Vista questions. Activations, OEM, Upgrade explanations needed.

[JC316]

Ok, I am fixing to upgrade to Windows vista, but I really need to know certain things.

1. How many activations do you get. I am well known for switching systems like I switch my socks, so this is a huge factor to me, how many activations do you get with it?

2. What is the difference between OEM and Retail? Advantages of Retail?

3. What OS is required for the upgrade?

4. I can get them all pretty cheap, so what is the best one Home, Premium, Business or Ultimate. I am 1000% gamer, nothing else.

5. If I have DX10 installed, can I still play my DX9 games?

 

[Wile E]

If you have XP Pro, I don't think you can upgrade to any of the home editions, only Business, but there is a way around that. I'll get into it in a minute.

OEM is generally tied to your hardware, it's much harder to get them to activate after changing it. Usually have to call them.

Upgrades carry a retail license, iirc. Much easier to transfer to a new machine.

You'll probably want a retail license, so I say get the Home Premium upgrade.

To be able to install the Upgrade without XP home, you actually have to install it twice. Do a clean install of Home Basic with no key entered, then as soon as that's done, do an upgrade install of Home Premium over top of it, using your key this time.

Oh, and almost forgot, DX9 still works fine.

 

[DrunkenMafia]

If you by the upgrade doesn't that mean everytime you want to reinstall vista you have to reinstall xp first??? Correct me if I am wrong.

That would be a pain in the ass if you are switching systems all the time....

I would go for the full version oem home premium..

Just a thought

 

[Wile E]

If you by the upgrade doesn't that mean everytime you want to reinstall vista you have to reinstall xp first??? Correct me if I am wrong.

That would be a pain in the ass if you are switching systems all the time....

I would go for the full version oem home premium..

Just a thought

Yeah, but OEM can be an even bigger pain with activation when switching systems.

Retail is actually his best bet overall.

 

[erocker]

Ok, I am fixing to upgrade to Windows vista, but I really need to know certain things.

1. How many activations do you get. I am well known for switching systems like I switch my socks, so this is a huge factor to me, how many activations do you get with it?

2. What is the difference between OEM and Retail? Advantages of Retail?

3. What OS is required for the upgrade?

4. I can get them all pretty cheap, so what is the best one Home, Premium, Business or Ultimate. I am 1000% gamer, nothing else.

5. If I have DX10 installed, can I still play my DX9 games?

Answers:

1. I believe it's 3. I'm also pretty sure it's linked to your chipset.

2. OEM = Generic packaging / Retail = Visually appealing packaging

3. If you buy the full version, none. Format and install.

4. Ultimate, it comes with DreamScene which looks cool as hell but won't work half the time, j/k, as a gamer, I would think you would want things as basic as possible, but Premium gives you the option of pretty Aero, so it's your call.

5. Absolutely.

 

[JC316]

Hmm, now we have confilicting advice. Wile says that OEM is locked to your hardware and Erocker says that it's only packaging.

 

[JC316]

Oh also, if you use all of the activations, can you call them and get them to activate it? I do this with my XP after I used them up.

 

[mandelore]

i have vista ultimate OEM version. I changed my setup to a raid 0 and it wouldnt activate, one quick call to microsoft sorted me out.

FOR THE RECORD: Activating or reactivating an OEM vista installation is easy as pie, takes 5 minutes on the phone, and all they ask is if its the same 1 pc your reactivating on, i.e, you dont already have this copy on another machine, so u can hardware upgrade al u like, as long as its still just the 1 machine its installed to at any 1 time.

 

[JC316]

i have vista ultimate OEM version. I changed my setup to a raid 0 and it wouldnt activate, one quick call to microsoft sorted me out.

FOR THE RECORD: Activating or reactivating an OEM vista installation is easy as pie, takes 5 minutes on the phone, and all they ask is if its the same 1 pc your reactivating on, i.e, you dont already have this copy on another machine, so u can hardware upgrade al u like, as long as its still just the 1 machine its installed to at any 1 time.

Thank you, thats what I have been looking for.

 

[phanbuey]

regarding the DX9 - update immediately after the install, there are a bunch of updates that improve overall performance (i assume youre going 64bit)... as before updating i would get a min of 20FPS in HL2 with FRAPS... after it ran just like it did in XP. :cheers:

 

[mandelore]

Thank you, thats what I have been looking for.

Glad to help

 

[erocker]

Vista Tweak guide does wonders...

 

[Cybrnook2002]

I also use OEM and have no problems with it, on three different set ups now. For the key, after 3 installs fully registered, you do have to call a 1-800 number it gives you after activation, its all automated. You type in the numbers and it spits you out a key. If you ever get any troubles, just tell microsoft the truth. You got a virus and had to reformat Usually there is someone friendly from overseas to help you. OEM is just different packaging, OH and if you can get them all at a good price, go with Ultimate.

 

[Wile E]

i have vista ultimate OEM version. I changed my setup to a raid 0 and it wouldnt activate, one quick call to microsoft sorted me out.

FOR THE RECORD: Activating or reactivating an OEM vista installation is easy as pie, takes 5 minutes on the phone, and all they ask is if its the same 1 pc your reactivating on, i.e, you dont already have this copy on another machine, so u can hardware upgrade al u like, as long as its still just the 1 machine its installed to at any 1 time.

Ahh yes, very good to know, thanks Mand.


There is another difference between OEM and Retail tho. Retail you can use both 32 and 64 bit, OEM is one or the other. Or so I've been told.

@JC- Ultimate isn't really worth the money, if you ask me. It adds a bunch of features you'll likely never use. I still say Home Premium or Business.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I just told them my hdd died when i changed my board/chip,they gave me the activation code without no fuss.I will just keep reactivating it as i change my hardware.Just dont be a noob and tell them you changed the board or you'll get pwnd.

 

[Kreij]

There is another difference between OEM and Retail tho. Retail you can use both 32 and 64 bit, OEM is one or the other. Or so I've been told.

You are correct, but also remember that the OEM version is half the price.
So if you are planning on staying with one or the other, there is no reason to pay retail prices.

I paid ~$200 for Vista Ultimate OEM 32 bit. If I ever want to load the 64 bit version I will have to purchase that OEM version, but since they are half the price I am still not paying more than the retail version would have cost me.

Some people will also tell you that you must purchase hardware at the same time as an OEM version. Not true. I bought Vista from Newegg all by itself.

 

[theonetruewill]

i have vista ultimate OEM version. I changed my setup to a raid 0 and it wouldnt activate, one quick call to microsoft sorted me out.

FOR THE RECORD: Activating or reactivating an OEM vista installation is easy as pie, takes 5 minutes on the phone, and all they ask is if its the same 1 pc your reactivating on, i.e, you dont already have this copy on another machine, so u can hardware upgrade al u like, as long as its still just the 1 machine its installed to at any 1 time.

That's not strictly legally true. OEM copies are licenced to the "computer". This is regarded by law as the motherboard; thus if you have changed motherboard legally Microsoft can refuse to activate. However this doesn't often happen at all. In fact when I call M$ now, I just talk to a computer voice. This actually made it far easier than before and I didn't get asked any questions. Activation took me 3 and a half minutes. I timed it. Other hardware changes can also affect OEM copies. Each bit of hardware is given a set of points. I think that this total number is around 11??? So for example GFX card is given 2, CPU, PCI card 1,. I don't know the exact numbers so these are guesses; but the idea is that you will have to telephone activate if you change around 5 points from your original spec. Again I think it's roughly 5.

Retail versions have the premium because you're allowed as many changes as you like.

 

[Deleted member 3]

I switch systems like I switch socks as well, my socks smell though.

Windows licenses are linked to your motherboard, as long as you don't change that you're fine. Activation is basically endless, it'll just include an annoying phonecall to MS after a few times.

 

[Wile E]

I switch systems like I switch socks as well, my socks smell though.

Windows licenses are linked to your motherboard, as long as you don't change that you're fine. Activation is basically endless, it'll just include an annoying phonecall to MS after a few times.

Although it occasionally bugs out and wants you to re-activate for something strange. I once removed a hard drive, and added a sound card, and XP Pro made me re-activate. lol.

I haven't heard any reports of Vista doing that yet, but haven't really been searching either.

 

[mandelore]

That's not strictly legally true. OEM copies are licenced to the "computer". This is regarded by law as the motherboard; thus if you have changed motherboard legally Microsoft can refuse to activate. However this doesn't often happen at all. In fact when I call M$ now, I just talk to a computer voice. This actually made it far easier than before and I didn't get asked any questions. Activation took me 3 and a half minutes. I timed it. Other hardware changes can also affect OEM copies. Each bit of hardware is given a set of points. I think that this total number is around 11??? So for example GFX card is given 2, CPU, PCI card 1,. I don't know the exact numbers so these are guesses; but the idea is that you will have to telephone activate if you change around 5 points from your original spec. Again I think it's roughly 5.

Retail versions have the premium because you're allowed as many changes as you like.

I actually inquired about if my motherboard died on me and I couldnt get a replacement. Again, i was just told that if its my same computer, they would be ok with activating a new serial No. But for simplicity, I agree it would be better just saying you changed your hardrive setup like I did, since going raid 0 required this action

 

[JC316]

One last question. 32 or 64 bit? Which would be better?