The processor GUID has existed for several generations of Intel processors.
It caused such an uproar when it first came out that it was quickly brushed
under the table but it is still there waiting for us to get used to the
idea.

Dale

"Ed Stoddard" <EdStoddard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E4FABC4A-4EE3-4A87-B5E3-4ABF305EF594@microsoft.com...
> NO, I don't believe you will have that problem with an external HD. MS
> just
> wants to make certain you are not using your copy of VISTA on more than
> one
> computer. When you change certain hardware it seems to think it's a
> different computer. We can thank all the pirates of eariler Windows OS's
> for
> this re-activation scheme.
>
> Such strict internal hardware control will simply boost the sales in
> external devices. Be that as it may, having an external hard drive is a
> MUST
> to avoid an internal hard drive failure, and they are affordable these
> days.
> Get one!
>
> It seems to me it would be better if motherboard makers gave each board a
> unique identification number which Vista could then use to detect a change
> in
> motherboard - "the computer." Microsoft could work with them about this
> to
> try to make it happen. That way all of us do-it-yourselfers could add or
> change all other hardware without going through re-activation, which has
> to
> cost MS a lot for those tech people.
>
> "Garry" wrote:
>
>> I added my old hard drive to my Windows Vista computer. This caused Vista
>> to
>> un-activate itself. I had to call in to reactivate it.
>> That being said, my question is, if i install an external SATA hard
>> drive
>> for backup and use multiple hard drives for the purpose of backing up my
>> system, am I going to have to reactivate Vista each time?
>> I don't mind reactivating so much but it won't reactivate over the web
>> and
>> by phone you must do the automated activation and then do it over again
>> with
>> a live tech.
>>