How many PCs per one copy of Vista?

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FKS

There are so many different stories about Vista licensing that it's so
confusing. On how many PCs can I install one legal copy of Vista? Thanks.
 
I frequently reformat and install a fresh copy of windows xp, about every 8
months or so as things get messed up, the system slows or i do a major
hardware change on the pc. ive reinstalled xp on the same machine about 20
times and never had a problem, so at what point exactly does microsoft say
you need a new license? Ive had the same case for 5+ years, but there have
been about 20 hardware combinations inside, do all these count as new pcs?
where do they draw the line?
 
Not sure yet, but more often than with XP. You should be able to call MS
and explain (similar to XP sometimes) and get it activated. It's a
hassle, but it can be done. I've done dozens of changes to my PC as
well, and would be in the same boat as you. I doubt MS would alienate
the gamer and power user crowd.

Dustin Harper
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.vistarip.com
 
There are so many different stories about Vista licensing that it's so
confusing. On how many PCs can I install one legal copy of Vista? Thanks.
Click to expand...

While there is confusion about the variety of Vista versions and the upgrade
process, there has never been any confusion about your licensing question.
With Vista as was the case with XP and all the way back to win 3.1, it is
one installation per license. Some versions of MS Office allow for the
installation on a desktop and laptop, but not the OS.
 
I frequently reformat and install a fresh copy of windows xp, about every
8
months or so as things get messed up, the system slows or i do a major
hardware change on the pc. ive reinstalled xp on the same machine about 20
times and never had a problem, so at what point exactly does microsoft say
you need a new license? Ive had the same case for 5+ years, but there have
been about 20 hardware combinations inside, do all these count as new pcs?
where do they draw the line?
Click to expand...

A retail version of XP can be reinstalled on the same computer, or moved to
another computer (if first removed from the computer it had been on) as many
times as you want. An OEM version can also be reinstalled on the same
computer as many times as you want but cannot be moved to a new computer.

The issue is with OEM XP and what constitutes a new computer. Upgrading the
components is not considered a new computer. Replacing a defective
motherboard is not considered a new computer, but some contend that
upgrading the motherboard is a new computer. Some have had activation
denied by MS on this basis. The OEM EULA does not clarify what constitutes
a new computer.

We have not seen, or at least I have not yet seen, the OEM EULA for Vista so
I don't know how it deals with this issue.
 
I didn't get that impression from the article at all. What is said is that
you can TRANSFER your license (copy) to another PC. You need to remove it
from the first and it then resides on the second.

I could be wrong though :-)
 
Did you see the HEADING of the Article?

Microsoft Tightens Vista Transfer Rights Under New License
You'll be able to transfer Vista legally to only one PC other than the one
you buy Vista for.
Elizabeth Montalbano, IDG News Service
Monday, October 16, 2006 03:00 PM PDT
 
There are so many different stories about Vista licensing that it's so
confusing. On how many PCs can I install one legal copy of Vista? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Are you a ****ing retard?

ONE.
 
Yes, you are incorrect. That article discusses transferring Vista from
one PC to another, not having it installed on two PC's at the same time.
To transfer it legitimately you need to remove it from the first PC before
installing on the second.
Click to expand...

OK. I get it.
 
FKS said:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,127517-c,vistalonghorn/article.html

I got the impression from the above article that I could install one copy
of Vista on two PCs. Am I incorrect?
Click to expand...

Yes, you are incorrect by misunderstanding that article. In the first
place pay no attention to it. It's from October, 2006, and things have
changed since then.

Background. At first MS wrote the license for Vista such that for the
retail version after it's installed on the first machine, it could be
removed from that machine and transferred to another machine, but only one
time. It couldn't then be moved from that machine to a third. In XP's
retail versions you can move it as many times as you want as long as it's
only installed on one machine.

After MS announced this change for Vista, there was a huge outcry and MS
changed it to be the same as with XP. For a retail version of Vista it can
be moved any number of times as long as it is only installed to one device
at any one time.

That's what the article talks about. The original one transfer restriction.

So back to what everyone else in this thread has told you. One license, one
install. Vista can not be installed on two or more PC's or _devices_ at the
same time, i.e. it can't be installed on two different partitions at the
same time.
 
One! Same as forever.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
I saw a posting yesterday that had something like 10 different things that
Vista records upon activation. It described a voting process where each item
had 1 vote (except the network MAC address which counts as 3). I believe on
startup, it polls those same items and as long as there are 7 votes, no new
activation would be triggered. Once you drop below 7, you would need to
reactivate. Whether that will require a phone call or not is still unknown.
I assume once it's reactivated, you would reset all of the values.

So the key in some ways seems to be the MAC address. If you change this for
some reason, you are much more likely to trigger a reactivation. Otherwise,
you can change up to 5 of the single vote traits and still be rolling.

Sorry I can't remember where I saw this but searching on voting and
activation may bring it up.
 
Yes, you are incorrect. That article discusses transferring Vista from one
PC to another, not having it installed on two PC's at the same time. To
transfer it legitimately you need to remove it from the first PC before
installing on the second.
Click to expand...

Wait a second...*remove* it? Does it need to call home to microsoft
for removal? Sounds a little like that...

Which means...what happens in the event of a hard drive failure?

What happens in the event of a power supply failure that fries the
motherboard and a few other random components?

Bottom line, what if you can't "remove" it due to hardware failures?

--
Stephan
2003 Yamaha R6

kimi no koto omoidasu hi nante nai no wa
kimi no koto wasureta toki ga nai kara
 
Stephan Rose said:
Wait a second...*remove* it? Does it need to call home to microsoft
for removal? Sounds a little like that...
Click to expand...

Yes, remove it. But no, it does not call home. But to be within the EULA
you need to remove it from the first PC before installing on the second.
Which means...what happens in the event of a hard drive failure?
Click to expand...

You just reinstall it.
What happens in the event of a power supply failure that fries the
motherboard and a few other random components?
Click to expand...

Then you get a new PC and install it on that.
Bottom line, what if you can't "remove" it due to hardware failures?
Click to expand...

If the PC is dead then the license is no longer usable on that PC and you
can transfer the license to a new PC.
 
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