Every time I upgrade my system I have to call up Microsoft!

IceDigger

IceDigger

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Feb 22, 2001
Messages
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Getting tired of this. About once or twice a month I upgrade my computer, sometimes with totally new parts. And every time I have to give MS a call to re-activate Vista. Very annoying. Why go legal anymore? So annoyed!!!
 
That 5 minutes is enough to make me jump to my death.
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Well if youre upgrading once or twice a month, why are you bothering with activation? You have 30 days....

I mean the balls on those people at Redmond. How dare them.
 
I find it annoying as well, but curious as to what you upgrade twice a month?
 
I'm curious too, as I swap parts in and out of my home system all the time, and haven't tripped the activation once.

Maybe you should take it to the Geek Squad for them to fix for you. Zing!
 
That's what activation is tied to. Technically, when you replace the Mobo/CPU, it's a new system and the license doesn't apply.

Besides, if you change THAT often, don't activate, as previously discussed. Reinstalling every 30 days or less isn't a real-world usage scenario for any sane user, so the activation system wasn't designed with that in mind.
 
IceDigger said:
Swtich out the mobo and cpu alot.
Click to expand...

do not bother activating if you are swapping out motherboards multiple times a month. you should be reinsalling the os each time you swap motherboards anyway.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
DeaconFrost said:
I'm curious too, as I swap parts in and out of my home system all the time, and haven't tripped the activation once.

Maybe you should take it to the Geek Squad for them to fix for you. Zing!
Click to expand...

quoted for the lulz. If you can't be bothered and have the cash, then get a technet sub so you can get a fresh key each time.
 
i dont think ive ever even had a vista install recover on its own when i swap out motherboards, certainly not ones with different chipsets. i cant even get it boot when i do that....
 
Unless somebody is a reviewer, why would they have need to swap out stuff so much? Or unless they are just simply neurotic and have the latest, greatest whiz-bang gadget in their system at all times. :D
 
yeah that is strange. most geeks have more then one complete system anyways. not pointing fingers at anyone :D
 
OP is most likely using an OEM version of windows. I have found that I had to reactivate because of the following

MB croaked, replaced with same model
Replacement MB croaked, repalced with a newer model
HDD got too small, replaced with a newer much larger one

Did not have to reactivate for the following

upgrade from 1950 to a 3870 to a 4870
upgrade from a 2.3G C2D to a C2D E8500
Added 4GB ram.
 
I own Vista for all of my machines, but I haven't activated it in ages... If you know you swap things out that often then don't bother with activation. Look up slmgr.
 
I build systems with OEM copies of Windows and yes, what YeuEmMaiMai says is correct. The OEM license applies to the specific system that it is installed on by the system builder (hence the sticker on the side of the box). Any attempt to "significantly" change the hardware will be detected by Windows as an entirely new system and prompt re-activation.

It's a bitch, but there's little you can do about it. If you like small text, you can check out the System Builder License here: http://oem.microsoft.com/public/sblicense/2008_sb_licenses/fy08_sb_license_english.pdf
 
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