Vista Tutorial - Vista Activation?

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/10...n_to_bit-tech/

Referring to this article, I'd like to know if someone could clarify one
part for me... I like to format my PC every now and then, like many others.
My question is, if my HD is the same, but I am reinstalling it, wouldn't
that mean I'd have to reactivate it? I would think that when the HD is
formatted and a fresh install existing, it would not remember that I
previously activated it.

Unless the MS server has my HD ID and compares it on fresh install?

Anybody know?

Thanks in advance,

Julie.

ps. KJP, Please Don't Respond. You're Responses Are Usually Incorrect, Just
FYI.

Yep, same as when I reinstall XP.
Windows XP and Vista have to be activated every time you reinstall.
"Julie" <julie-anne87@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:944F9942-0430-4D1D-A2E2-491E27C9CFD3@microsoft.com...
> http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/10...n_to_bit-tech/
>
> Referring to this article, I'd like to know if someone could clarify one
> part for me... I like to format my PC every now and then, like many
> others. My question is, if my HD is the same, but I am reinstalling it,
> wouldn't that mean I'd have to reactivate it? I would think that when the
> HD is formatted and a fresh install existing, it would not remember that I
> previously activated it.
>
> Unless the MS server has my HD ID and compares it on fresh install?
>
> Anybody know?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Julie.
>
> ps. KJP, Please Don't Respond. You're Responses Are Usually Incorrect,
> Just FYI.
>

Well, Julie, when you format your computer, you wipe out all the stored
information on it. Thus, your computer is freshly loaded. At that point, it
doesn't know whether you have activated or not..
But here is a little secret for ya.

1. Get yourself a small hard drive, doesn't need to be more than about 20
Gigs.

2. After you set Vista up and get it just how you like it, goto Start > All
Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup Status and Configuration.

3. Choose the Complete PC Backup option.

4. When you are there, click the text that says "Create Backup Now." You
will be prompted by a UAC message, Click to continue.

When the window comes up, asking you where to place your new backup, point
it to your extra (small) hard drive. then Click next.

What this will do is back up your computer's configuration, EXACTLY as it
sits, to a file on that hard drive that is protected, even from you.
Moreover, it is saved as activated, so when you format and restore that
back-up, it is already activated, drivers are already installed, anti-virus
and everything is already running, you will have no problems.

Now, to restore from that back-up, you put your Windows disk in, and instead
of choosing to install, you want to choose the "fix" option. When the prompt
comes up, you choose Complete PC Backup and restore from that backup.

Something else that does, is enable you to play around a little. If you
screw it up, you can always restore from that backup. And using this system,
it will automatically format, re-install, and set everything up, exactly as
it was when you created the backup. And this way only takes about 20 minutes
from disk insert to up and running happy vista.

Hope this helps :-)

Thank you Gene Fitz for this excellent piece of info, and to you Julie for
raising the issue in the first place.
Just proves it pays to keep browsing these boards.
Best Regards,

"Gene Fitz" <GeneFitz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:66C480C0-88B9-48C0-AC26-870A0D6EE74D@microsoft.com...
> Well, Julie, when you format your computer, you wipe out all the stored
> information on it. Thus, your computer is freshly loaded. At that point,
> it
> doesn't know whether you have activated or not..
> But here is a little secret for ya.
>
> 1. Get yourself a small hard drive, doesn't need to be more than about 20
> Gigs.
>
> 2. After you set Vista up and get it just how you like it, goto Start >
> All
> Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup Status and Configuration.
>
> 3. Choose the Complete PC Backup option.
>
> 4. When you are there, click the text that says "Create Backup Now." You
> will be prompted by a UAC message, Click to continue.
>
> When the window comes up, asking you where to place your new backup, point
> it to your extra (small) hard drive. then Click next.
>
> What this will do is back up your computer's configuration, EXACTLY as it
> sits, to a file on that hard drive that is protected, even from you.
> Moreover, it is saved as activated, so when you format and restore that
> back-up, it is already activated, drivers are already installed,
> anti-virus
> and everything is already running, you will have no problems.
>
> Now, to restore from that back-up, you put your Windows disk in, and
> instead
> of choosing to install, you want to choose the "fix" option. When the
> prompt
> comes up, you choose Complete PC Backup and restore from that backup.
>
> Something else that does, is enable you to play around a little. If you
> screw it up, you can always restore from that backup. And using this
> system,
> it will automatically format, re-install, and set everything up, exactly
> as
> it was when you created the backup. And this way only takes about 20
> minutes
> from disk insert to up and running happy vista.
>
> Hope this helps :-)
>
>

On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:28:21 +1000, Julie wrote:

> http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/10...n_to_bit-tech/
>
> Referring to this article, I'd like to know if someone could clarify one
> part for me... I like to format my PC every now and then, like many others.
> My question is, if my HD is the same, but I am reinstalling it, wouldn't
> that mean I'd have to reactivate it? I would think that when the HD is
> formatted and a fresh install existing, it would not remember that I
> previously activated it.
>
> Unless the MS server has my HD ID and compares it on fresh install?
>
> Anybody know?

First off that article isn't accurate, this is some flat out wrong info in
there. Second, the EULA for Vista has been updated since that article was
published, so some of the information that was correct at the time it was
published is no longer correct.

But your question is still valid. If you format your drive and reinstall,
you will need to reactivate. But since you are reinstalling on the same
machine it will activate automatically over the internet. This is possible
because unique, but irreversible, information about your hardware
configuration is sent to MS activation servers when you activate.
Activating again on the same hardware will cause the same information to be
sent.
--
Tom Porterfield

Can this procedure be done with an external hard drive also?


"Gene Fitz" <GeneFitz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:66C480C0-88B9-48C0-AC26-870A0D6EE74D@microsoft.com...
> Well, Julie, when you format your computer, you wipe out all the stored
> information on it. Thus, your computer is freshly loaded. At that point,
> it
> doesn't know whether you have activated or not..
> But here is a little secret for ya.
>
> 1. Get yourself a small hard drive, doesn't need to be more than about 20
> Gigs.
>
> 2. After you set Vista up and get it just how you like it, goto Start >
> All
> Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup Status and Configuration.
>
> 3. Choose the Complete PC Backup option.
>
> 4. When you are there, click the text that says "Create Backup Now." You
> will be prompted by a UAC message, Click to continue.
>
> When the window comes up, asking you where to place your new backup, point
> it to your extra (small) hard drive. then Click next.
>
> What this will do is back up your computer's configuration, EXACTLY as it
> sits, to a file on that hard drive that is protected, even from you.
> Moreover, it is saved as activated, so when you format and restore that
> back-up, it is already activated, drivers are already installed,
> anti-virus
> and everything is already running, you will have no problems.
>
> Now, to restore from that back-up, you put your Windows disk in, and
> instead
> of choosing to install, you want to choose the "fix" option. When the
> prompt
> comes up, you choose Complete PC Backup and restore from that backup.
>
> Something else that does, is enable you to play around a little. If you
> screw it up, you can always restore from that backup. And using this
> system,
> it will automatically format, re-install, and set everything up, exactly
> as
> it was when you created the backup. And this way only takes about 20
> minutes
> from disk insert to up and running happy vista.
>
> Hope this helps :-)
>
>

In theory, would this work if you have two computers that have identical
configurations?


"Tom Porterfield" <tpporter@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:1nt73heltrdy9.dlg@tpportermvps.org...
> On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:28:21 +1000, Julie wrote:
>
>> http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/10...n_to_bit-tech/
>>
>> Referring to this article, I'd like to know if someone could clarify one
>> part for me... I like to format my PC every now and then, like many
>> others.
>> My question is, if my HD is the same, but I am reinstalling it, wouldn't
>> that mean I'd have to reactivate it? I would think that when the HD is
>> formatted and a fresh install existing, it would not remember that I
>> previously activated it.
>>
>> Unless the MS server has my HD ID and compares it on fresh install?
>>
>> Anybody know?
>
> First off that article isn't accurate, this is some flat out wrong info in
> there. Second, the EULA for Vista has been updated since that article was
> published, so some of the information that was correct at the time it was
> published is no longer correct.
>
> But your question is still valid. If you format your drive and reinstall,
> you will need to reactivate. But since you are reinstalling on the same
> machine it will activate automatically over the internet. This is
> possible
> because unique, but irreversible, information about your hardware
> configuration is sent to MS activation servers when you activate.
> Activating again on the same hardware will cause the same information to
> be
> sent.
> --
> Tom Porterfield

Computers are NEVER identical..

--
Mike Hall
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User



"William" <woogles@charter.net> wrote in message
news:e2Ppn$KCHHA.3916@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> In theory, would this work if you have two computers that have identical
> configurations?
>
>
> "Tom Porterfield" <tpporter@mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:1nt73heltrdy9.dlg@tpportermvps.org...
>> On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:28:21 +1000, Julie wrote:
>>
>>> http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/10...n_to_bit-tech/
>>>
>>> Referring to this article, I'd like to know if someone could clarify one
>>> part for me... I like to format my PC every now and then, like many
>>> others.
>>> My question is, if my HD is the same, but I am reinstalling it, wouldn't
>>> that mean I'd have to reactivate it? I would think that when the HD is
>>> formatted and a fresh install existing, it would not remember that I
>>> previously activated it.
>>>
>>> Unless the MS server has my HD ID and compares it on fresh install?
>>>
>>> Anybody know?
>>
>> First off that article isn't accurate, this is some flat out wrong info
>> in
>> there. Second, the EULA for Vista has been updated since that article
>> was
>> published, so some of the information that was correct at the time it was
>> published is no longer correct.
>>
>> But your question is still valid. If you format your drive and
>> reinstall,
>> you will need to reactivate. But since you are reinstalling on the same
>> machine it will activate automatically over the internet. This is
>> possible
>> because unique, but irreversible, information about your hardware
>> configuration is sent to MS activation servers when you activate.
>> Activating again on the same hardware will cause the same information to
>> be
>> sent.
>> --
>> Tom Porterfield
>
>

William wrote:
> In theory, would this work if you have two computers that have identical
> configurations?

No. Even the same types of hardware isn't the same hardware. Each piece
has unique indentifiers.
--
Tom Porterfield

Gene Fitz wrote:
> Well, Julie, when you format your computer, you wipe out all the stored
> information on it. Thus, your computer is freshly loaded. At that point, it
> doesn't know whether you have activated or not..
> But here is a little secret for ya.
>
> 1. Get yourself a small hard drive, doesn't need to be more than about 20
> Gigs.
>
> 2. After you set Vista up and get it just how you like it, goto Start > All
> Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup Status and Configuration.
>
> 3. Choose the Complete PC Backup option.
>
> 4. When you are there, click the text that says "Create Backup Now." You
> will be prompted by a UAC message, Click to continue.
>
> When the window comes up, asking you where to place your new backup, point
> it to your extra (small) hard drive. then Click next.
>
> What this will do is back up your computer's configuration, EXACTLY as it
> sits, to a file on that hard drive that is protected, even from you.
> Moreover, it is saved as activated, so when you format and restore that
> back-up, it is already activated, drivers are already installed, anti-virus
> and everything is already running, you will have no problems.
>
> Now, to restore from that back-up, you put your Windows disk in, and instead
> of choosing to install, you want to choose the "fix" option. When the prompt
> comes up, you choose Complete PC Backup and restore from that backup.
>
> Something else that does, is enable you to play around a little. If you
> screw it up, you can always restore from that backup. And using this system,
> it will automatically format, re-install, and set everything up, exactly as
> it was when you created the backup. And this way only takes about 20 minutes
> from disk insert to up and running happy vista.
>
> Hope this helps :-)
>
>

I assume this procedure creates an image. Is there a way to create such
an image, burn it to DVDs, and then restore it from the DVDs, instead of
using a HD?

--
Daze