Vista: Is Microsoft really this ridiculous?!?

[HolyCow02]

So I just built my new system, the one currently in my specs. I had vista 64-bit on my previous machine, and I naturally want to use it on my new machine. So when I get the activation prompt on the new machine, I find out that my product key is in use. Duh... it was on my old machine.

So i try to find a number to call someone and be like, 'hey, I built a new computer, the old one isn't being used, I want to move my vista over to my new one'. Can I do that? Doesn't seem like it because Microsoft help goes by how long you have had you key in use, and mine is over the 90 day limit.. which means to talk to someone i have to pay $60. Yes that rights, $60 JUST TO TALK TO SOMEONE

Does anyone know how I can get around this, or talk to someone, for oh I dunno, free??

F-You microsoft

[ShadowFold]

Uh, it's free when I have to reactivate and call them..

[Dippyskoodlez]

There should be a phone number to activate... but if its an OEM copy, they may tell you you're SOL.

Microsoft needs an Activation management page where you can control what's authorized to run your software.... like iTunes.

It's really out of hand IMO.

I know windows XP would give you the selection of activation via internet or Telephone.. you would just select telephone and it would give you the proper phone numbers to call.

[MRCL]

Oh I know that problem. It sucks yeah, but when I called (a tollfree number), I got this nice robot ladee telling me some numbers, and it was done. Dunno why you should pay 60 bucks.

[Paulieg]

Originally Posted by MRCL

Oh I know that problem. It sucks yeah, but when I called (a tollfree number), I got this nice robot ladee telling me some numbers, and it was done. Dunno why you should pay 60 bucks.

Yeah, the activation line is free.

[BrooksyX]

+1 to the activation line. Ive had to use it before with vista as well.

[mlee49]

Cant you just install without a key? Activate in Windows or call after.

EDIT: possible Activation line: 1-866-740-1256 ???

[HolyCow02]

Horray for stupid robots! Definitely did the activate by phone, as you so kindly suggested, and just told it I had it installed on one machine... stupid. Thanks for all the help gents.\

P.S. - the phone activation goes much faster BEFORE a big glass of whiskey... I so though 886 was 866 twice.. haha

[WhiteLotus]

or windows 7

[HolyCow02]

Originally Posted by WhiteLotus

or windows 7

I was thinking windows 7... but I am kinda scared... I have heard good things but then on the site it said don't install on your primary machine... so I backed off. I might put it on my 'old' box with an Ubuntu boot partition as well. Always an option

[MRCL]

Originally Posted by HolyCow02

I was thinking windows 7... but I am kinda scared... I have heard good things but then on the site it said don't install on your primary machine... so I backed off. I might put it on my 'old' box with an Ubuntu boot partition as well. Always an option

Pff I use Win7 as primary OS on my primary machine, no problems at all. No freezes, no crashes (that weren't self inflicted lol).

[Th0rn0]

Install windows 7.

geez, makes me glad I never 'bought' Vista.

But yea its really getting out of hand. Its stupid money just to call and ask for assistance. And do not get me started on cancelling a Xbox live subscription. Seriously, who in their right mind thought it would be a good idea to only allow users to cancel a xbox live subscription from phone! No online thing, just by phone. And it cost me to do that. It was American aswell although I dont think they charged me for ringing America, just a flat rate. Even then it took me a good 20 mins just to cancel it.

Fucking ridiculous. As much as I love Microsoft for Windows (yea non of this fuck M$ shit, I like windows but I love linux) they really do make some retarded decisions.

[roast]

Its got nothing to do with the fact of it being Vista. XP will give you the same problem, as will Windows 7.

The issue is that the copy of Vista you have is an OEM version. It was designed for a specific brand of machine (Dell, HP etc.) and registered for use ONLY on those systems.
As part of Microsofts agreement with the OEMs, Microsoft will not provide support pro-activley. They will only provide support at a charge, in your case 60. The only people who can provide support for an OEM OS, is the OEM itself, HP, Dell etc.
Naturally, they will only support the OEM OS if it is installed on the origional machine.

The only thing you can do to get support from Micro$oft for free is to actually purchase a retail copy.

Hope that clears it all up.

Any questions, just ask.

Thanks,
Mick.

[HolyCow02]

Originally Posted by roast

Its got nothing to do with the fact of it being Vista. XP will give you the same problem, as will Windows 7.

The issue is that the copy of Vista you have is an OEM version. It was designed for a specific brand of machine (Dell, HP etc.) and registered for use ONLY on those systems.
As part of Microsofts agreement with the OEMs, Microsoft will not provide support pro-activley. They will only provide support at a charge, in your case 60. The only people who can provide support for an OEM OS, is the OEM itself, HP, Dell etc.
Naturally, they will only support the OEM OS if it is installed on the origional machine.

The only thing you can do to get support from Micro$oft for free is to actually purchase a retail copy.

Hope that clears it all up.

Any questions, just ask.

Thanks,
Mick.

Actually it isn't an OEM version. I got it through my school for free... being a computer science major helped with that. All I had to do was pay for them to ship me the disk, which I then got upgraded to a 64-bit. It's vista business... they don't sell the business version to OEM's.

[DrPepper]

I'm about to use that tollfree line for vista

Keeps asking me to re-activate it every month though, its a PIA.

[newtekie1]

Originally Posted by Dippyskoodlez

There should be a phone number to activate... but if its an OEM copy, they may tell you you're SOL.

Microsoft needs an Activation management page where you can control what's authorized to run your software.... like iTunes.

It's really out of hand IMO.

I know windows XP would give you the selection of activation via internet or Telephone.. you would just select telephone and it would give you the proper phone numbers to call.

I much prefer the way Microsoft handles it, they put a lot of trust in the consumer to tell the truth when re-activating over the phone, and they don't suspend the previous activation either. It makes it really nice when you only want to pay for one copy, but are putting it on multiple machines...not that I would do that...

Originally Posted by HolyCow02

Actually it isn't an OEM version. I got it through my school for free... being a computer science major helped with that. All I had to do was pay for them to ship me the disk, which I then got upgraded to a 64-bit. It's vista business... they don't sell the business version to OEM's.

Your version is not a retail version, it is either an Enterprise Edition(in which case the Enterprise the buys the licence is required to provide support) or an OEM Edition(in which case the OEM is required to provide support).

And they most certainly do sell the business version of Windows to OEMs.

And the OEM version is not linked to a specific OEM, it is linked to the specific hardware it is originally installed on. Re-activating an OEM copy on a different computer almost guarantees that you will need to call Microsoft to activate it.

[timta2]

Another case of DRM/Copy protection annoying paying customers. Pirates don't have to deal with that nonsense.

[DrPepper]

Originally Posted by timta2

Another case of DRM/Copy protection annoying paying customers. Pirates don't have to deal with that nonsense.

It's been like this from XP though. Maybe later, Without this protection though MS could have lost millions of sales.

[Kreij]

Originally Posted by roast

Its got nothing to do with the fact of it being Vista. XP will give you the same problem, as will Windows 7.

The issue is that the copy of Vista you have is an OEM version. It was designed for a specific brand of machine (Dell, HP etc.) and registered for use ONLY on those systems.
As part of Microsofts agreement with the OEMs, Microsoft will not provide support pro-activley. They will only provide support at a charge, in your case 60. The only people who can provide support for an OEM OS, is the OEM itself, HP, Dell etc.
Naturally, they will only support the OEM OS if it is installed on the origional machine.

The only thing you can do to get support from Micro$oft for free is to actually purchase a retail copy.

Hope that clears it all up.

Any questions, just ask.

Thanks,
Mick.

Not true. All my versions are OEM purchased from the 'Egg and I've never had a problem with free re-activation through calling Microsoft.

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Originally Posted by HolyCow02

I was thinking windows 7... but I am kinda scared... I have heard good things but then on the site it said don't install on your primary machine... so I backed off. I might put it on my 'old' box with an Ubuntu boot partition as well. Always an option

Ive been using Win7 full time since 7000 and I dont have any issues with it. I say to hell with Vista and throw Win7 on there.

[roast]

Originally Posted by HolyCow02

Actually it isn't an OEM version. I got it through my school for free... being a computer science major helped with that. All I had to do was pay for them to ship me the disk, which I then got upgraded to a 64-bit. It's vista business... they don't sell the business version to OEM's.

If you got it free, I cant explain that. I'll have a look into it here in work if you want?
As for Business not being supplied OEM - Entirely not true, not sure where you would have gotten that from.

Originally Posted by Kreij

Not true. All my versions are OEM purchased from the 'Egg and I've never had a problem with free re-activation through calling Microsoft.

Neither have I. I'm just stating that Microsoft charge you for support. I dont think the TSA that the OP was origionally talking to understood him. There should be no problems re-activating windows...

-Mick.

[lemonadesoda]

CAN WE PLEASE HAVE LICENSES ON SECURE PROTECTED USB STICKS? DONGLE STYLE. I hae dongles, but I hate phone activation more. Stick it in. Job done. Maybe even "Windows on a chip" like a BIOS chip. Plug it in, pull it out, on the mainboard. Job done.

[newtekie1]

Originally Posted by lemonadesoda

CAN WE PLEASE HAVE LICENSES ON SECURE PROTECTED USB STICKS? DONGLE STYLE. I hae dongles, but I hate phone activation more. Stick it in. Job done. Maybe even "Windows on a chip" like a BIOS chip. Plug it in, pull it out, on the mainboard. Job done.

That doesn't solve the problem that the Phone Activation was designed to solve.

How would that prevent anyone from taking an OEM copy and moving it to a second machine? Unless the hardware ID was saved to the dongle on the first boot of the machine, in which case how would they handle re-activation in the case of motherboard failure, the only time transferring an OEM licence is allowed?

[troyrae360]

Your actually not allowed to install vista on another computer even if you've retired it, thats part of the licence aggrement,
BUT
What you need to do, is activate over the phone, when it says its in use, talk to the Real Person and explane to them that you are ""DOING a REINSTALL On the SAME COMPUTER""

[Dippyskoodlez]

Originally Posted by lemonadesoda

CAN WE PLEASE HAVE LICENSES ON SECURE PROTECTED USB STICKS? DONGLE STYLE. I hae dongles, but I hate phone activation more. Stick it in. Job done. Maybe even "Windows on a chip" like a BIOS chip. Plug it in, pull it out, on the mainboard. Job done.

That is beyond the easiest thing in the world to hack. (USB thing)

Then again, its not like the current activation scam does anything except annoy legit users anyways either.

Best bets are using VLK licenses. Works wonders. I haven't touched an activation screen since the initial Windows XP launch.