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Vista - Beware - Before you buy - ACTIVATION LIMIT = 2

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by intrepi

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It has just come to my attention that the activation limit has been set by Microsoft at 2 . I'm hoping this is wrong but this appears to be a fact. What does this mean ? It means if your motherboard, hard drive, graphics card or major component in your computer has to be upgraded or exchanged, you will have to reinstall Vista. Then it has to be activated. When you've used up two activations, ( won't take a lot to do that ), then you won't be able to activate your licensed copy of Vista
This means you will have to buy another copy of Vista or another license. Looking back, I must have had Windows XP activated at least 10 times, a conservative guess which means I would have had to buy 5 copies of XP given the same limitations. With this I can't understand WHY nobody is taking issues with this or at the very least bring this to the forefront of Vista's
Forum Issues. God help the gamers or upgraders as they are in for a shock when they find this out after they bought it. Whatever anyone can do to make this a bigger issue to make others aware of Microsoft's limit on Vista activations, should post on forums or do whatever they can as a lot of people are going to assume the activation is going to be the same as XP !
DO WHATEVER YOU CAN-WHEREVER YOU CAN-HOWEVER YOU CAN
replies to this post are more than welcome

32 replies

by faradhi

But you are misinformed about the process. You will not have to buy a new copy of windows, you will only need to call Microsoft instead of activating over the internet. An inconvenience to be sure but not a disaster.

Further, you will not need to re-activate every time you change your hardware. Only when you have to reinstall. That means, Motherboard and/or CPU, and HD (sometimes). Other than that, I cannot think of a piece of hardware that will require a reinstall.

You can even avoid a reinstall with a new hard drive if you use some drive imaging software to clone the drive.

by intrepi

Please contact Microsoft and ask them about Vista's activation limit .. there definitely is a limit. The process is the same but you can only call twice and then you ARE out of luck. They will not activate after that. Unlike XP, Vista does monitor and report changes. Please don't take my word on this, just call Microsoft and ask them before you buy Vista.

by faradhi

Here is some proof.

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/10/26/Microsoft_clarifies_Vista_activation_to_bit-tech/

This article claims you can activate 10 times with Hard Drive change. Further, it claims that only a re installation will require a reactivation.

Now lets talk about experience. I have installed vista on a Maxtor drive, Ghosted the drive, and applied the image on a western digital drive. I did not have to activate.

The reason is as I stated before, Vista will only require activation at install.

However If you have a VLK, vista will require reactivation on a periodic basis. To accommodate this, Microsoft is releasing a activation server so that an enterprise can reactivate without contacting Microsoft.

So as I stated before, you are mistaken.

by watzman9

Old, old, old, old, old, old news.

Your story was correct about six months ago. There was a wave of protest, and Microsoft removed the limit. Completely. It made major headlines many months ago, but you must have had your head in the sand.

[The rules are different for retail and OEM copies, a distinction your article fails to note. OEM copies do have a limit for automatic activation, but MS is very reasonable when you have to call them in person. In any case, since the uproar and Microsoft's acquiescence, the rules for Vista are exactly the same as the rules for XP have always been.]

by intrepi

I read this as one of the changes Microsoft was making with respect to licensing and activation and it came from a spokesman for Microsoft. I will call Microsoft this week and see what I can find out. I have tried numerous emails and as you know Microsoft never replies to anything it doesn't want to answer. All I can say is I would find out before you buy and find out for yourself as it's your money. If I could recall the exact website, I'd definitely refer you to it.

by maxwell edison

And I asked for you to provide a link. If it's Microsoft policy, it'll be somewhere on their Web site. Moreover, you still didn't cite your source when you stated that you "read" it? Well, where did you read it? (And I don't mean in the bathroom.)

You are not coming across as very reliable. And no one in their right mind would take what you claim and try to find out for themselves without you, yourself, providing something -- anything -- of substance. So far, we're still waiting.

by intrepi

I read this slowly, deliberately and came to the conclusion that since I'm one of the "few", it will apply to me. I usually build a new machine at least every 3 years but usually 2 and when you run into new hardware configurations that you need to change as a result of motherboard restrictions, hard drive failure or a need for a bigger or faster drive, it will apply to you very quickly. I have never been denied an activation with XP but according to the report where one has to call and explain the reasons for requesting a reactivation, you can be denied. I did not say you would be as Microsoft is handling that on an individual basis, it's a matter of what you do and what the possibilities are. A lot of that post, in his own words, applies to OEM versions of Vista where in there is no support from Microsoft as Microsoft will tell you to go back to the retailer you bought your system from. I, on the other hand, do not buy OEM versions as I build my own from be case on out so I have to buy a NON OEM version. So if you are in the same boat as I am, then this post "may" apply to you. If you are one of the majority who buy a computer preloaded with an OEM version, it won't apply because you will have to go back to the retailer and he may or may not be able to help you get it reactivated on an replaced motherboard, hard drive, graphics board or whatever. I for one would like to see whatever Microsoft says with respect to Vista, say it in writing on the box before I buy it. They should be able to do that since they have long since stopped providing any kind of manual with the license
If I'm sounding like a skeptic, disgruntled user of Windows, it comes as a result of prior dealings with activation with respect to Microsoft. XP was at times trying, Vista may just be the trojan horse. Maybe somebody at Microsoft can assure us all by simply putting the licensing and activation particulars on the box.

by tonythetiger

would be very careful to avoid denying activation of a legitimate copy of Vista. Such a mistake would likely be costly.

by j.g.camp

has zero activations in my household. Like the commercial for blocking content, Microsoft is an unwelcome guest in my home. No more popups, no more trojans and viruses. Since June 2006, I've been the happiest computer user on the planet.

In just one word:

"Ubuntu" !

by intrepi

Glad all things are good with Ubuntu, I like it as well but since I buy a lot of OS's including Xandros Business 3.0 , SuSe , Xandros Pro 4.1 , Ubuntu, Windows XP, ( 3 Home Versions ) and looking hard at the newest Mandriva, it get's pricey. Fact, I have to keep tabs on what Microsoft is doing with their license and allowable activations as I just can't afford to buy 3 copies of Vista Ultimate, do the upgrading and catch a "we cannot validate nor activate Vista " as it is not something I would want to buy too many times. My problem is I have to run Windows software as I have too many programs that require it. I run all of them OFF LINE and that in itself may be a problem with Vista's internet monitoring of physical machines hardware. If no connection is made does it shut itself down ? There are a lot of questions but for now, I'm focusing on activation as it's been a concern with XP and Vista has some new belt tightening going on.

by intrepi

What, I mean what would do I stand to gain by posting this ? Next question, how am I or in what way could I possibly prove anything to do with Microsoft ? My advice is buy it, find out the hard way, then take a look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what did he have to gain ? If calling Microsoft is such a big imposition, then ignore this, just buy it.

by spdrcrtob

The story you are implying to was ages ago and later Microsoft refuted the claim that you are limited to numbers of installations. I'm sorry friend you are misinformed. And yes I have proved it, I was curious to this and tested it with my MSDN product key for Ultimate since I had initially only installed the 32 bit RTM and wanted to test the 64 bit RTM. All you need to do is call and they give you a reactivation code, similar to how if a client install of Office 2003 or 2007 is installed and activated more then twice over the internet. Get your facts straight before alerting the community with bad information.

by dumphrey

copy of Vista Ultimate is limited to 10 Activations. Says it on the MSDN site. So I would guess the retail copy is at least 10.

by intrepi

It was an interesting read and I for one sincerely hope you are right but knowing Microsoft, if it's older than an hour and it isn't in writing ......... well hope you're right and I'm wrong

by faradhi

You come on this board shouting that the sky is falling. I provide recent proof (yes three months is recent) and you act as if it was written before Vista's release.

Further, I shared actually hands on experience of moving vista from one hard drive to another and you failed to acknowledge it.

Finally, when you make claims you will be asked for proof. No, you do not have to reply with proof. However when you do not, one will suspect it is because you have none.

edited to add: "Call Microsoft" is not proof.

by now left tr

You are clearly out to M$ bash today are you not?

A little research (as opposed to posting off the cuff) would have saved your blushes here I think.

by intrepi

Why does everyone assume it's bashing, this was not a bash. This was a something that Microsoft had intended to do. This was not dreamed up by me and it was not a bash, it was something I believed to be a fact. Yes, I was in error but the error was made as a result of Microsoft's original intention. Now you can put your rope away as I stand corrected.

by intrepi

I just read your link to Znet's update to which I was unaware. I'm very relieved Microsoft caved in as it was their intention to limit the activation.

by georgeou

Yeah, you can thank Ed Bott, he hammered them good and got a lot of people up in arms about the licensing terms for the retail edition. If someone is going to pay that much money for retail software, they better be able to change hardware as many times as they like.

by intrepi

I can't begin to say how much I appreciate you posting this link as it takes a lot of worry off my mind. I'd like to apologize for the error as I did read Microsoft's intention of limiting Vista's activation to 2 . I also read the Znet's article on Microsoft Caving In on it as a result of so many negative responses with respect to the 2 limit activation. I was unaware of the change and I am sincerely relieved that it has been changed. Thanks for the link.
P.S. To everyone here, I apologize for the error, it was not a bash nor a deliberate intention to mislead anyone. Microsoft did
state this as one of the changes with Vista

by pgm554

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6131900.html?tag=nl.e589

The 2 and out thing for OEM copies.

Retail copies are another matter.

by w2ktechman

I believe I saw this before, at some time, but it is a good refresher.

The OEM sales of Vista are capped, that is still stupid, as people still upgrade these systems, and HW still fails.

by chas_2

If it is in fact true about the (newly?) restrictive nature of Vista's licensing, the din of rage is not going to come from consumers. It will come from businesses, and if enough large businesses run aground with Vista's activation issues, there will be lawsuits.

But that is, I believe, at least two to four years in the offing. Most businesses aren't going to jump to Vista from XP just because (a) it's probably not cost-effective and (b) they're not going to want any bugs that Vista may have affecting their business. Where I work, an announcement has been made that we will definitely NOT be migrating to Vista anytime in the foreseeable future.

I'm getting Vista Home Premium for my notebook computer and I'm hoping that this whole activation flap won't be an issue; I bought a notebook computer with an upgrade coupon for Vista. My main reason for the upgrade is solely going to be to keep my skills up-to-date; there's nothing wrong with XP for my day-to-day needs. If Vista turns out to be too much of a headache I'll just stop using it and go back to XP.

Businesses that feel they've gotten burned on Vista activation - particularly if they're large enough to get Microsoft's attention through litigation - will do so. I predict that there will be at least one major lawsuit against Microsoft from American shores and several from the EU.

by cisfrjsii

Never Knew until after purchase..
As A writer and Beta Testor I must Have re-Activated serveral of my Xp ,, 9x Versions say 40 to 77 times..

Cisf?tm.Rjsii 1984-(?)-2084
Computer Interface Systems ? First

by tony

.. but I keep on going through the pain of resetting it. I have done this about 10 times, I am getting a bit P.O. about it

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