Old copy of Vista...

Soldato
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I bought a copy of Windows Vista when I got a new system in March 2009. In January this year I upgraded to Windows 7 so i've got a copy of Vista doing nothing. Can I give this to someone, will they be able to use it. Not too bothered about selling it, just have a few family members that could use an upgrade to their OS and would be better than it gathering dust. Just want to be sure they could actual use it before I go through the whole process of installing it.
 
Soldato
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Only if it's a retail copy and you uninstall it from the other PC. If it's an OEM copy then it's tied to the system it was initially installed on.
 
Man of Honour
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It won't automatically activate but you may get activation if you speak to an MS activation representative rather than the automatic system. You'll need to convince them it's a motherboard replacement not an upgrades but this does go against the licensing.
 
Soldato
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Noo nono!

You CAN use an OEM copy on as many Computers as you like mate... Not at the same time (Legally), Just install it and IF you get an issue with the activation... Call MS on the FreePhone number, input ur million digit code, wait for "Your installation ID has been verified, now you will hear your blah blah blah)
Hit finish and your done.
 
Soldato
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It won't automatically activate but you may get activation if you speak to an MS activation representative rather than the automatic system. You'll need to convince them it's a motherboard replacement not an upgrades but this does go against the licensing.

Not really... My last place of work, we took bets on who could make up the worst excuse that they passed for activation at MS, half of the time we never got an answer off a REP. But when we did, Virus = Relaod, OK
New HDD = Reload, OK
PC Was subject to an EMP, Questions, OK

They are very lenient.
 
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I'd recommend that you just phone them and ask to activate it, saying that your original motherboard failed. They'll allow a reactivation. It is not entirely legal, but imo it's better than letting your old license go to waste and also it is better than downloading it from a torrent, no matter what others on this forum say...
 
Man of Honour
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Noo nono!

You CAN use an OEM copy on as many Computers as you like mate...

This isn't true at all.. I think you are thinking of Retail.

Not really... My last place of work, we took bets on who could make up the worst excuse that they passed for activation at MS, half of the time we never got an answer off a REP. But when we did, Virus = Relaod, OK
New HDD = Reload, OK
PC Was subject to an EMP, Questions, OK

They are very lenient.

It's really hit and miss but worth a go anyway.
 
Associate
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I'd recommend that you just phone them and ask to activate it, saying that your original motherboard failed. They'll allow a reactivation. It is not entirely legal, but imo it's better than letting your old license go to waste and also it is better than downloading it from a torrent, no matter what others on this forum say...

If you just disbaled uploading this would be perfectly fine, someone wanna varify this?
 
Soldato
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This isn't true at all.. I think you are thinking of Retail.

Most Certainly not mate, no... OEM i am talking about.

May not be Legal in the eyes of the Microsoft Police but it is far from a problem.
At my last place of work, we maybe called MS 40 times a day to activate an OEM Lic. usually a LIC of a dead laptop onto a new PC the Client bought as a replacement
 
Soldato
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Most Certainly not mate, no... OEM i am talking about.

May not be Legal in the eyes of the Microsoft Police but it is far from a problem.
At my last place of work, we maybe called MS 40 times a day to activate an OEM Lic. usually a LIC of a dead laptop onto a new PC the Client bought as a replacement

Actually Huddy is right.

Just because MS Activate you, doesn't mean you are Licensed any more.

OEM licences are tied to the motherboard that they were originally installed on. The licence only allows for OEM versions to be installed on machine with a different motherboard, if it was an RMA repair to replace the faulty one.

You are right that on most occasions you can just install the OEM copy on a new machine and phone up MS and ask them to Activate. But technically your OEM install is now no more legal than if you'd just downloaded a copy from somewhere on the internet.

For most home users, they only care about whether MS will Activate - but for some people (many businesses) it is far more important that they remain correctly Licensed, and this is why Huddy is actually right.
 
Soldato
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now your picking... the OP wants to know WILL IT WORK. YES it will.

Regardless to the if's, But's and where's. it will work.

And If i am not mistaken the LIC has nothing to do with the MB it uses the MAC Addy off the NIC.
 
Soldato
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Most Certainly not mate, no... OEM i am talking about.

May not be Legal in the eyes of the Microsoft Police but it is far from a problem.
At my last place of work, we maybe called MS 40 times a day to activate an OEM Lic. usually a LIC of a dead laptop onto a new PC the Client bought as a replacement

Which is against the license.
For some reason people believe there is this "grey area" which really there isn't.
An OEM license cannot be transferred from a laptop.
It cannot be transferred from the motherboard it was first installed on.
Sure you can physically do both of the above - however as said above you are no more license legal than somebody who downloaded their OS illegally.
If you're going to be illegal don't try and invoke a "grey area" that doesn't exist - just pirate the OS and have done with it.

I need a driving license to drive a car.
If I don't have a driving license and get in a car and attempt to drive what happens?
That's right, I can drive, the car goes, nothing stops me.
I am however driving the car illegally.

What you can physically and legally do are two different things.
 
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