Buying used non oem vista? safe?

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yariman

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Oct 16, 2008
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Hi i read the faq on oem vista, searched for old posts with "used vista" as term but didnt get what i was looking for. Im in Japan now and i am looking for a new vista home edition 64 bit for my new build.

I have some questions

for oem versions basic goes for $120 brand new and $160 for premium. Is the difference worth it for premium with regards to performance. - id like to save as much money as possible. I understand in america its only a $20 difference so its pretty easy to just go for premium. $40 dollars makes me think twice.

if i understand correctly if i buy an oem version a future upgrade and thus replacement of my mohterboard will lead to it being deactivated. I will have to call microsoft and say my old board was defective and i dont want to replace it because it caused me a lot of hassle or its no longer manufactured blah blah blah to get it reactivated.

Ive spotted a non oem retail version on yahoo auctions. Its used. Is it legal for the seller to sell it on assuming he wipes it off his computer and will there be any problems me reusing the key on my pc (there would if it were oem)?

any tips / pointers greatly appreciated. (ps im not a student so cant qualify for the cheap uni deal)
 
Home Premium does not give extra 'performance'. It gives additional features. Multimedia features, more network connections, better user interface 'pretties' etc.

The secondhand copy of a retail pack is definitely a legitimate purchase. Ensure that you retain proof of sale and that you are provided with both genuine, hologrammed install disk AND the genuine package with COA sticker on it.

With those in your possession it doesn't really matter if the seller keeps it on his rig. If it comes to a dispute about legitimacy/activation/whatever you win! You have proof of ownership.

Most likely event, though, is that it'd activate fine. Chance of that mostly depends upon how long it's been since it was last installed and activated. If it fails you only need to telephone activate, because you can legally become the license holder as long as you get the proof of ownership.
 
The performance of Home Basic and Home Premium will be essentially the same, but you miss out on many features including the hardware-accelerated Aero interface. It's best to look up what features you'll be losing before deciding; I'd personally stick with Premium myself.

I think you can transfer a retail license provided it's never installed on more than one computer. You would have to be careful to get the original hologram disc and certificate of authenticity to ensure it's real though - caution is required on eBay.
 
thank you for that, im going to bid for it as all seems to be in order. Many thanks once again!
 
Home Basic isn't worth it. Go for Home Premium. Home Basic is all of the bloat of vista with non of the features that make vista worth it, except for DX10.
 
I'd say it is safe, if the seller is providing proof, such as the COA or all the original packaging.
 
FUD is alive, well, and in fine form!

ALL Vista versions use DX10. DX10 isn't a 'bolt-on' which is somehow 'omitted' from some versions!


Makes me laugh, by the way, to see people claiming that DX10 is the ONLY thing to upgrade to Vista for. Far as I'm concerned it's about the least important reason, and I don't even plan to get a DX10 CAPABLE graphics card until my next hardware upgrade which is gonna happen another year or two down the track.
 
I figured it was a joke. Honestly I have a vista disk that will take your key and install either the 64-bit or 32-bit of whatever version of vista its for. Theres no way basic could omit it and be compatible with the anytime upgrade option either.

And if you were to reread my post I was mentioned that vista BASIC has none of the features that make vista worth it, because it doesnt. Its got all of the resource requirments of vista and pretty much non of the extras.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/compare-editions/default.aspx
 
OmegaAvenger said:
Honestly I have a vista disk that will take your key and install either the 64-bit or 32-bit of whatever version of vista its for.
Click to expand...

Where'd you get THAT from? Wasn't Microsoft, that's for sure, because they've never made any such thing!

It'd have to be a dual-layer disk, for starters. Both images won't fit on a single layer disk. MS don't make Vista install disks on dual-layer media. It's all single-layer stuff.
 
Got the premium in the end! Waiting for it in the post. Thanks very much for your advice everybody.
 
Catweazle said:
Where'd you get THAT from? Wasn't Microsoft, that's for sure, because they've never made any such thing!

It'd have to be a dual-layer disk, for starters. Both images won't fit on a single layer disk. MS don't make Vista install disks on dual-layer media. It's all single-layer stuff.
Click to expand...

Nope. Its single layer. The ISO is 4.33GB. And I've done probably a good 50 installs with it by this point with no issues what so ever.
 
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