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| | | Vista Beginner
 
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| You can normally get atleast 2 online activations out of an OEM install.
Infact, 2 is the "standard" but some people get more for whatever reason. I believe there are time periods associated in there as well.
The hardware hash (installation ID) and product ID hash still are in effect here...but replacing the hard disk doesnt count for as many "points" as some other components do.
The motherboard is the main one that triggers a reactivation. |
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| You can normally get atleast 2 online activations out of an OEM install.
Beg to differ -- depends on what you mean by OEM. There are two radically different OEM activation schemes.
1) SLIC table: Large-scale OEMs, the ones that sell machines preinstalled with Vista, use BIOS-locked activation schemes. The purchaser does not activate Vista, and does not have to. The supplier did that when they configured the machine. The product key provided on the machine is only for reinstallation of the OS. If you do wipe and reinstall, the version is automatically reactivated via the BIOS. As long as you don't change the BIOS or motherboard, you can pretty much change out any other hardware you want without having to reactivate.
2) Product key: OEM DVDs that you purchase provide for only one activation. Once that key is used, it can not be used again.
The motherboard is the main one that triggers a reactivation.
Only in the case of BIOS-locked activation. In the other cases, the primary causes of deactivation are hardware changes to the video card or hard drive. The S/N of the hard drive where Vista is installed is incorporated into the hash code. Change out that hard drive, you have to reactivate.
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| | | | Vista Beginner
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| That's not quite how it works, from what i understand.
Keep in mind my information is coming from MS Press Books and employees of MS, if that adds any credibility to it.
When doing sysprepped images deployed to OEM keyed Dell PC's, They often require a phone activation after about 2 online activations. Changing no hardware, just reinstalling the OS.
The Hardware creates an Installation ID, some of the OS info creates a Product ID, which generates the system/OS install specific Installation ID.
Changing the OS install (via sysprep you are removing the SID, so the install is "different" than the last) creates a new installation as far as activation is concerned.
Like i said, we can get normally 2 online activations out of a OEM key and then we have to call in. Sometimes we get more, sometimes we dont.
I dont know why you think that OEM keys are BIOS locked, as you can use an OEM key and install a copy of windows on a PC thats not anything close to the original hardware and often times it will auto-activate if that key hasnt been used much in the past. Though this violates the licensing EULA for that copy, it still technically works.
Infact, the OEM factory installations dont even use the key you have on your box's sticker, they use what can only be described as a very close relative to the Volume Key, designed specifically for OEM factory use. |
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| | | | Vista Beginner
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| If you dont believe me, look at this excerpt from the 70-620: Configuring Windows Vista Client MTCS Training Kit book.
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| | | | Vista Beginner
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| There is more but i cant upload it due to the restrictions on this forum.
Basically...you get an initial install and ONE reinstall for each OEM key or Retail key before having to call in.
VLK is different but thats not relevant in this discussion. |
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| I wasn't aware that the poster was asking about factory-installed OEM versions; I thought he was asking about self-installed OEM versions -- and in all of the cases I've experienced, once the key was activated, it could NOT be activated again without a call to MS. I don't recall what their literature says, I only know that my experiences have not shown the allowance of any second (or more) activation allowed.
Additionally, just about any hardware change deactivated the system, including hard drive and sound card. Did not change out the mobo once installed, so I can't testify to that situation.
However, I don't have actual experience messing with pre-installed, large-scale OEM versions (e.i., Dell), so in those cases, the activation rules may be quite different.
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| I've got an OEM version of vista, and ive been able to change the hard drive and add in a wireless card at the same time, with online activation working perfectly. Might have been just lucky, though. Microsoft have supposedly made deactivation more leanient with vista than in the past.
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| | | | Vista Beginner
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| WAW8 (6/6/2008)
I wasn't aware that the poster was asking about factory-installed OEM versions; I thought he was asking about self-installed OEM versions -- and in all of the cases I've experienced, once the key was activated, it could NOT be activated again without a call to MS. I don't recall what their literature says, I only know that my experiences have not shown the allowance of any second (or more) activation allowed.
Additionally, just about any hardware change deactivated the system, including hard drive and sound card. Did not change out the mobo once installed, so I can't testify to that situation.
However, I don't have actual experience messing with pre-installed, large-scale OEM versions (e.i., Dell), so in those cases, the activation rules may be quite different.
Its not of really any surprise to me.
Everyone has a different experience with activation it seems...MS's underlying rules and technology that handles this is either seriously flawed or so darn good that it just acts weird. I dont think it will ever truly act the same for more than a few people.  |
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