase a separate Vista license
for each computer on which you install it. (As long as you have
multiple identical licenses, it doesn't matter if you use the same CD
for the installations, as long as you use a different license each time.)
Just as it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating
systems, it's necessary (to be in compliance with both the EULA and U.S.
copyright law
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/117.html), if not
technically) to purchase one WinXP license for each computer on which it
is installed. (Consult an attorney versed in copyright law to determine
final applicability in your locale.) The only way in which WinXP and
Vista licensing differs from that of earlier versions of Windows is that
Microsoft has included a copy protection and anti-theft mechanism,
Product Activation, to prevent (or at least make more difficult)
multiple installations using a single license.
If I change/upgrade my hardware
what constitutes a "new" machine? I'd like to add another DVD burner &
add more memory. Would this constitute a significant enough of a
change? Or even upgradding the CPU?
Steven
The only time a hardware change or upgrade could be construed as a "new
machine" is if you have an OEM (came pre-installed from the factory)
license and you replace the motherboard. However, you can replace a
defective motherboard with a new, identical one. If you have a retail
license, it's a moot point, as retail licenses are transferable.
--
Bruce Chambers
Help us help you:
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