Yes, it is important to stress that the replacement motherboard is the
nearest equivalent you could find. ;-)
Gary VanderMolen
----- Original Message -----
equivalent being the keyword, what they need to know regardless.
I did have a emachine activation declined once because I was dumb enough to admit replacing the mb with something *better* live
an learn.
still boils down to MS does not want to deal with end users or small time
system, builders. IMO
fp
At 01:59 PM 9/1/2007, Greg Sevart Poked the stick with:
You all do realize that Vista's OEM one-motherboard-only policy is not new
to Vista, right? Windows XP OEM/system builder licenses have had the -exact-
same restriction. Identical (within reason) replacements only. With Vista,
it appears that they're just enforcing that a little more aggressively.
From the Microsoft OEM/System Builder's website:
Q. Can a PC with OEM Windows XP have its motherboard upgraded and keep the
same license? What if it was replaced because it was defective?
A. Generally, you may upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on
your customer's computer and the end user may maintain the license for the
original MicrosoftR OEM operating system software, with the exception of an
upgrade or replacement of the motherboard. An upgrade of the motherboard is
considered to result in a "new personal computer" to which MicrosoftR OEM
operating system software cannot be transferred from another computer. If
the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect,
then a new computer has been created and the license of new operating system
software is required. If the motherboard is replaced because it is
defective, you do NOT need to acquire a new operating system license for the
PC as long as the replacement motherboard is the same make/model or the same
manufacturer's replacement/equivalent, as defined by the manufacturer's
warranty.
Greg
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tharin Olsen
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2007 10:59 AM
To: The Hardware List
Subject: Re: [H] Vista, dumb question, maybe
I've read online articles that pretty much all say the same thing about
OEM
versions of Windows Vista. You are allowed to change any component but
the
motherboard. Microsoft has made the motherboard the core component of
the PC
and if you change it with a different one it counts as a new machine.
Your
Vista installation would require relicensing and a new product key.
Apparently you are allowed to change the motherboard for a new one if
it is
a replacement of a defective board and it is the same make/model of the
existing board.
Now as a system builder and service/repair shop I think this sucks.
It's not
often that I can obtain exact make/model mainboards to repair systems.
Tier-1 systems like Dell, HP, Sony, etc. who are past their warranty,
sometimes 90 days on the cheapo units, have replacement motherboards
listing
online for $100-$400. In the past I would just pull the cpu and ram and
drop
in a factory new board from MSI, Asrock, ECS, etc. for $50. Then all I
would
need to do is phone up Microsoft whilst stuck on the XP product
activation
box and explain the reason for reactivation was to replace a defective
mainboard with a new one. Not once have they not authorized an
activation.
Hopefully, they will continue to do so with these sort of
circumstances.
As to the folks who are simply switching boards because they need the
extra
expansion slots, more ram than their two dimm board would allow, etc. I
think they shouldn't have to pay but like a reactivation fee of 2 cents
or
something. Why? Because it isnt a second computer! The end user would
still
have only one machine running Windows. Perhaps a break in pricing to
convert
their OEM license to a full retail license. Go halfsies on it.
-Tharin O.
FORC5 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
OEM license states can not be transfered to another machine once
installed,
would a major HW change ( motherboard ) be construed as a different
machine
?
I would think not but not my sandbox. :'(
deeper and deeper
fp
--
Tallyho ! ]:8)
Taglines below !
--
Future looks spotty. You will spill soup in late evening.
--
Tallyho ! ]:8)
Taglines below !
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