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Quick Question about Activating Windows

jamesbond007

jamesbond007

Diamond Member
So a client's eMachine motherboard and PSU crapped out and I ordered replacement parts. I will be using the same CPU, RAM, case, HDD, etc, but I know the Windows Activation will be triggered, assuming I can still use the same OS install. If not, I hope that won't be too much of a hassle to get through.

Anyways, for those of you who know, will MS let me activate the OS? I've heard some people say that the Windows license more or less gets tied to the mainboard and I'm somewhat worried that the client will be forced to buy a new copy of Windows.

Has anyone been in the same position?

Thanks,
~Travis
 
I have not personally been in this same situation but this topic has been discussed here before. Microsoft says that when you buy a new mobo you create a new computer. It's posted somewhere on their website and it's been copied here. MS says that the mobo is the most integral component of the PC and when you replace it you are, in effect, creating a new computer. Thus, you need to buy a new license for the OS software.

I'll try to find the link on their website for you. In the meantime, you might try searching this forum because I know the link has been posted here before.

By the way, I don't agree with this policy or anything....so please, nobody bash me!
 
Found this in another forum but this is what I saw on Microsoft's website recently (just can't find the actual link right now):

?An upgrade of the motherboard is considered to result in a ?new personal computer? to which Microsoft® OEM operating system software cannot be transferred from another computer. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created and the license of new operating system software is required.?

The reason Microsoft gave for this term is that ?Microsoft needed to have one base component ?left standing? that would still define that original PC. Since the motherboard contains the CPU and is the ?heart and soul? of the PC, when the motherboard is replaced (for reasons other than defect) a new PC is essentially created.?

Actually, after reading this you might be okay. If the mobo is being replaced because of a defect (rather than an upgrade) you should be able to install the original OS without having to buy a new license.

Sorry for giving you incorrect information in my first reply!
 
You should be able to activate, although you may have to call them. It's a busted board, so IMO it should be ok even with an OEM license. I haven't read the EULA though, so I don't know how ok that is. 😛
 
From what I've heard, if you call them and tell them the mobo busted, they will re-activate it for you.
 
Kick ass! Thanks for all the info fellas! I'll be really careful of what I say and how I say it. 🙂

Cheers! :beer:
 
Just tell them the mobo died and that's why you replaced it. You're not upgrading it, you're replacing it because it's defective..and that's acceptable under the new terms of the EULA. You don't need to buy a new license in this circumstance! 😎
 
Actually, Microsoft's latest pronouncements (on their OEM website) are a bit more restrictive than what's being stated here:

Microsoft's OEM System Builder Site, which you probably can't access unless you are a Partner....

"An upgrade of the motherboard is considered to result in a "new personal computer" to which Microsoft® OEM operating system software cannot be transferred from another computer. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced, for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created and the license of new operating system software is required.

If the motherboard is replaced because it is defective, you do NOT need to acquire a new operating system license for the PC. The replacement motherboard must be the same make/model or the same manufacturer?s replacement/equivalent, as defined by that manufacturer?s warranty."

Of course, what Microsoft says on a their web site means nothing, legally. Microsoft states that their EULA is the ONLY legally-binding license policy.
 
Anyone have any special tricks if the OS doesn't boot up? 🙂 The machine finally works, thank God, but I've seen this before where Windows won't boot up when you start swapping motherboards around.

Is there an easy fix or remedy for this? Can I plop some chipset drivers somewhere or something? The original chipset was an Intel and I put in one with a VIA. I was thinking about booting into the recovery console and seeing what I can do from there. The HDD is accessable because there's a Norton GoBack software on there that starts to load up, so I know HDD access is good...

As for the activation part, I'll have to worry about that when the time comes. 🙂
 
Microsoft has always allowed activation, even when you explain the situation in full detail to the rep over the phone. I'd think if they ever did deny activation in such situation and demanded the machine can only be sent back to the manufacturer, that's probably against some anti-trust laws.

Actually the feeling I get when talking to the activation reps is that they would rather have the oem copy activated for you (even if it bends their rules a bit) than to deny you activation and have you turn to using pirated copies of Microsoft software.
 
Originally posted by: jamesbond007
Anyone have any special tricks if the OS doesn't boot up? 🙂 The machine finally works, thank God, but I've seen this before where Windows won't boot up when you start swapping motherboards around.

Is there an easy fix or remedy for this? Can I plop some chipset drivers somewhere or something? The original chipset was an Intel and I put in one with a VIA. I was thinking about booting into the recovery console and seeing what I can do from there. The HDD is accessable because there's a Norton GoBack software on there that starts to load up, so I know HDD access is good...

As for the activation part, I'll have to worry about that when the time comes. 🙂
Click to expand...

Did the CD came with a copy of Win XP or XP cd? If it did just boot off it and do a Repair Installation. It will update all the drivers and leave the system previous programs installed as it was before. The only thing you will lose is the XP updates and activation.
 
Originally posted by: Jiggz
Originally posted by: jamesbond007
Anyone have any special tricks if the OS doesn't boot up? 🙂 The machine finally works, thank God, but I've seen this before where Windows won't boot up when you start swapping motherboards around.

Is there an easy fix or remedy for this? Can I plop some chipset drivers somewhere or something? The original chipset was an Intel and I put in one with a VIA. I was thinking about booting into the recovery console and seeing what I can do from there. The HDD is accessable because there's a Norton GoBack software on there that starts to load up, so I know HDD access is good...

As for the activation part, I'll have to worry about that when the time comes. 🙂
Click to expand...

Did the CD came with a copy of Win XP or XP cd? If it did just boot off it and do a Repair Installation. It will update all the drivers and leave the system previous programs installed as it was before. The only thing you will lose is the XP updates and activation.
Click to expand...

Yeah I was reading about doing that online after I wrote that post. (just install over the current setup/do a repair) I don't really like that idea since I'd psychologically see the OS as 'dirty', but perhaps I'll just hook the disk up to another test bench computer to retrieve her files and perform a full-reinstall.
 
Originally posted by: jamesbond007Yeah I was reading about doing that online after I wrote that post. (just install over the current setup/do a repair) I don't really like that idea since I'd psychologically see the OS as 'dirty', but perhaps I'll just hook the disk up to another test bench computer to retrieve her files and perform a full-reinstall.
Click to expand...
Failure to boot after swapping a motherboard must normally be fixed by either doing a "Repair Installation" of XP, or by doing a full re-install. But a full re-install will require re-installation of any programs not included in the System Restoration CD. It will also wipe out any data on the boot partition.

Regardless of which strategy you follow, you should have a backup of all important user data before doing the repair.
 
Originally posted by: stevem326
I have not personally been in this same situation but this topic has been discussed here before. Microsoft says that when you buy a new mobo you create a new computer. It's posted somewhere on their website and it's been copied here. MS says that the mobo is the most integral component of the PC and when you replace it you are, in effect, creating a new computer. Thus, you need to buy a new license for the OS software.

I'll try to find the link on their website for you. In the meantime, you might try searching this forum because I know the link has been posted here before.

By the way, I don't agree with this policy or anything....so please, nobody bash me!
Click to expand...
The mystifying and strangulating licensing scenario for XP is the reason I'm still using my Windows 2000. I know of no good reason to "upgrade."
 
SO, here's what happened tonight.

I put her HDD into a test bench rig to backup the data using acronis so that I can personally retrieve files from the image should she need anything she forgot to tell me over the phone or in person.

Acronis doesn't see the drive, so I plug it into a different computer. Same thing! I whip out OnTrack and it sees a NTFS partition, but drive manager shows a 'healthy' drive, but no partition tables, no files, nada! I ran some SMART diagnostics to check out the disk to make sure that didn't get zapped when the other components died. It checked out fine and I used the Advanced Recovery method in OnTrack to retrieve all of her photos. 100% recovery rate = a happy jamesbond007!

I used a spare WinXP OEM disc I have and installed it onto the eMachine computer using the serial on the COA sticker on the back of the tower. Come activation time, I had my phone in hand and ready to call MS. I attempt to activate Windows online and it WORKED! First try, first time! My guess is that since most OEMs just throw an image with a different key in the OS image, I figured the COA sticker on the back was never really registered with MS before. Thus, I'm guessing that the current hardware config is the one that matches with the MS database right now since it was never really used before! 😀

What a night and I'm off to bed. This MSI board I chose for a replacement (here) is a dream to work with and provided a very cheap fix for this person.

...and I go to bed with another computer problem solved for the books!
 
i had to replace a bad board last week. replaced with same model/etc. activated over phone and gave info, and got new # without issue.
 
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