My Vista install was getting flaky so I thought no prob just reinstall. Now my Vista(which I paid for by the way) is treating me like a criminal telling I'm not genuine.
words can't describe how upset I am.

I bought at Newegg.com, I tried activating by phone but I think it doesn't work for people who aren't found to be genuine.
"In certain circumstances Microsoft will allow you to activate as a good will gesture"
isn't that big of them..... please note sarcasm
Do you know of a number I can call and let them know how I feel.

I would to call MS but I need a phone # somehow I doubt the cowards have one. I don't think there's anything un-genuine about it, It installed just fine the first time around. I suspect they have some policy regarding OEM software that it's supposed to be a one time install or something.

I think it was actually because I didn't deactivate it before re-installing, but what can you do if your system is too screwed up to deactivate anything.

Look here- Microsoft Support

No as I said before I was trying to reinstall on the same computer even the same hard drive. Anyway I resolved my problem I tried the link wither 3 gave me and chatted with a person from Microsoft support I went around and around with this guy. Apparently the idea of someone building their own computer and installing the OS themselves was so alien to him that he just couldn't wrap his mind around it he gave me a phone number for activation. I phoned the number and found myself on another merry go round. From there I was transferred to another number where the lady and I couldn't understand each other very well. She had me phonetically spell out the product key after about 15 hilarious minutes she finally got the key down. She then told me if I was having an installation problem I could get microsoft support for $59 I said no thanks it was already installed I just needed someone to pull up there activation screen and switch my activation on. She kept repeating like a parrot that I could get installation help for $59. At that point I had an epiphany I realized that it was time to move on that I was done with Vista. I have since loaded my trusty copy of XP and have no regrets. If I ever buy a Microsoft OS again I'll make sure I own one license that I can install as often as I want and where ever I want I can install it up my ass if I want. No more install only once OEM liscense. They do have such a license don't they? Where as long is it's not installed in more than 1 machine at a time it's yours.