Vista Home Premium 64 OEM (System Builders) Question

If I replace my hard drive will I still be able to use the activation
key that was provided with my OEM copy when I go to reinstall it? I'm
assuming the key is tied to the motherboard or cpu, so as long as they
remain the same I should be good with the key I have, right???


--
halltj2

Is this OEM copy purchased by you or did it ship with an OEM PC? If you
purchased it it's not actually "tied" to any piece of hardware on your PC,
this technique is used by OEM's such as Dell or HP. But to answer your
question, yes, your product key will still be valid, although you may have
to activate via telephone.

--

Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375


"halltj2" <guest@unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:548b29d690274ae10493465da107555c@nntp-gateway.com...
>
> If I replace my hard drive will I still be able to use the activation
> key that was provided with my OEM copy when I go to reinstall it? I'm
> assuming the key is tied to the motherboard or cpu, so as long as they
> remain the same I should be good with the key I have, right???
>
>
> --
> halltj2

I bought it myself for a PC I built, but like I said I just wanted to
make sure the key wasn't somehow tied to the hard drive that it is
currently on, as I'll be putting it on the new hard drive I'm
installing, but the same PC (mobo, cpu, etc)...so if I understand
correctly I should be fine, and worst case scenario I'll have to call
Microsoft (hopefully that won't be too difficult lol)...

Thanks for the reply btw

David B.;1066707 Wrote:
> Is this OEM copy purchased by you or did it ship with an OEM PC? If you
> purchased it it's not actually "tied" to any piece of hardware on your
> PC,
> this technique is used by OEM's such as Dell or HP. But to answer your
> question, yes, your product key will still be valid, although you may
> have
> to activate via telephone.
>
> --
>
> Crosspost, do not multipost 'Multiposting vs Crossposting'
> (http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm)
> How to ask a question 'How to ask a question'
> (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375)
>
>
> "halltj2" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
> news:548b29d690274ae10493465da107555c@xxxxxx-gateway.com...> > >
> > >
> > > If I replace my hard drive will I still be able to use the activation
> > > key that was provided with my OEM copy when I go to reinstall it? I'm
> > > assuming the key is tied to the motherboard or cpu, so as long as
> > they
> > > remain the same I should be good with the key I have, right???
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > halltj2 > >


--
halltj2

I have built many, many machines with OEM operating systems.
The most sensitive component that is bonded to the activation key is, duh,
the motherboard. The hard drive is the least sensitive component, all other
components remaining unchanged.
I have had Vista machines, but not XP and not all Vista machines, insist on
reactivation and a new key when a new video card was installed, even going
from one generation of Nvidia to another.
I expected to have problems recently exchanging an Nvidia video card for an
ATI in one Vista machine but it did not even hiccough.
Fortunately those Indians who Microsoft gave American jobs to are polite
about reading you a new activation key under most circumstances if you are
also polite. I have had the same experience with the polite Indians that
Adobe also gave American jobs to.
I have never had a problem with activation simply changing hard drives,
whether with a reinstall of the OS or cloning the existing hard drive to a
new and larger one.

You understand correctly

--

Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375


"halltj2" <guest@unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:0d8cca9b2d76335b42db9fd39509fdd3@nntp-gateway.com...
>
> I bought it myself for a PC I built, but like I said I just wanted to
> make sure the key wasn't somehow tied to the hard drive that it is
> currently on, as I'll be putting it on the new hard drive I'm
> installing, but the same PC (mobo, cpu, etc)...so if I understand
> correctly I should be fine, and worst case scenario I'll have to call
> Microsoft (hopefully that won't be too difficult lol)...
>
> Thanks for the reply btw
>
> David B.;1066707 Wrote:
>> Is this OEM copy purchased by you or did it ship with an OEM PC? If you
>> purchased it it's not actually "tied" to any piece of hardware on your
>> PC,
>> this technique is used by OEM's such as Dell or HP. But to answer your
>> question, yes, your product key will still be valid, although you may
>> have
>> to activate via telephone.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Crosspost, do not multipost 'Multiposting vs Crossposting'
>> (http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm)
>> How to ask a question 'How to ask a question'
>> (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375)
>>
>>
>> "halltj2" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
>> news:548b29d690274ae10493465da107555c@xxxxxx-gateway.com...> > >
>> > >
>> > > If I replace my hard drive will I still be able to use the activation
>> > > key that was provided with my OEM copy when I go to reinstall it? I'm
>> > > assuming the key is tied to the motherboard or cpu, so as long as
>> > they
>> > > remain the same I should be good with the key I have, right???
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > --
>> > > halltj2 > >
>
>
> --
> halltj2