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View Full Version : Buying retail windows?

bandit390
11-25-2007, 03:08 PM
I currently own xp pro oem cd that I bought a while back from newegg. But everytime I re-install windows (usually something to do when I buy new parts), my cd key is never authenticated and I have to call microsoft. After about an hour with them, they finally give in and give me a new key.

But I was getting ready to buy a retail copy of windows vista. If I buy retail, will I have this same problem?
Oooska
11-25-2007, 03:13 PM
If it takes you more than 6 minutes to activate a copy of Windows XP, you're doing it wrong. Give them the answers to their questions and nothing more. They won't understand if you try to tell them you purchased an OEM copy from NewEgg or what have you.

And yes, you'll often run into the same activation issues with a retail copy after so many reinstalls.
digital_exhaust
11-25-2007, 03:16 PM
My Vista machine is on it's third OEM Home Premium install.... I haven't had to call once.
bandit390
11-25-2007, 03:21 PM
If it takes you more than 6 minutes to activate a copy of Windows XP, you're doing it wrong. Give them the answers to their questions and nothing more. They won't understand if you try to tell them you purchased an OEM copy from NewEgg or what have you.

And yes, you'll often run into the same activation issues with a retail copy after so many reinstalls.

Thats what I do. But the first question they always ask is if its a oem. Last time I told them it is, they told me to call dell....lol. I just tell its retail, they ask for some numbers on the cd and after a couple of transfers and them arguing its oem, they finally give in. I have done this about 4 times in the past 2 years.

So what are the advantages of paying more for retail over oem?
bandit390
11-25-2007, 03:22 PM
My Vista machine is on it's third OEM Home Premium install.... I haven't had to call once.

Ya, but did you change motherboards, cpus, etc?
digital_exhaust
11-25-2007, 04:59 PM
Ya, but did you change motherboards, cpus, etc?

Nope... but I have swapped out a couple of video cards and some ram.... From everything I have read, it's really no different than it was with XP.... call, explain that your system experienced "catastrophic hardware failure" and need to reinstall, and you should be okay.

At least, that's what I've read around the net and here on [H]....