Vista - Can I buy OEM Vista and use it on HP Pavillion laptop ?

Hello.

I totally broke the Vista on my HP Pavillion dv2000 laptop. The Pavillion
is about 1.5 years old. I am going to buy a Vista installation DVD. OEM
DVDs are cheaper. I used OEM versions of WinXP on homebuilt desktop PCs and
never had any problem. Are there potential problems using an OEM Vista DVD
on a HP Pavillion ? Because it is an HP I wonder if there is some
'proprietary' tricks they have to keep you from using an OEM disk.

Also, are some OEM disks made to install on only one kind of PC ?

Please tell me what you know. Your help may save me a lot of trouble.

TIA

What is preventing you from reinstalling Vista on your PC with your HP
recovery disks?
"Emerald Saint" <xp.student@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2MOdnZNS87Ze_LnVnZ2dnUVZ_qqgnZ2d@xxxxxx

The difference between an OEM version and a Retail version is the license.
Manufacturers may alter the OEM that they use, but the OEM copy that you buy
is the same as the retail version, except for the license.


"Emerald Saint" <xp.student@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2MOdnZNS87Ze_LnVnZ2dnUVZ_qqgnZ2d@xxxxxx

The disk boots the PC then I get a message that says the recovery disk is
not supported. The recovery partition does something - I can't say what -
and then reboots - over and over. It's a long story. I decided not to
fiddle with it any longer. There is one possible way that might work. If I
had the boot code for the original MBR I might be able to get the recovery
partition to work. If somebody would send me the MBR from a similar
Pavilion system I might be able to get it going again. But instead I'll
just get a real Vista DVD.


"JW" <JW@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:68335F1B-26B2-4121-A7A8-18BDCACB2C38@xxxxxx

Emerald Saint wrote:
I think your best course of action is to contact HP tech support, but that's
just me. Instead of buying an OEM Vista (which should work with your HP,
yes) try this free download instead:

For people who only have a restore image - Windows Vista Recovery Disc
Download:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/window...disc-download/

I haven't tried it myself but others have reported it works well.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

Did you system come with Vista or did it come with XP and you got the free
Vista upgrade after Vista was released?
Since you did no make a set of recovery DVDs when you got the system I
suggest that you contact HP support, I think you can get a set for a very
minimal charge from them.
"Emerald Saint" <xp.student@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4vWdnUyr9ualkrjVnZ2dnUVZ_gadnZ2d@xxxxxx

On Fri, 9 May 2008 19:31:36 -0700, "Bender"
<imnotgivingmynametoa@xxxxxx> wrote:
The only "trick" they use is using non-standard devices in their
Laptops, which makes it very difficult to find Vista drivers.

IF you buy a NON-HP OEM disk (i.e., "A System Builder Kit from your
local System Builder Shop), you will only have the problem of finding
the correct Vista drivers for your laptop and installing them.

There is nothing [techincally or legally] HP can do to stop the user
from using a non-HP System Builder Kit.

Basically, there are three types of OEM media:
1) "System Builder Kits". These have everything a "Full Retail" copy
has, but cannot be used to do an in-place upgrade of a previous
Microsoft OS. They are produced and released by Microsoft, and may be
installed on any Intel-Based, BIOS-using machine. Buy one from your
local System Builder shop. These are always branded only by
Microsoft.

2) "BIOS-LOCKED". These are produced by major System Builders, and
are exactly like the "System Builder Kits" above, but may only be
installed on computers which have the correct BIOS. These are
sometimes included with the machine one purchases, and are always
branded with the OEM's brand.

3) OEM disks like those provided by Dell. Dell is still including
them with each complete system purchased. These allow one to install
the OS on any computer, like the System Builder Kits, but will only be
pre-activated if one installs them on a computer for which they were
produced. Of course, using one of these Disks with a machine not
built by the OEM it was purchased from will result in an invalid
License, since such licenses may not be transferred to machines not
manufactured by the OEM they are purchased from.

ALL OEM Licenses LACK:
1) On-going support from Microsoft, other than during installation and
regular updates.
2) The right to be transferred to another person WITHOUT also
transferring the machine upon which it was first activated to the new
owner.
3) The right to be transferred to another machine owned by the current
licensee.
4) The right (or ability) to do an in-place upgrade of a previous OS.

OEM licenses have only ONE advantage because of their limitations:
They are [usually] much cheaper than Retail kits.


Donald L McDaniel
Please reply to the correct thread and article.
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