They tell me I can do a "restore" dvd from the partition that is on the HD,
but I have no clue how that helps me.

I (think) I need a installation DVD, because:
1. I want to make a virtual PC image to test stuff before installing on the
real box. And I need an installation DVD of vista to create a Virtual pc
harddrive



2. Maybe tomorrow I will set the computer on fire, go and buy new parts on
newegg to build my own new computer. Shouldn't I be able to install on that
computer my PAID FOR windows vista copy?

Well, you'll need to purchase a new Vista license
if you want to install Vista on a Virtual PC. The
license will come with a conventional Vista DVD.

The HP OEM Vista license can only be used on the
actual computer it came with and not in a VPC.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows System & Performance

---------------------------------------------------------------

"csmba" wrote:

They tell me I can do a "restore" dvd from the partition that is on the HD,
but I have no clue how that helps me.

I (think) I need a installation DVD, because:
1. I want to make a virtual PC image to test stuff before installing on the
real box. And I need an installation DVD of vista to create a Virtual pc
harddrive

2. Maybe tomorrow I will set the computer on fire, go and buy new parts on
newegg to build my own new computer. Shouldn't I be able to install on that
computer my PAID FOR windows vista copy?

Thanks.
Final clarification then:
What is the license exactly allows for? What if I slowly replace parts?
graphic card, hard drive, Power supply (HP gives a crappy 350W) and then the
box... ha yes, and my HD fails and I buy a new one at bestbuy... should I be
able to run the Vista I paid $ for on this "upgraded" system?

You can replace/upgrade any internal hardware with
the exception of the motherboard. However, if you ever
need to use the HP recovery discs, you'll have to
reconfigure the hardware back to its original factory
configuration.

Performing an HP System Recovery in Windows Vista
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/g...dlc=en&lang=en

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows System & Performance

---------------------------------------------------------------

"csmba" wrote:

Thanks.
Final clarification then:
What is the license exactly allows for? What if I slowly replace parts?
graphic card, hard drive, Power supply (HP gives a crappy 350W) and then the
box... ha yes, and my HD fails and I buy a new one at bestbuy... should I be
able to run the Vista I paid $ for on this "upgraded" system?

"csmba" <csmba@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:AB043839-3E02-4D32-B11B-875134B76EFE@xxxxxx

> They tell me I can do a "restore" dvd from the partition that is on the
> HD,
> but I have no clue how that helps me.
>
> I (think) I need a installation DVD, because:
> 1. I want to make a virtual PC image to test stuff before installing on
> the
> real box. And I need an installation DVD of vista to create a Virtual pc
> harddrive
>
> 2. Maybe tomorrow I will set the computer on fire, go and buy new parts on
> newegg to build my own new computer. Shouldn't I be able to install on
> that
> computer my PAID FOR windows vista copy?

You may be able to work around that with some 3rd party software

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...ckup.html#frst

No, you shouldn't. The Vista license that came with your PC is for THAT PC
only, you are not allowed to use it on any other computer, and a virtual
machine counts as a different computer, you'll need to purchase another full
Vista license.

--

----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
_________________________________________________________________________________


"csmba" <csmba@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:AB043839-3E02-4D32-B11B-875134B76EFE@xxxxxx

> They tell me I can do a "restore" dvd from the partition that is on the
> HD,
> but I have no clue how that helps me.
>
> I (think) I need a installation DVD, because:
> 1. I want to make a virtual PC image to test stuff before installing on
> the
> real box. And I need an installation DVD of vista to create a Virtual pc
> harddrive
>
> 2. Maybe tomorrow I will set the computer on fire, go and buy new parts on
> newegg to build my own new computer. Shouldn't I be able to install on
> that
> computer my PAID FOR windows vista copy?

The practice of not providing a proper Windows media has been going on some
years. Some HP's have an option to burn one. You should check if your
laptop might. Otherwise you're quite right, in the event of a hard drive
failure you're up a creek. Also if you needed to boot from a DVD to use
recovery tools. You can purchase media from HP (the last XP recovery set I
got from them for a client cost $60.00). This is an unacceptable practice
and a major way of screwing consumers. The inclusion of proper media
should be a consideration when making the original purpose. All we can do
is complain loudly and repeatedly, let vendors know when it's lost them a
prospective sale, and use third party imaging tools. Dell, I believe, has
returned to providing proper media after loud consumer outrage when they had
stopped for a time.
--

"csmba" <csmba@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:AB043839-3E02-4D32-B11B-875134B76EFE@xxxxxx

> They tell me I can do a "restore" dvd from the partition that is on the
> HD,
> but I have no clue how that helps me.
>
> I (think) I need a installation DVD, because:
> 1. I want to make a virtual PC image to test stuff before installing on
> the
> real box. And I need an installation DVD of vista to create a Virtual pc
> harddrive
>
> 2. Maybe tomorrow I will set the computer on fire, go and buy new parts on
> newegg to build my own new computer. Shouldn't I be able to install on
> that
> computer my PAID FOR windows vista copy?

"GTS" <x> wrote in message news:OoPmk5DjIHA.1164@xxxxxx

> The practice of not providing a proper Windows media has been going on
> some years. Some HP's have an option to burn one. You should check if
> your laptop might. Otherwise you're quite right, in the event of a hard
> drive failure you're up a creek. Also if you needed to boot from a DVD to
> use recovery tools. You can purchase media from HP (the last XP recovery
> set I got from them for a client cost $60.00). This is an unacceptable
> practice and a major way of screwing consumers. The inclusion of proper
> media should be a consideration when making the original purpose. All we
> can do is complain loudly and repeatedly, let vendors know when it's lost
> them a prospective sale, and use third party imaging tools. Dell, I
> believe, has returned to providing proper media after loud consumer
> outrage when they had stopped for a time.

HP gives the option, at least on a desktop system, to burn recovery disks.
I have an HP that I bought for my son in February 2007. I got him a laptop
last summer and took the HP system for myself. I restored the system fresh
from the recovery partition. Since my son had never burned recovery disks,
I tried to but the process would fail. I contacted HP support who told me
that the recovery disks must be burned within 90 days. Even reloading the
OS like I did wouldn't work since, the tech claimed, the system nknew it
"birthdate". Well, after recently installing SP1, I was prompted to burn
recovery disks and I was able to.