How big a hassle is it to...

[fretman]

re-install OEM Vista?

I have OEM Vista Ultimate installed on my system right now and it has been activated. However, I'm thinking about reformatting the hard drive and re-installing Vista.

I'm sure if I did that that Microsoft would send me back an error message saying that the Product Key has already been installed.

How big of a hassle would it be to do this and what would I have to do. I'm thinking that I would have to call MS and talk with someone there and explain what I want to do. But I've heard horror stories of people calling MS and being put on hold for hours and then running up a huge long distance bill.

Strange thing is I can't even find an MS Customer Support number.

Thanks.

 

[nerp]

The number is given to you during the activation process.

It's a 1800 number.

It takes five minutes.

People tend to exaggerate.

Format, install, be happy, enjoy your brief chat with the Indian girl you end up talking to and move on.

😀

 

[fretman]

Thanks. However, some people are telling me that I should be able to reinstall with no questions asked. How could that be. I mean, wouldn't MS already have my product key on their database? And if I tried to activate with the same product key wouldn't MS flag that as an identical key?

 

[n7]

I don't know exactly what actually flags a key, but it takes a lot more than one reinstall afaik.

 

[Cutthroat]

If you don't change any hardware it will reactivate fine over the internet, no phone call necessary.

 

[Rebel44]

You wont need to reactivate unless you changed your hardware.

 

[fretman]

Thanks to all for the help.

 

[nerp]

Yeah I forgot to mention that if there is no hardware change it should activate fine, especially if it hasn't recently been activated in some time.

 

[fretman]

Originally posted by: nerp
Yeah I forgot to mention that if there is no hardware change it should activate fine, especially if it hasn't recently been activated in some time.

What if it was just recently activated?

 

[Nothinman]

It shouldn't make a difference, I believe the XP activation servers used to 'forget' about activations after like 90 days but AFAIK Vista is forever.