I'm gonna be upgrading prolly in the next week and I wouldn't mind dumping Vista on instead of XP. On the CA site they sell the 64bit OEM for $179 and the full thing for $699.

What is missing? Anything important that will stop me from doing normal stuff? I just wanna play games and watch movies.

A box

With OEM you can't transfer the license to another PC. So if you buy a new PC or change enough hardware that MS considers it a new PC they won't activate it for you (over the phone I don't think they will either) because the license is tied to the original PC. With retail under Vista I think you can move from machine to machine. The Academic retail Vista upgrade is fairly cheap ($150 or so) and there are work arounds about their annoying upgrade methods they've put into Vista.

has anyone ever called microsoft and been denied activation? for any product??

Hmm, well the only thing I can see myself swapping in the future is the CPU and the video cards. f*** it, I'll buy it and I'll deal with that s*** when I come to it.

Thanx

8-)

has anyone ever called microsoft and been denied activation? for any product??

Nope, but after my second call to India to have my msdnaa-licensed XP re-activated (network card and hdd change), they asked me what hardware I changed. I said f*** that, formatted and put a naughty version on instead. As if explain yourself for legitimately using your machine.

With OEM you can't transfer the license to another PC

My < insert random piece of hardware > got replaced under warranty and now its asking for activation how do I do that. Be sure to sound extra dopey.

I swapped a CPU for my last upgrade and I had to call MS to get a new activation key. Whole thing only took about 15-20 minutes.

I swapped a CPU for my last upgrade and I had to call MS to get a new activation key.

I don't mean to sound racist, but trying to read out a 50-digit installation ID to an Indian isn't the most fun in the world. It's even more interesting when you've already typed it on your phone at the prompt to begin with, but they insist you spell it out again.

That drives me nuts, everyone does it. If they're going to have those self "service" things where you enter your details they could at least f***ing work

I called vodafone the other day, and had the same experience, please enter your mobile number so we can retrieve your account information. Get transferred to a human, and the first thing they say, Hi thanks for calling vodafone this is Tom can I start by getting your mobile number please.. GRRR

actually about 3 years ago I had a customer denied activation for office 2003 however since then they have relaxed the laws a bit and haven't had the same issue.

Once I even had a customer tell the rep from Microsoft that they wanted to install the OEM copy onto 2 machines.

Microsoft rep : "Is this the only PC the software you are trying to activate is installed on"

Customer : "No we are asking you if we can install it onto another machine"

Rep : "Is this the only PC you are trying to activate the software"

Customer : "Yes"

Rep : "here are you activation code"

Yeah if you're product key doesn't work you just ring microsoft and some indian lady gives you a new one...

I have never been rejected with my oem copy of XP home. You just ring them and say you have re-installed XP onthe same machine and its all good.

p.s. Personally i wouldn't touch Vista yet. I have not heard about what advantages it offers over XP other than pretty colours. What i have heard is people having trouble getting devices working and also games to work

p.s. Personally i wouldn't touch XP yet. I have not heard about what advantages it offers over 2000 other than pretty colours. What i have heard is people having trouble getting devices working and also games to work

I've gotten activation code for XP without speaking to anyone. Just typed installation code, pressed 1 on phone for installing on same machine and then electronic lady voice spat out activation number.

thats whats supposed to happen

As if explain yourself for legitimately using your machine.

so instead of just saying "i changed component blah" you basically toss away the software you have paid for and start using some pirate version.

you are dumb.

so instead of just saying "i changed component blah" you basically toss away the software you have paid for and start using some pirate version.

you are dumb.

well its not like there are any draw backs to using a pirate version anyway

so instead of just saying "i changed component blah" you basically toss away the software you have paid for

Firstly I didn't pay for it, the MSDNAA reference should have hinted at that.

Secondly I draw a line for privacy, whether the actual information is sensitive or not at all. They asked me why I wanted activation and I told them due to changing hardware (as opposed to say, installing on a second machine illegally). What hardware I changed is none of their business, and telling only encourages and reinforces their view that hoop-jumping activation techniques like this are acceptable and don't bother people who don't do anything wrong. One could argue that the call-centre person has no role in it, but if they keep telling their supervisors that everything is A-OK and no unhappy callers, then everything will seem great to the bean counters up above.

I have no problems using a non-legit version when it's easier and less hassle to use than a licensed copy (given that I have a license to begin with). Obviously I wouldn't do such a thing at a workplace (legit all the way, no questions), but for personal use who cares. I'm not stealing, cheating, or getting something extra for free in any way.

last edited by parabol at 16:05:33 27/Feb/08

I bought the OEM version of XP, when it asked me to reactivate after I flashed the firmware on my f***ING BURNER I /quit that legit s*** OS.

You're funny parabol. Your high horse might be a bit more pristine if you had installed a Linux OS instead of engaging in piracy.

Your high horse might be a bit more pristine if you had installed a Linux OS instead of engaging in piracy.

"engaging in piracy"? Give me a f***ing break. You make it sound like it's something morally wrong and that some programmer out there is starving, or some company out there is losing money because of a lost sale.

High horse? Whatever.

More like a Donkey

you just got the 'dips*** of the day' award Hogfather.