Vista Authentication Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter JCO
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J

JCO

It is my understanding that you can own your system with Vista running but
you can't make a significant hardware change. If you, for example, change
the harddrive out, Vista won't run unless you Authenticate it again. You
only have 3-chances to do this before you are forced to purchase another
license copy of Vista.

If this is true, then what if you get your system home and decide to
partition the harddrive?
After all, it silly to have a 250GB harddrive with no partitions (in my
opinion).

Thanks
 
It is not true.
You can reinstall Vista an unlimited # of times on the same computer.
 
Can you define "the same computer"? For example, if I put a new CPU, mobo,
and video card in my rig, is that the same computer?
 
It depends on whether you are using a Retail package or an
OEM package.

If your edition is Retail, then there's no problem.

If it's OEM then it's supposed to be tied for life to the
original motherboard.
 
As it stands right now guys, you can install Vista as many times as it
tickles you, on that same pc, same meaning no signfigant ( Major ) hardware
changes. With that said, Vista can be installed up to 3 Major hardware
changes, then will have to be reactivated, or whatever that process might
entail, only time will tell. I think this information is in the updated Vista
EULA, but I could be wrong.
 
Hi Theo,
It depends on whether you are using a Retail package or an OEM package.

If your edition is Retail, then there's no problem.
Click to expand...

Can you point me to an official document that backs up what you are
saying here?
 
Read the EULA for details.
You may need to contact a specific OEM if you want to see an applicable OEM
EULA.
 
Hi Jupiter,
Read the EULA for details.
You may need to contact a specific OEM if you want to see an applicable
OEM EULA.
Click to expand...

What wording in the Vista retail EULA are you referring to which backs
up Theo's claim, or are you just saying to "read the EULA" because you
don't know?
 
Since I don't have a copy of an OEM EULA, I can't provide
you a reference, but the following from Microsoft's TechNet

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/chats/trans/sysbuild/05_0222_sb.mspx

JD - Microsoft (Expert):

Q: Am I wrong or is there different wordage for the
different types of license 's with say XP OS and MS
Office,Then why does it say that that u can install OS on up
to 2 systems for personal use in the License agreement?

A: Each and every product we publish has its own EULA. Even
different version of the same product may have different
EULAs (for example, XP Pro SP1 and XP Pro SP2 are different;
XP Pro OEM and XP Pro Retail also have different EULAs). The
XP Pro OEM EULA states clearly that the product can only be
installed on a single system and that it cannot be
transfered off that system onto another system.

It has been that way for many years. That's why the
Certificate of Authenticity with the Product Key has
adhesive backing on it and is adhered to the computer case
somewhere.

The Retail versions do not have the green COA. All they
have is an orange Product Key label that is in the folder
the CD come in and you don't put the Product Key label on
the computer. It stays in the folder.
 
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