Re-installing Vista on another computer

C

Curlew

Member
I upgraded my normal computer from Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate. I then installed my Vista using the original MS DVD on an older machine but it will not activate when I go on-line to do so - presumably because MS records show that it is a different system to the one I originally activated it on.

My question is, am I allowed to port my Vista OS to another system having upgraded to a new OS (Windows 7), which replaced it on the original system?

In essence, this is no different to a computer replacement due to hardware malfunction and there should be a mechanism for that.
 

My Computer

System One

Unless its a Retail version, No. MS has now tied the Vista Install to only 1 mobo.

You could call MS and explain it to them and they may allow it, but usually they don't.

For hardware malfunction, they do allow it, if you call and tell them you had to replace the mobo because the 1st broke.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Dual L5639 // i7 950 @ 4.0Ghz
    Motherboard
    Evga SR-2 // Gigabyte x58a-ud3r
    Memory
    12Gig Corsair XMS3 // 6Gig OCZ Gold
    Graphics Card(s)
    gtx 560 ti // gtx 260-216
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 22" // Headless
    Hard Drives
    OCZ aGILITY 3, 120Gig + Seagate 500Gig x 2
    PSU
    Silverstone da700 // Corsair 520hx
    Case
    Rosewill BlackHawk Ultra // Antec 900v1
    Cooling
    Twin CM Hyper 212+ // Noctua NH-u12
    Other Info
    Acer 8930 laptop with x9100...
Unless its a Retail version, No. MS has now tied the Vista Install to only 1 mobo.
Click to expand...
It is a full-priced Vista Ultimate retail distribution. I had built a new machine by obtaining all the parts and installed the Vista on it. However, I had a lot of trouble with it, worst was with upgrades that after a stable period of correct installation started to get errors and never more successfully installed further ones - but there were other minor things as well. I was very unsatisfied with what seemed a slow and bloated OS. So I then bought and installed an upgrade Windows 7 Ultimate for the system, which now runs well, a true fresh breeze, making me think that at last MS has an excellent and solid OS.

I then thought, rather than waste the Vista, only a year old, I could do a clean install on an old Dell tower I had in the cellar that had XP on. It was only after that the activation problem emerged.

Darn it, I've paid big bucks for two operating systems and only want to run them on two personal machines - but can't.

So thank you Patonb, I am sure you are right - typical Micro$oft. And I just can't summon the will to hang on hold again to be told what you have just told me - just can't be bothered to make up a story for them and beg. Well, I needed that little impetus to download and install Linux.
 

My Computer

System One

If you do an upgrade, the system upgraded from is legally dead. It cannot be reused.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
yha an "upgrade" uses your vista as its base, and puts the new Win7 files on to it to make the full OS.

So, you didn't "waste" vista, youre not getting full value, and win7 was a bit cheaper too.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Dual L5639 // i7 950 @ 4.0Ghz
    Motherboard
    Evga SR-2 // Gigabyte x58a-ud3r
    Memory
    12Gig Corsair XMS3 // 6Gig OCZ Gold
    Graphics Card(s)
    gtx 560 ti // gtx 260-216
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 22" // Headless
    Hard Drives
    OCZ aGILITY 3, 120Gig + Seagate 500Gig x 2
    PSU
    Silverstone da700 // Corsair 520hx
    Case
    Rosewill BlackHawk Ultra // Antec 900v1
    Cooling
    Twin CM Hyper 212+ // Noctua NH-u12
    Other Info
    Acer 8930 laptop with x9100...
Patonb said:
yha an "upgrade" uses your vista as its base, and puts the new Win7 files on to it to make the full OS.

So, you didn't "waste" vista, youre not getting full value, and win7 was a bit cheaper too.
Click to expand...
Yep, guess so. But it was an expensive Win 7, in total. Especially the pesky migration path through a troublesome Vista.

Thanks to all, great service.
 

My Computer

System One

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