windows 8 activation key

[ste2425]

Hi

Recently found out that i can access Dreamspark Premium through my university and so proceeded to download windows 8 pro 64 bit. Successfully installed using the key they provided and once i got my head around the changes compared to vista im enjoying it quite allot.

Now as with vista i did a re-install quite often ( every 6 month at a minimum) i decided to check the limitations on the key i was provided and found out it can only be installed on two different machines. However i could not find information on how many times it can be installed on them machines. With my Vista i found that after a while installing that many times it would not accept my key which led to onto windows 8.

Secondly i recently upgraded my motherboard and in the past ive learnt that windows really REALLY does not like this and to have anything near a functional system after this a fresh re-install was needed, however mostly for s@@s and giggles i booted my current windows 8 install up and it booted up perfectly fine and after about 5 min installing new drivers functions exactly the same no problems, runs just as smoothly as before which leads me onto the second question.

Questions:

Firstly is there a limitation with this key, as i realize its not a standard retail key, to how many installs i can do on a single machine.

Secondly is windows 8 built differently to previous windows offerings whereas it will not decay and become as unusable as previous versions using and old install with a new motherboard. Reason being im reluctant to use my only other install allowed with this key just 4 months after already using one of them. Id like to keep it ready for any future upgrades that would make windows think its installed on a new machine.


Thanks guys n gals

 

[Maban]

You can use a Windows key as many time as you want provided it's only on one computer at a time. If the automated activation fails, just call the number it provides. Six minutes later, you're activated again. If it asks you how many computers it's on, just say "one" and you're golden.

 

[kn00tcn]

i've done mobo swaps on XPhome & 98SE, all you needed to do was uninstall the hard drive controller to fix the BSOD, &... i havent seen slowdowns or something, just a mess of leftover drivers which you can uninstall

strange that your vista stopped accepting (well not strange if it's automatic, strange if the phone method wont let you)

 

[ste2425]

Aye wouldn't play ball don't if its because it was a upgrade media. Anyhow I've done a few mobo swaps with vista, only other os I've done it on, and after it would hang then catch up regardless of weather I was just browsing the net or gaming. Fresh install solved the issue. Either way as long as my current install of 8 continues running as smoothly as it is I'm happy. And on the number of installs I shouldn't have any issues I take it?