Vista - Installation Vs Upgrade

I installed a fresh copy of Vista Home on my Macintosh to see if it works
(using Boot Camp). I didn't like it, so I have taken it off and now would
rather just install it in my PC. However, I installed it as an upgrade. Now
that I try to activate, it tells me that I need to get another key. Other
versions of the OS do not show this problem. Is this a problem because I did
an upgrade instead of a clean install?

Before I wipe the machine I am going to put this in, and put the time, I
could use some suggestions. Thanks.

Hi,

If you activated it previously on the Mac with this Product Key, then when
you tried to activate it on another machine you would get a message about it
already being in use. The solution is to simply use the phone activation
method and hold on the line to get a real person. Just state what you are
doing and they will activate it for you.

--
Best of Luck,

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

"CableGuy75" <CableGuy75@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A50B7EB3-6DF3-475C-9720-8AD6176F8717@microsoft.com...
>I installed a fresh copy of Vista Home on my Macintosh to see if it works
> (using Boot Camp). I didn't like it, so I have taken it off and now would
> rather just install it in my PC. However, I installed it as an upgrade.
> Now
> that I try to activate, it tells me that I need to get another key. Other
> versions of the OS do not show this problem. Is this a problem because I
> did
> an upgrade instead of a clean install?
>
> Before I wipe the machine I am going to put this in, and put the time, I
> could use some suggestions. Thanks.

Thanks Rick, I will call in the morning. NOW...just curious-if I change my
HD....after installation, does it mean that if I choose to reinstall I have
to call again? The only reason I ask, is because Vista is the first OS to
have this problem/issue. I had to do something similar with Win2K and XP,
never had to call Microsoft to reinstall my own copy on the same machine.

Is this a bug or just the "new" standard? I was reading on Microsoft
support page that the online activation was good for 5 tries before I have to
do it over the phone...and even then, I should be able to do it thru the
automated system.

Hopefully I wont' have to do it more than once, and likely wait until I
install a new HD before I got thru this activation mess. Im very
pro-automation, I work in CS for a large company and hate wasting resources
when we have a system setup to take care of this.


"Rick Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> If you activated it previously on the Mac with this Product Key, then when
> you tried to activate it on another machine you would get a message about it
> already being in use. The solution is to simply use the phone activation
> method and hold on the line to get a real person. Just state what you are
> doing and they will activate it for you.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>
> "CableGuy75" <CableGuy75@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:A50B7EB3-6DF3-475C-9720-8AD6176F8717@microsoft.com...
> >I installed a fresh copy of Vista Home on my Macintosh to see if it works
> > (using Boot Camp). I didn't like it, so I have taken it off and now would
> > rather just install it in my PC. However, I installed it as an upgrade.
> > Now
> > that I try to activate, it tells me that I need to get another key. Other
> > versions of the OS do not show this problem. Is this a problem because I
> > did
> > an upgrade instead of a clean install?
> >
> > Before I wipe the machine I am going to put this in, and put the time, I
> > could use some suggestions. Thanks.
>
>

It is very likely that you will have to reactivate Vista in the future. On
PCs, something as simple as reseating video cards or installing an update
has be known to trigger the need to reactivate. It is a nightmare if you
need to have a reliable computer in a location with no phone service.

-Paul Randall

"CableGuy75" <CableGuy75@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6BE76FEA-1084-475D-B063-0E38CF7D2A4E@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Rick, I will call in the morning. NOW...just curious-if I change
> my
> HD....after installation, does it mean that if I choose to reinstall I
> have
> to call again? The only reason I ask, is because Vista is the first OS to
> have this problem/issue. I had to do something similar with Win2K and XP,
> never had to call Microsoft to reinstall my own copy on the same machine.
>
> Is this a bug or just the "new" standard? I was reading on Microsoft
> support page that the online activation was good for 5 tries before I have
> to
> do it over the phone...and even then, I should be able to do it thru the
> automated system.
>
> Hopefully I wont' have to do it more than once, and likely wait until I
> install a new HD before I got thru this activation mess. Im very
> pro-automation, I work in CS for a large company and hate wasting
> resources
> when we have a system setup to take care of this.
>
>
> "Rick Rogers" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> If you activated it previously on the Mac with this Product Key, then
>> when
>> you tried to activate it on another machine you would get a message about
>> it
>> already being in use. The solution is to simply use the phone activation
>> method and hold on the line to get a real person. Just state what you are
>> doing and they will activate it for you.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>>
>> "CableGuy75" <CableGuy75@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:A50B7EB3-6DF3-475C-9720-8AD6176F8717@microsoft.com...
>> >I installed a fresh copy of Vista Home on my Macintosh to see if it
>> >works
>> > (using Boot Camp). I didn't like it, so I have taken it off and now
>> > would
>> > rather just install it in my PC. However, I installed it as an
>> > upgrade.
>> > Now
>> > that I try to activate, it tells me that I need to get another key.
>> > Other
>> > versions of the OS do not show this problem. Is this a problem because
>> > I
>> > did
>> > an upgrade instead of a clean install?
>> >
>> > Before I wipe the machine I am going to put this in, and put the time,
>> > I
>> > could use some suggestions. Thanks.
>>
>>

I have Vista for 6months and already need to activate 4times.
1. when first installed.
2. Changed hard drive - needed to phone to reactivate.
3. installed SATA drivers - needed to phone to reactivate
4. Updated BIOS - automatically reactivated.

I remember XP wanting to reactivate for the same reasons so I not sure how
much is different.


"Paul Randall" wrote:

> It is very likely that you will have to reactivate Vista in the future. On
> PCs, something as simple as reseating video cards or installing an update
> has be known to trigger the need to reactivate. It is a nightmare if you
> need to have a reliable computer in a location with no phone service.
>
> -Paul Randall
>
> "CableGuy75" <CableGuy75@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6BE76FEA-1084-475D-B063-0E38CF7D2A4E@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks Rick, I will call in the morning. NOW...just curious-if I change
> > my
> > HD....after installation, does it mean that if I choose to reinstall I
> > have
> > to call again? The only reason I ask, is because Vista is the first OS to
> > have this problem/issue. I had to do something similar with Win2K and XP,
> > never had to call Microsoft to reinstall my own copy on the same machine.
> >
> > Is this a bug or just the "new" standard? I was reading on Microsoft
> > support page that the online activation was good for 5 tries before I have
> > to
> > do it over the phone...and even then, I should be able to do it thru the
> > automated system.
> >
> > Hopefully I wont' have to do it more than once, and likely wait until I
> > install a new HD before I got thru this activation mess. Im very
> > pro-automation, I work in CS for a large company and hate wasting
> > resources
> > when we have a system setup to take care of this.
> >
> >
> > "Rick Rogers" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> If you activated it previously on the Mac with this Product Key, then
> >> when
> >> you tried to activate it on another machine you would get a message about
> >> it
> >> already being in use. The solution is to simply use the phone activation
> >> method and hold on the line to get a real person. Just state what you are
> >> doing and they will activate it for you.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Best of Luck,
> >>
> >> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> >> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> >> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> >> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
> >>
> >> "CableGuy75" <CableGuy75@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:A50B7EB3-6DF3-475C-9720-8AD6176F8717@microsoft.com...
> >> >I installed a fresh copy of Vista Home on my Macintosh to see if it
> >> >works
> >> > (using Boot Camp). I didn't like it, so I have taken it off and now
> >> > would
> >> > rather just install it in my PC. However, I installed it as an
> >> > upgrade.
> >> > Now
> >> > that I try to activate, it tells me that I need to get another key.
> >> > Other
> >> > versions of the OS do not show this problem. Is this a problem because
> >> > I
> >> > did
> >> > an upgrade instead of a clean install?
> >> >
> >> > Before I wipe the machine I am going to put this in, and put the time,
> >> > I
> >> > could use some suggestions. Thanks.
> >>
> >>
>
>
>