Vista licensing question...

[zixxer]

I have a Dell laptop that was bought with Vista Business on it. However, I need to run some proprietary software on it that will only work with XP. So, I formatted/installed an old copy of XP on it.


Now I'm curious as to the 'legality' vs 'reality' of whether or not I can use that license on another laptop. This is not company/corporate related so it's not like I'm going to get MS audited or something. I tried installing vista business on the other laptop using the new dell key and all that but it wouldn't 'auto activate'. I'm slightly hesitant to call before I find out if this is something that is ok to do.

 

[Matthias99]

From a licensing perspective (at least according to Microsoft), the OEM copy of Vista that came with your Dell is tied permanently to that laptop and cannot be transferred to another PC. You're free to replace it with a retail copy of Windows (or an OEM copy that hasn't been installed on another system), but you can't take that copy and move it somewhere else.

I don't believe that the versions of Vista being shipped by OEMs are tied to a specific BIOS or anything like that, so you can use it on any PC once it is activated. If you call up MS and are honest, they may let you put it on another computer or they may not. Lying through your teeth and telling them that you just changed out hardware will probably work, but is ethically questionable. Court rulings have been inconsistent on the legality of these types of clauses in EULAs (although reinstalling it is definitely against the intent of how Microsoft licenses and sells their products).

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: zixxer
I have a Dell laptop that was bought with Vista Business on it. However, I need to run some proprietary software on it that will only work with XP. So, I formatted/installed an old copy of XP on it.
Now I'm curious as to the 'legality' vs 'reality' of whether or not I can use that license on another laptop. This is not company/corporate related so it's not like I'm going to get MS audited or something. I tried installing vista business on the other laptop using the new dell key and all that but it wouldn't 'auto activate'. I'm slightly hesitant to call before I find out if this is something that is ok to do.

No, it's not ok. You paid a discounted rate for Vista in exchange to the license restricting it to that Dell machine. If you don't think it's fair, return it and by a retail version which you CAN transfer. Also your Vista license does allow you to downgrade (AFAIR) so your XP install should be running against that Vista 'license' as it where.

Secondly, what application isn't working? Did you try setting it to run in XP compatibility mode?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Matthias99
I don't believe that the versions of Vista being shipped by OEMs are tied to a specific BIOS or anything like that....

So the big OEMs aren't using BIOS-locked versions of Vista? I haven't seen a Dell with Vista pre-installed yet, so I'm curious. I do have a bunch of Dell "Express Upgrades to Vista" packages that I ordered for a client, and it appears these are NOT BIOS-locked, and wlll require entry of a Key and subsequent Activation.

 

[Matthias99]

So the big OEMs aren't using BIOS-locked versions of Vista?

That is what I have heard anecdotally. This may change at some point, or maybe they just gave up on it due to the headaches it caused. AFAIK they're not distributing copies that don't require activation anymore, so maybe they decided it wasn't worth the complexity of trying to lock it to the BIOS?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: bsobel
Also your Vista license does allow you to downgrade (AFAIR) so your XP install should be running against that Vista 'license' as it where.

Yeah. OEM Vista Business includes downgrade rights to XP Professional.

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache<img src=---i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif--- border=---0--->hRPqUZGi9kJ<img src=---i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif--- border=---0--->ownload.microsoft.com/download/d/2/3/d23b9533-169d-4996-b198-7b9
3fe15611/downgrade_chart.doc+vista+business+oem+downgrade+rights&hl=en&ct=clnk&
d=1&gl=us">Microsoft: Downgrade rights for Microsoft software.</a>

 

[BladeVenom]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

So the big OEMs aren't using BIOS-locked versions of Vista?

That is what I have heard anecdotally. This may change at some point, or maybe they just gave up on it due to the headaches it caused. AFAIK they're not distributing copies that don't require activation anymore, so maybe they decided it wasn't worth the complexity of trying to lock it to the BIOS?

Leaked OEM BIOS files lead to Windows Vista activation bypass There's a little bit about Vista and OEM activation. That's all I've read about it.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom

Originally posted by: Matthias99

So the big OEMs aren't using BIOS-locked versions of Vista?

That is what I have heard anecdotally. This may change at some point, or maybe they just gave up on it due to the headaches it caused. AFAIK they're not distributing copies that don't require activation anymore, so maybe they decided it wasn't worth the complexity of trying to lock it to the BIOS?

Leaked OEM BIOS files lead to Windows Vista activation bypass There's a little bit about Vista and OEM activation. That's all I've read about it.

Hmm... maybe it was just the upgrade versions that aren't BIOS-locked, then. Interesting stuff.

 

[RebateMonger]

Hmmm....AnandTech won't let me edit my last post. Bad link.

Corrected link:

Microsoft Word Document: Vista Downgrade Rights

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
Leaked OEM BIOS files lead to Windows Vista activation bypass There's a little bit about Vista and OEM activation. That's all I've read about it.

Yeah. That's right. I recall seeing a lot of stuff about code that emulates an OEM BIOS to fool Vista.

I don't know why MS keeps trying to eliminate consumers having to Activate their new PCs. It really isn't that big a deal. And eliminating the Activation keeps getting Microsoft in trouble with Piracy.

 

[Genx87]

Dell has shipped WinXP discs that werent bios locked.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: Genx87
Dell has shipped WinXP discs that werent bios locked.

The roaster is in the hen house.