Vista - Vista Reactivation

For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall on
the same machine with the same hardware after a hard disk reformat.

Is there such a file for Vista Business?

TIA

Daniel--

I'd be interested in a link to info on this or knowing the file and the
Version of Office. I'm not sure what you mean. I've reinstalled different
versions of Office many times by simply installing them after a format or
say on many different Vista builds--but I had the CD or access to a download
during the days of Office Beta trials.

If you reformat on the same machine with the same hardware, I am not sure
why you would need anything special besides the Vista DVD.

I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista and
the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure you got no Vista DVD for
your hard earned cash. Am I correct?

CH


"Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uWk4QyQgHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall on
> the same machine with the same hardware after a hard disk reformat.
>
> Is there such a file for Vista Business?
>
> TIA

Hi Daniel,

No, there isn't. Think about it logically. If there were an easy bypass like
that, then the file would quickly be copied and passed around to the
millions of internet users so that no one would have to activate. If you
format and clean install, you merely need to reactivate, it's not like
you're not allowed to do that. And yeah, it may be a momentary hassle (2-3
minutes maybe if you have to phone it in), but it's not like it takes hours.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uWk4QyQgHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall on
> the same machine with the same hardware after a hard disk reformat.
>
> Is there such a file for Vista Business?
>
> TIA

> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista
> and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure you got no Vista DVD
> for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?

I don't think this is Daniel's reasoning, Chad, as he's indicating that he
wants to be able to do a clean install without activating. If he has no
restore media, then he would have no means of doing so and having an
activation file would be meaningless. Even a restore partition is sufficient
for this process, though still requires reactivation. No, I think - and
Daniel can confirm or deny this - that he just wants to be able to clean
install without having to reactivate.

Strikes me as sort of odd that people are willing to spend an hour or so
reinstalling, and another hour (at a minimum, more like 3-4 in some cases)
reconfiguring and reinstalling software, but are not willing to spend the
few moments it requires to reactivate (and it's something that doesn't even
need to be done immediately in order to use the machine). While I'm no fan
of this requirement or Microsoft's perceived need for it, I don't find the
actual steps needed to accomplish it to be any encumberance.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
news:OSWKaBSgHHA.1244@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Daniel--
>
> I'd be interested in a link to info on this or knowing the file and the
> Version of Office. I'm not sure what you mean. I've reinstalled
> different versions of Office many times by simply installing them after a
> format or say on many different Vista builds--but I had the CD or access
> to a download during the days of Office Beta trials.
>
> If you reformat on the same machine with the same hardware, I am not sure
> why you would need anything special besides the Vista DVD.
>
> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista
> and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure you got no Vista DVD
> for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?
>
> CH
>
>
> "Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uWk4QyQgHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall on
>> the same machine with the same hardware after a hard disk reformat.
>>
>> Is there such a file for Vista Business?
>>
>> TIA
>

Chad,

You guessed wrong. I have the DVD. The issue is reactivating on the same
machine which might appear as though it was on a different machine.

Daniel


"Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
news:OSWKaBSgHHA.1244@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Daniel--
>
> I'd be interested in a link to info on this or knowing the file and the
> Version of Office. I'm not sure what you mean. I've reinstalled
> different versions of Office many times by simply installing them after a
> format or say on many different Vista builds--but I had the CD or access
> to a download during the days of Office Beta trials.
>
> If you reformat on the same machine with the same hardware, I am not sure
> why you would need anything special besides the Vista DVD.
>
> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista
> and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure you got no Vista DVD
> for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?
>
> CH
>
>
> "Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uWk4QyQgHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall on
>> the same machine with the same hardware after a hard disk reformat.
>>
>> Is there such a file for Vista Business?
>>
>> TIA
>

Rick,

Are you saying that I can reactivate on the same machine? That is all I want
to do. I thought that once you activated that License was used and could not
be reactivated on the same machine.

Daniel

"Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:OSRKIVagHHA.588@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista
>> and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure you got no Vista
>> DVD for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?
>
> I don't think this is Daniel's reasoning, Chad, as he's indicating that he
> wants to be able to do a clean install without activating. If he has no
> restore media, then he would have no means of doing so and having an
> activation file would be meaningless. Even a restore partition is
> sufficient for this process, though still requires reactivation. No, I
> think - and Daniel can confirm or deny this - that he just wants to be
> able to clean install without having to reactivate.
>
> Strikes me as sort of odd that people are willing to spend an hour or so
> reinstalling, and another hour (at a minimum, more like 3-4 in some cases)
> reconfiguring and reinstalling software, but are not willing to spend the
> few moments it requires to reactivate (and it's something that doesn't
> even need to be done immediately in order to use the machine). While I'm
> no fan of this requirement or Microsoft's perceived need for it, I don't
> find the actual steps needed to accomplish it to be any encumberance.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
> news:OSWKaBSgHHA.1244@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Daniel--
>>
>> I'd be interested in a link to info on this or knowing the file and the
>> Version of Office. I'm not sure what you mean. I've reinstalled
>> different versions of Office many times by simply installing them after a
>> format or say on many different Vista builds--but I had the CD or access
>> to a download during the days of Office Beta trials.
>>
>> If you reformat on the same machine with the same hardware, I am not sure
>> why you would need anything special besides the Vista DVD.
>>
>> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista
>> and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure you got no Vista
>> DVD for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?
>>
>> CH
>>
>>
>> "Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:uWk4QyQgHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>> For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall
>>> on the same machine with the same hardware after a hard disk reformat.
>>>
>>> Is there such a file for Vista Business?
>>>
>>> TIA
>>
>

Rick,

The Office file checked multiple factors such as hard disk size, memory,
network card etc and they had to match for the file to work.
It wouldn't work on a different machine. (It may have even obtained data
from the BIOS.)

Daniel

P.S. I see that this message answered the question posed in my response to
your first message, i.a. that a reactivation is possible over the internet.
All I want to avoid is talking to the people in India who aren't fluent
American English speakers.

"Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:u538GPagHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Hi Daniel,
>
> No, there isn't. Think about it logically. If there were an easy bypass
> like that, then the file would quickly be copied and passed around to the
> millions of internet users so that no one would have to activate. If you
> format and clean install, you merely need to reactivate, it's not like
> you're not allowed to do that. And yeah, it may be a momentary hassle (2-3
> minutes maybe if you have to phone it in), but it's not like it takes
> hours.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uWk4QyQgHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall on
>> the same machine with the same hardware after a hard disk reformat.
>>
>> Is there such a file for Vista Business?
>>
>> TIA
>

If it really is the same machine (no hardware changes) than you
can activate online, no phone call required.

Gary VanderMolen

"Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message news:eMXzH1bgHHA.4924@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Rick,
>
> Are you saying that I can reactivate on the same machine? That is all I want to do. I thought that once you activated that
> License was used and could not be reactivated on the same machine.
>
> Daniel
>
> "Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message news:OSRKIVagHHA.588@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure
>>> you got no Vista DVD for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?
>>
>> I don't think this is Daniel's reasoning, Chad, as he's indicating that he wants to be able to do a clean install without
>> activating. If he has no restore media, then he would have no means of doing so and having an activation file would be
>> meaningless. Even a restore partition is sufficient for this process, though still requires reactivation. No, I think - and
>> Daniel can confirm or deny this - that he just wants to be able to clean install without having to reactivate.
>>
>> Strikes me as sort of odd that people are willing to spend an hour or so reinstalling, and another hour (at a minimum, more
>> like 3-4 in some cases) reconfiguring and reinstalling software, but are not willing to spend the few moments it requires to
>> reactivate (and it's something that doesn't even need to be done immediately in order to use the machine). While I'm no fan of
>> this requirement or Microsoft's perceived need for it, I don't find the actual steps needed to accomplish it to be any
>> encumberance.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>>
>> "Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message news:OSWKaBSgHHA.1244@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> Daniel--
>>>
>>> I'd be interested in a link to info on this or knowing the file and the Version of Office. I'm not sure what you mean. I've
>>> reinstalled different versions of Office many times by simply installing them after a format or say on many different Vista
>>> builds--but I had the CD or access to a download during the days of Office Beta trials.
>>>
>>> If you reformat on the same machine with the same hardware, I am not sure why you would need anything special besides the
>>> Vista DVD.
>>>
>>> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure
>>> you got no Vista DVD for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?
>>>
>>> CH
>>>
>>>
>>> "Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message news:uWk4QyQgHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>> For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall on the same machine with the same hardware after a
>>>> hard disk reformat.
>>>>
>>>> Is there such a file for Vista Business?
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>
>>
>

Yes, Daniel, you can reactivate on the same machine as often as you feel
like reinstalling.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eMXzH1bgHHA.4924@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Rick,
>
> Are you saying that I can reactivate on the same machine? That is all I
> want to do. I thought that once you activated that License was used and
> could not be reactivated on the same machine.
>
> Daniel
>
> "Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:OSRKIVagHHA.588@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista
>>> and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure you got no Vista
>>> DVD for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?
>>
>> I don't think this is Daniel's reasoning, Chad, as he's indicating that
>> he wants to be able to do a clean install without activating. If he has
>> no restore media, then he would have no means of doing so and having an
>> activation file would be meaningless. Even a restore partition is
>> sufficient for this process, though still requires reactivation. No, I
>> think - and Daniel can confirm or deny this - that he just wants to be
>> able to clean install without having to reactivate.
>>
>> Strikes me as sort of odd that people are willing to spend an hour or so
>> reinstalling, and another hour (at a minimum, more like 3-4 in some
>> cases) reconfiguring and reinstalling software, but are not willing to
>> spend the few moments it requires to reactivate (and it's something that
>> doesn't even need to be done immediately in order to use the machine).
>> While I'm no fan of this requirement or Microsoft's perceived need for
>> it, I don't find the actual steps needed to accomplish it to be any
>> encumberance.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>>
>> "Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
>> news:OSWKaBSgHHA.1244@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> Daniel--
>>>
>>> I'd be interested in a link to info on this or knowing the file and the
>>> Version of Office. I'm not sure what you mean. I've reinstalled
>>> different versions of Office many times by simply installing them after
>>> a format or say on many different Vista builds--but I had the CD or
>>> access to a download during the days of Office Beta trials.
>>>
>>> If you reformat on the same machine with the same hardware, I am not
>>> sure why you would need anything special besides the Vista DVD.
>>>
>>> I think you are asking because you bought a box with preinstalled Vista
>>> and the manufacturer and MSFT cooperated to make sure you got no Vista
>>> DVD for your hard earned cash. Am I correct?
>>>
>>> CH
>>>
>>>
>>> "Daniel L. Lieberman" <LiebermanDL@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:uWk4QyQgHHA.1008@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>> For office there was a small file which if saved permitted a reinstall
>>>> on the same machine with the same hardware after a hard disk reformat.
>>>>
>>>> Is there such a file for Vista Business?
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>
>>
>