Robert Katz wrote:
>
>
> Thanks Bruce,
>
> Here's the precise scenario:
>
> I have a Hard Disk that has a legitimate installed version of Vista
> Ultimate 64. It was installed by a Vista Ultimate Upgrade. That
> version was activated. The machine on which it boots no longer exits,
> although the disk does. I'm going to build my own PC (different
> architecture), but I'd like to keep the disk as is. I want a legitimate
> version.
>
> a) Can I buy a Vista Upgrade and Upgrade Ultimate to Ultimate? and keep
> everything in place?
If you already have the Vista Ultimate 64 Upgrade, why would you think
you need to buy another license? Was this a special OEM Upgrade? At
any rate, you would at least need to have or obtain an older, qualifying
OS on the new computer so that it would qualify for the use of an
Upgrade license.
But, to answer your specific question, yes, you should be able to
"upgrade" Ultimate with itself, and it should leave your applications
and data intact. However, back up any important data first, just in case.
> b) If not, and I do a clean install, can I at least keep the data?
Only if you first back up the data to another partition or media. By
definition, a clean installation entails formatting the target partition
or drive, erasing everything.
> c) If I buy my own OEM version from a software vendor on the Web, can I
> do an clean install and keep my data?
Again, only if you first back up the data to another partition or
media. By definition, a clean installation entails formatting the
target partition or drive, erasing everything.
> d) Say I have a PC running an activated copy of Vista, and I want to get
> rid of that machine and build another. What mechanism allows me to use
> the full version DVD to install a new machine, but disallows the OEM DVD
> to to the same?
The retail (to which you're inaccurately referring as "full") license
is more expense, in large part, because it is legitimately transferable;
it's EULA allows it to be moved from one computer to another, so long as
it is only installed on one computer at a time. Not so for the much
less expensive OEM license.
As for a "mechanism," for a generic, unbranded OEM license Microsoft
relies on Windows Product Activation (WPA) and - most heavily - on the
integrity of the licensee. A dishonest individual could transfer a
generic, unbranded OEM license to another computer, in violation of the
EULA, and then lie to the telephone activation personnel to get it
activated. For factory-installed OEM licenses, the manufacturers
generally rely on BIOS-locking. These won't even install on any
computer other than the one with which the license was purchased
> That is how is the OEM version permanently bound?
Again, it's bound by the terms of the OEM license, and the integrity of
the licensee. A software product is a piece of copyrighted intellectual
property. By law, the copyright holder sets the terms and conditions
under which others may use his product. Software companies specify
those terms in each product's license.
> And
> what does it mean to "transfer ownership of the entire pc?"
>
Say you wanted to give someone your OEM copy of Windows. You would
also have to give that person the computer to which that license is bound.
--
Bruce Chambers
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