Microsoft clarifies Vista activation to bit-tech hacks

[sladesurfer]

:) http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/10/26/Microsoft_clarifies_Vista_activation_to_bit-tech/


Microsoft today talked to bit-tech in a bid to reassure the enthusiast community about the licensing terms of Windows Vista

A Microsoft spokesman from the Licensing Dept told bit-tech that this would not be the case. He told us that Windows Vista will not require a system re-activation unless the hard drive and one other component is changed. This means that enthusiasts will be able to swap CPUs, memory and graphics cards out without any worry about having to re-activate with MS, either on the internet or by phone.

Should you change the hard drive and another piece of hardware - for example for a major upgrade such as a motherboard change that requires a re-installation - Microsoft will allow you to re-activate up to 10 times. You will not, however, be able to have more than one machine activated concurrently.

Should you wish to activate more than 10 times, you could be busted, or Microsoft could choose to let you activate again at its discretion.

For hardcore system enthusiasts, keeping a ghosted, activated copy of Vista with no drivers could be a good way of being able to swap around components and machines with the minimum amount of hassle

[lowfat]

definatley some good news.

[Eastcoasthandle]

I don't believe it, bottom line. People were outraged at how they want to handle the activation and they know it. It looks to me they now want to back step. I wonder if this will change again...

[sladesurfer]

For hardcore system enthusiasts, keeping a ghosted, activated copy of Vista with no drivers could be a good way of being able to swap around components and machines with the minimum amount of hassle

This is very easy since i already have norton ghost:D This is what im goonna do when i get a vista:)

[nn_step]

I don't even remotely believe it

[sladesurfer]

basically you would do a fresh install of vista and activate it. Don't install any drivers for any of your devices. Then get like Norton Ghost or any other problem that can do ghosting, and then you copy Vista over to another hard drive.

Basically you are just copying the windows image over to a blank HD, which then you keep, and then just copy over to the HD you want to use in the computer and then just load your drivers.

Which basically means you don't have to install it everytime on a new HD, nor deal with activating it.

Correct:)

[biohead]

For hardcore system enthusiasts, keeping a ghosted, activated copy of Vista with no drivers could be a good way of being able to swap around components and machines with the minimum amount of hassle
Yea sounds too good to be true, so all out of the sudden. And one would never suggest that ^

[Complete]

What a bunch of :banana::banana::banana::banana:ING bull:banana::banana::banana::banana:.. not a chance in hell i believe that.

Microsoft knew that they screwed up.. haha.. what a joke..

Dont they know people never forgive and never forget.. Its like they wanted to test the water of all the computer enthusists... but it bit them in the butt.

Gogo Linux... now is your time to make a move.

[syne_24]

so 10 times is the max and they will decide if they let you reactivate again? that's some bs..i have change 3-4 times just from redoing my raid setup..If that's true then there is no way in hell I'm switching to vista..:banana::banana::banana::banana: dx10..:banana::banana::banana::banana: aero glass..

[nn_step]

so 10 times is the max and they will decide if they let you reactivate again? that's some bs..i have change 3-4 times just from redoing my raid setup..If that's true then there is no way in hell I'm switching to vista..:banana::banana::banana::banana: dx10..:banana::banana::banana::banana: aero glass..
You don't need Vista for Aero
And soon you will not need vista for DX10 :D

[perkam]

X360 or PS3....hmmm....Monopolistic a-holes in OS industry or monopolistic a-holes in video game industry...

Tough choice ;)

I'm just gonna go run linux on the Wii. (lol...if that was a member's post, i'd edit that line as "i'm just gonna go run linux on my wii" :lol: )

Perkam

[Revv23]

lol so it will last me about a month.

how is this any different then the current system?

Everytime i change a mobo i have to call em up... again, easier to pirate.

What MS should do is allow you to deactivate your copy of windows, and then when you setup your next rig, activate that one using the same code. That would be ideal. That way MS knows you arent cheating and i dont have to call india once a month.

[XS Janus]

lol so it will last me about a month.

how is this any different then the current system?

Everytime i change a mobo i have to call em up... again, easier to pirate.

What MS should do is allow you to deactivate your copy of windows, and then when you setup your next rig, activate that one using the same code. That would be ideal. That way MS knows you arent cheating and i dont have to call india once a month.

That is actually an excelent Idea, maybe THEY should have thought of it sooner and made it a part of the Vista Ultimate at least
________
Blowjob Forced (http://www.:banana::banana::banana::banana:tube.com/categories/343/forced/videos/1)

[Timmay]

I quite like that Deactivating idea. You should e-mail it to em.

[gr8golf]

They should call Adobe up to ask them how to do it - Acrobat already has the deactivate / activate feature.

[jbizzler]

Wow I never thoguht of deactivate.

Well, with XP, if I activate before installing drivers, it asks me to activate again after I do. So, woulnd't having an activated norton ghost screw with that?

[Vapor]

Actually, keeping a ghosted copy won't work....since it will detect a significant hardware change from what it saw last time it booted up (or from install, not sure was Vista considers the base config, tbh), it will then tell you that you have 3 days to reactivate. That's what this 'new' feature is all about, it's a cover-all for reinstallations on the same system and for hardware changes.

They have this in XP as well, just the algorithm for detecting changed hardware is dumb at best (changing motherboards won't usually do it, but it has, on three occasions, told me that changing RAM (not quantity, not speed, not even timings, not even BRAND) was a significant hardware change). Changing boot drives also have some tendency to kick it off as well.

Anyway, the deactivate/activate system is definitely a good idea, but MS wants you to buy a copy for each system anyway, so it won't fly.

Considering the cost of a new license, a 15-minute, toll-free call to Mumbai/Delhi/wherever isn't too bad.

[jbizzler]

Usually 6 minutes for me.

[dinos22]

You don't need Vista for Aero
And soon you will not need vista for DX10 :D
heheheheh :fact:

[fhpchris]

Actually, keeping a ghosted copy won't work....since it will detect a significant hardware change from what it saw last time it booted up (or from install, not sure was Vista considers the base config, tbh), it will then tell you that you have 3 days to reactivate. That's what this 'new' feature is all about, it's a cover-all for reinstallations on the same system and for hardware changes.

They have this in XP as well, just the algorithm for detecting changed hardware is dumb at best (changing motherboards won't usually do it, but it has, on three occasions, told me that changing RAM (not quantity, not speed, not even timings, not even BRAND) was a significant hardware change). Changing boot drives also have some tendency to kick it off as well.

Anyway, the deactivate/activate system is definitely a good idea, but MS wants you to buy a copy for each system anyway, so it won't fly.

Considering the cost of a new license, a 15-minute, toll-free call to Mumbai/Delhi/wherever isn't too bad.

Or you could just *cough*borrow*cough* it, and not have to call some idiot in india to explain to them you changed your cpu three times this week and you need to reactivate.

[Sparky]

Sounds better than it did earlier.

If reactivation takes a HD and some other component change then if you have to reload windows won't it see that it is the same HD and not need reactivated? Sounds like it is based off the HD, so you could change whatever you so desire as many times as you like, as long as the HD is the same then reactivation isn't necessary.

That is how it sounds to me anyway.

[Vapor]

MS has said elsewhere it's mostly based off boot drive and motherboard. But changing only one of them shouldn't set it off. Even one of those plus something else (RAM/CPU/GPU) probably won't set it off.

[Eastcoasthandle]

Actually, keeping a ghosted copy won't work....since it will detect a significant hardware change from what it saw last time it booted up (or from install, not sure was Vista considers the base config, tbh), it will then tell you that you have 3 days to reactivate. That's what this 'new' feature is all about, it's a cover-all for reinstallations on the same system and for hardware changes.

They have this in XP as well, just the algorithm for detecting changed hardware is dumb at best (changing motherboards won't usually do it, but it has, on three occasions, told me that changing RAM (not quantity, not speed, not even timings, not even BRAND) was a significant hardware change). Changing boot drives also have some tendency to kick it off as well.

Anyway, the deactivate/activate system is definitely a good idea, but MS wants you to buy a copy for each system anyway, so it won't fly.

Considering the cost of a new license, a 15-minute, toll-free call to Mumbai/Delhi/wherever isn't too bad.
I've had it kick in if I disable my lan (p5wd2-E Prem has 2 of them). If I turn one off and switch the other I trip it.

[perkam]

Quite sad...people who paid the $$$ will be looking for cracks to the activation feature.

Perkam

[Zero]

i run a corporate XP with a legit key, and i format a lot.

if i were to run vista (buying it), what would happen each time i format, i mean, it would need to be activated again, wouldnt it ?

would that count as 1 of my 10 activations ?

[iddqd]

You don't need Vista for Aero

That much at least is true. You can do Aero interfaces with some minor tweaks to the WinXP skinning service. Windowblinds/www.wincustomize.org can help you with that.

[nn_step]

That much at least is true. You can do Aero interfaces with some minor tweaks to the WinXP skinning service. Windowblinds/www.wincustomize.org can help you with that.
You forget the creativity of some Users :D

[FLMJIGGY]

It really sounds annoying. That pretty much sealed it for me. Unless there is a way around it, XP it shall stay for a long time.

I'm always testing new things out and this is a huge hassle for me.

[Kunaak]

I dont care how MS says this is easy...

10 is not gonna cut it for me.
if I was to just format, from spyware alone, I do a complete format from spyware, and bogged down issues, atleast every 2 months.

from hardware alone, and how often I change massive amounts of hardware, I do complete formats very regularly.

considering I been using XP for years now...
it's reasonable to assume I will be using Vista for years too.
having 10 activations of a few years time... thats not gonna cut it, even under the most mild circumstances....

if this doesn't get easier then this, then I will be left with little to no choice, but to seek out alternative means of activating my OS on my own... and I will not think twice about doing so.

[illmatik]

I bet there will be a crafty way of creating a preinstallation environment or some way of modifying drivers in an activated image or that might be able to get around it if you prevent the machine from contacting big brother for updates and use some sort of an update server to apply install updates like GFI or something. Might be tedious, and I might be totally mistaken. I'll upgrade my main workstation machine (which I still like to OC and upgrade fairly often) and laptop, but I'll hold off on my fun machines if this really proves to be a hassle

[Kingcarcas]

Windows Vista Ultimate Pirated Edition.......with Service Pack 1:banana:

[oohms]

You've got to be kidding me... only 10 activations :eek:

Really... do they even think? There is less and less incentive for me to buy a legit copy of windows than there ever has been before :mad:

[Complete]

NO worries..

I have some lead information from a gentleman in Korea that tells me there will be several "Borrowed" versions available upon release.. wuahaahah!

He said several people have confirmed it.. Vista is ... Cracked already! They just dont want M$ to know, they want them to release it...the way it is :D

[kromosto]

i dont want to use crack or i dont want to do activation for anytime i just want an OPEN LICENSE