I've read online articles that pretty much all say the same thing about OEM versions of Windows Vista. You are allowed to change any component but the motherboard. Microsoft has made the motherboard the core component of the PC and if you change it with a different one it counts as a new machine. Your Vista installation would require relicensing and a new product key. Apparently you are allowed to change the motherboard for a new one if it is a replacement of a defective board and it is the same make/model of the existing board.
Now as a system builder and service/repair shop I think this sucks. It's not often that I can obtain exact make/model mainboards to repair systems. Tier-1 systems like Dell, HP, Sony, etc. who are past their warranty, sometimes 90 days on the cheapo units, have replacement motherboards listing online for $100-$400. In the past I would just pull the cpu and ram and drop in a factory new board from MSI, Asrock, ECS, etc. for $50. Then all I would need to do is phone up Microsoft whilst stuck on the XP product activation box and explain the reason for reactivation was to replace a defective mainboard with a new one. Not once have they not authorized an activation. Hopefully, they will continue to do so with these sort of circumstances. As to the folks who are simply switching boards because they need the extra expansion slots, more ram than their two dimm board would allow, etc. I think they shouldn't have to pay but like a reactivation fee of 2 cents or something. Why? Because it isnt a second computer! The end user would still have only one machine running Windows. Perhaps a break in pricing to convert their OEM license to a full retail license. Go halfsies on it. -Tharin O. FORC5 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: OEM license states can not be transfered to another machine once installed, would a major HW change ( motherboard ) be construed as a different machine ? I would think not but not my sandbox. :'( deeper and deeper fp -- Tallyho ! ]:8) Taglines below ! -- Future looks spotty. You will spill soup in late evening.
