How to transfer Vista license to another PC?

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Hi Guys! I bought a copy of Vista Ultimate but now am planning to build my
own computer. How can I transfer my Vista license to the computer that I will
build?

~Matt
 
Uninstall the current license in use on the current PC Vista Ultimate is
presently installed. How do you do that, format the computer, then go ahead
and install Vista on the new computer. If you encounter any problems
activating, call to Microsoft and explain to them.
 
Mateusz Rajca said:
Hi Guys! I bought a copy of Vista Ultimate but now am planning to build my
own computer. How can I transfer my Vista license to the computer that I
will
build?
Click to expand...

Is it a retail license or OEM? If retail just uninstall Vista from the
first machine and reinstall on the new one. You may have to phone in for
activation. If OEM by the license it's tied to the first machine on which
it's installed and can't be transferred to a different machine.
 
Rock said:
Is it a retail license or OEM? If retail just uninstall Vista from the
first machine and reinstall on the new one. You may have to phone in for
activation. If OEM by the license it's tied to the first machine on which
it's installed and can't be transferred to a different machine.
Click to expand...

Basing on that info, if you buy a retail version of Vista that means
effectively you can load onto both a desktop and your laptop? - effectively
but not legally. Whereas an OEM physically you can only put that on one PC
have I understood correctly?
 
Andy said:
Basing on that info, if you buy a retail version of Vista that means
effectively you can load onto both a desktop and your laptop? - effectively
but not legally. Whereas an OEM physically you can only put that on one PC
have I understood correctly?
Click to expand...

Sorry, Andy, but your "understanding" is not correct. NO retail version of
Windows is EVER able to be installed on both a desktop AND a laptop, using the
same Product Key.

Microsoft's hard-and-fast rule has always been, and more than probably will
continue to be "One License, One Computer. PERIOD".

Some versions of *Microsoft Office* (in the past) were allowed to be installed
on both your desktop and your laptop using the same Product Key, but both were
not to be used at the same time. This is probably where you got your
misunderstanding from. You assumed (as do many) that if Office has that
license, then so does Windows. But this is not true, nor has it ever been.
 
Basing on that info, if you buy a retail version of Vista that means
effectively you can load onto both a desktop and your laptop? -
effectively but not legally. Whereas an OEM physically you can only put
that on one PC have I understood correctly?
Click to expand...

No you haven't. The rule is one license, one computer, doesn't matter if
it's OEM or retail. So the same copy can't be on the desktop and laptop.
What prevents it ? The license agreement you agreed to and product
activation.

For OEM the license limits it to the first computer on which it's installed;
it can't be moved to another computer. For retail if first removed from one
computer it can be placed on another.
 
Basing on that info, if you buy a retail version of Vista that means
effectively you can load onto both a desktop and your laptop? - effectively
but not legally. Whereas an OEM physically you can only put that on one PC
have I understood correctly?
Click to expand...

It would seem to me that once you tried to activate it on the 2nd
machine you'd run into a brick wall.

Back in the pre-activation days, that was another story...
 
Donald McDaniel said:
Sorry, Andy, but your "understanding" is not correct. NO retail version
of Windows is EVER able to be installed on both a desktop AND a laptop,
using the same Product Key.
Click to expand...



Windows 95/98/ME ? Physically it has been possible (although not legal)
 
Scott said:
It would seem to me that once you tried to activate it on the 2nd
machine you'd run into a brick wall.

Back in the pre-activation days, that was another story...
--
Scott http://angrykeyboarder.com

A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
Click to expand...


I thought I saw an article once in a PC magazine that said the activation
thing was taken away in Vista because just in case you wanted to upgrade or
change your PC the Vista that you bought would carry on working fine now as
opposed with XP which knew it was on another PC and would not activate.
 
Mateusz Rajca said:
OK. Thanks! Would this work for Office 2007 too?
Click to expand...

You're welcome. I am not versed in Office 2007 licensing, but if it's a
retail version then certainly, yes it can be moved If it's OEM I believe
it's tied to the first system.
 
Scott said:
Hi Guys! I bought a copy of Vista Ultimate but now am planning to build
my
own computer. How can I transfer my Vista license to the computer that
I
will
build?

Is it a retail license or OEM? If retail just uninstall Vista from the
first machine and reinstall on the new one. You may have to phone in
for
activation. If OEM by the license it's tied to the first machine on
which
it's installed and can't be transferred to a different machine.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

Basing on that info, if you buy a retail version of Vista that means
effectively you can load onto both a desktop and your laptop? -
effectively
but not legally. Whereas an OEM physically you can only put that on one
PC
have I understood correctly?
Click to expand...

It would seem to me that once you tried to activate it on the 2nd
machine you'd run into a brick wall.

Back in the pre-activation days, that was another story...
Click to expand...


I thought I saw an article once in a PC magazine that said the activation
thing was taken away in Vista because just in case you wanted to upgrade or
change your PC the Vista that you bought would carry on working fine now as
opposed with XP which knew it was on another PC and would not activate.
Click to expand...

Nope. It's very much alive. And if you don't activate within 30 days
of install, you lose most functionality.
 
Scott said:
Scott said:
Hi Guys! I bought a copy of Vista Ultimate but now am planning to build
my
own computer. How can I transfer my Vista license to the computer that
I
will
build?

Is it a retail license or OEM? If retail just uninstall Vista from the
first machine and reinstall on the new one. You may have to phone in
for
activation. If OEM by the license it's tied to the first machine on
which
it's installed and can't be transferred to a different machine.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

Basing on that info, if you buy a retail version of Vista that means
effectively you can load onto both a desktop and your laptop? -
effectively
but not legally. Whereas an OEM physically you can only put that on one
PC
have I understood correctly?

It would seem to me that once you tried to activate it on the 2nd
machine you'd run into a brick wall.

Back in the pre-activation days, that was another story...
Click to expand...


I thought I saw an article once in a PC magazine that said the activation
thing was taken away in Vista because just in case you wanted to upgrade or
change your PC the Vista that you bought would carry on working fine now as
opposed with XP which knew it was on another PC and would not activate.
Click to expand...

Nope. It's very much alive. And if you don't activate within 30 days
of install, you lose most functionality.
Click to expand...

Actually,. Scott, there is a mechanism in Vista which enables one to extend
the 30 day grace period in which to activate up to 120 days.

So Microsoft is being very circumspect this time around.

Please educate yourself?
 
Scott said:
Hi Guys! I bought a copy of Vista Ultimate but now am planning to build
my
own computer. How can I transfer my Vista license to the computer that
I
will
build?

Is it a retail license or OEM? If retail just uninstall Vista from the
first machine and reinstall on the new one. You may have to phone in
for
activation. If OEM by the license it's tied to the first machine on
which
it's installed and can't be transferred to a different machine.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

Basing on that info, if you buy a retail version of Vista that means
effectively you can load onto both a desktop and your laptop? -
effectively
but not legally. Whereas an OEM physically you can only put that on one
PC
have I understood correctly?

It would seem to me that once you tried to activate it on the 2nd
machine you'd run into a brick wall.

Back in the pre-activation days, that was another story...


I thought I saw an article once in a PC magazine that said the activation
thing was taken away in Vista because just in case you wanted to upgrade or
change your PC the Vista that you bought would carry on working fine now as
opposed with XP which knew it was on another PC and would not activate.
Click to expand...

Nope. It's very much alive. And if you don't activate within 30 days
of install, you lose most functionality.
Click to expand...

Actually,. Scott, there is a mechanism in Vista which enables one to extend
the 30 day grace period in which to activate up to 120 days.

So Microsoft is being very circumspect this time around.
Click to expand...

I am. The mechanism you mention is *not* a default.
 
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