Limited installs on Vista?

I heard from a friend who is a computer tech and has messed with the beta
verson of Vista that there is a limit to how many times you can installed
vista on the computer. For an example if you had to redo a machine about 3 or
4 times, after that you have to rebuy the upgrade/install. Just wondering if
that is true or was for the beta verson only at the time or what.

Thanks

There is no limit as to the number of times one can reinstall
and reactivate Windows Vista on the same computer.

Sorry to say your friend is misinformed.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Tim B." wrote:

I heard from a friend who is a computer tech and has messed with the beta
verson of Vista that there is a limit to how many times you can installed
vista on the computer. For an example if you had to redo a machine about 3 or
4 times, after that you have to rebuy the upgrade/install. Just wondering if
that is true or was for the beta verson only at the time or what.

Thanks

I asked that question to the guy from Microsoft at yesterdays launch event
and he told everyone that you will be able to activate automatically up to 5
times after which you have to start calling in.

--
Jeff


"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:6FD30452-F982-44CB-B958-B085C1562C85@microsoft.com...
> There is no limit as to the number of times one can reinstall
> and reactivate Windows Vista on the same computer.
>
> Sorry to say your friend is misinformed.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Tim B." wrote:
>
> I heard from a friend who is a computer tech and has messed with the beta
> verson of Vista that there is a limit to how many times you can installed
> vista on the computer. For an example if you had to redo a machine about 3
> or
> 4 times, after that you have to rebuy the upgrade/install. Just wondering
> if
> that is true or was for the beta verson only at the time or what.
>
> Thanks

The tech was probably installing without entering a product key. Vista
supports that. There is a 30-day limit on how long Vista will run before
you have to activate with a pk. It is possible to extend an additional 30
days and that was undoubtedly what he was doing. There is a limit to the
number of times that can be done and I believe it is three.

His experience has nothing to do with installing and reinstalling Vista with
the product key. There is no limit to the number of time you can redo your
machine. If you activate an excessive number of times you may not be able
to activate over the internet any more but activation over the phone should
not be a problem.

"Tim B." <Tim B.@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news320F41A-E00E-4E6B-BFEB-FBC8BFDC0673@microsoft.com...
>I heard from a friend who is a computer tech and has messed with the beta
> verson of Vista that there is a limit to how many times you can installed
> vista on the computer. For an example if you had to redo a machine about 3
> or
> 4 times, after that you have to rebuy the upgrade/install. Just wondering
> if
> that is true or was for the beta verson only at the time or what.
>
> Thanks

Oh, that's wonderful news. So by V + 2 weeks, I'll be calling Microsoft
every time I install? I sure hope that's a mistake.

Dale

"Jeffrey Sparks" <jssparks@bccinfo.com> wrote in message
news:ufHnbzAPHHA.4280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>I asked that question to the guy from Microsoft at yesterdays launch event
>and he told everyone that you will be able to activate automatically up to
>5 times after which you have to start calling in.
>
> --
> Jeff
>
>
> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
> news:6FD30452-F982-44CB-B958-B085C1562C85@microsoft.com...
>> There is no limit as to the number of times one can reinstall
>> and reactivate Windows Vista on the same computer.
>>
>> Sorry to say your friend is misinformed.
>>
>> --
>> Carey Frisch
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Shell/User
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> "Tim B." wrote:
>>
>> I heard from a friend who is a computer tech and has messed with the beta
>> verson of Vista that there is a limit to how many times you can installed
>> vista on the computer. For an example if you had to redo a machine about
>> 3 or
>> 4 times, after that you have to rebuy the upgrade/install. Just wondering
>> if
>> that is true or was for the beta verson only at the time or what.
>>
>> Thanks
>
>

Why on earth would you install more then 5 times in two weeks?


"Dale" <nospam@nospam.ever> wrote in message
news:%23r%23O$jEPHHA.2312@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Oh, that's wonderful news. So by V + 2 weeks, I'll be calling Microsoft
> every time I install? I sure hope that's a mistake.
>
> Dale
>
> "Jeffrey Sparks" <jssparks@bccinfo.com> wrote in message
> news:ufHnbzAPHHA.4280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>I asked that question to the guy from Microsoft at yesterdays launch event
>>and he told everyone that you will be able to activate automatically up to
>>5 times after which you have to start calling in.
>>
>> --
>> Jeff
>>
>>
>> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:6FD30452-F982-44CB-B958-B085C1562C85@microsoft.com...
>>> There is no limit as to the number of times one can reinstall
>>> and reactivate Windows Vista on the same computer.
>>>
>>> Sorry to say your friend is misinformed.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Carey Frisch
>>> Microsoft MVP
>>> Windows Shell/User
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> "Tim B." wrote:
>>>
>>> I heard from a friend who is a computer tech and has messed with the
>>> beta
>>> verson of Vista that there is a limit to how many times you can
>>> installed
>>> vista on the computer. For an example if you had to redo a machine about
>>> 3 or
>>> 4 times, after that you have to rebuy the upgrade/install. Just
>>> wondering if
>>> that is true or was for the beta verson only at the time or what.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>
>>
>

On Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:17:08 -0800, "Bob" <Bob@somewhere.usa> wrote:

>Why on earth would you install more then 5 times in two weeks?

Well, it ain't got SP1 yet, duh!
--
Michael Cecil
http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/
http://home.comcast.net/~safehex/
http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/hackingvista/

Oh, heck, I changed video cards on this computer and all "heck" broke loose.
Before finally getting things stable, I must have re-installed Vista RTM at
least 10 times in 2 days! However, I didn't enter a product key or
re-activate until I was reasonably sure I had things settled in.

"Bob" <Bob@somewhere.usa> wrote in message
news:60C87CDB-EFC3-43FC-A52D-F5687222F9E1@microsoft.com...
> Why on earth would you install more then 5 times in two weeks?
>
>
> "Dale" <nospam@nospam.ever> wrote in message
> news:%23r%23O$jEPHHA.2312@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Oh, that's wonderful news. So by V + 2 weeks, I'll be calling Microsoft
>> every time I install? I sure hope that's a mistake.
>>
>> Dale
>>
>> "Jeffrey Sparks" <jssparks@bccinfo.com> wrote in message
>> news:ufHnbzAPHHA.4280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>I asked that question to the guy from Microsoft at yesterdays launch
>>>event and he told everyone that you will be able to activate
>>>automatically up to 5 times after which you have to start calling in.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jeff
>>>
>>>
>>> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:6FD30452-F982-44CB-B958-B085C1562C85@microsoft.com...
>>>> There is no limit as to the number of times one can reinstall
>>>> and reactivate Windows Vista on the same computer.
>>>>
>>>> Sorry to say your friend is misinformed.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Carey Frisch
>>>> Microsoft MVP
>>>> Windows Shell/User
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> "Tim B." wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I heard from a friend who is a computer tech and has messed with the
>>>> beta
>>>> verson of Vista that there is a limit to how many times you can
>>>> installed
>>>> vista on the computer. For an example if you had to redo a machine
>>>> about 3 or
>>>> 4 times, after that you have to rebuy the upgrade/install. Just
>>>> wondering if
>>>> that is true or was for the beta verson only at the time or what.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>
>>>
>>
>

Is your reply suppose to mean something?

I have used every version of windows since win 31. Never have I reinstalled
more then 5 times in two weeks. At most I have reinstalled twice do to some
mistake I made during the first install. But 5 that would be just
ridiculous.
Service pack or no service pack.

"Michael Cecil" <macecil@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:6_KdnYSP4PusOyzYnZ2dnUVZ_ufinZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> On Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:17:08 -0800, "Bob" <Bob@somewhere.usa> wrote:
>
>>Why on earth would you install more then 5 times in two weeks?
>
> Well, it ain't got SP1 yet, duh!
> --
> Michael Cecil
> http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/
> http://home.comcast.net/~safehex/
> http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/hackingvista/

I have installed 3 times in a row many times. If I install Vista even two
times, and then 6 months later install it once, and then 6 months or a year
later install it two more times then I have used my 5 times. Now, let's say
6 months later I reinstall again two or three times. And again another
year, two or three times. All those, now require me to call in every time?

What if I choose to reload my PC every few weeks or months? Maybe I use it
for testing and evaluating beta software.

I am not complaining that this is a terrible issue; it is nothing more than
a nuisance, but the issue does and can exist.

Dale

"Bob" <Bob@somewhere.usa> wrote in message
news:8A0EAFC5-45BD-48E1-BE9D-1C7D017646F0@microsoft.com...
> Is your reply suppose to mean something?
>
> I have used every version of windows since win 31. Never have I
> reinstalled more then 5 times in two weeks. At most I have reinstalled
> twice do to some mistake I made during the first install. But 5 that would
> be just ridiculous.
> Service pack or no service pack.
>
> "Michael Cecil" <macecil@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:6_KdnYSP4PusOyzYnZ2dnUVZ_ufinZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>> On Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:17:08 -0800, "Bob" <Bob@somewhere.usa> wrote:
>>
>>>Why on earth would you install more then 5 times in two weeks?
>>
>> Well, it ain't got SP1 yet, duh!
>> --
>> Michael Cecil
>> http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/
>> http://home.comcast.net/~safehex/
>> http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/hackingvista/
>