Probably one of the most hated parts of Windows are its anti-piracy measures - product activation and Windows Genuine Advantage. While most people acknowledge Microsoft's right to implement these measures, many have also been bitten by the measures' shortcomings, such as server outages or false positives. Microsoft blogger Ed Bott has been monitoring WGA since its inception, and in 2006 and 2007 he didn't give a passing grade to WGA ("a big fat F"). This year, the situation has improved somewhat, earning Microsoft a passing grade - barely.
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Member since:2005-11-13
But if you're doing an upgrade, what do you have to replace before it is considered another system/computer? The motherboard? CPU? A combination of both? I just replaced everything on one of my computers except for the case, so I guess technically it is not the same computer
I reinstalled the same copy of XP Pro I was using and it didn't complain at all. Of course, this is a retail version, so maybe that's why.
Member since:2005-06-29
This is exactly why I have an issue with Microsoft's strict licensing. Why should you have to purchase two licenses when you will only have one computer on your desk after the upgrade? Also, what happens when your motherboard dies and you can't replace it with the exact same model? Microsoft says you have to purchase a new license since the core of the computer is not the same, but that's quite silly to me.
Granted, most people in either situation can call Microsoft Support and get a manual reactivation, but to me this just stinks of "guilty until proven innocent". As I've said before, companies like Apple don't have to resort to these tactics to stay profitable. Keeping customer loyalty and trust should be a priority, yet Microsoft screams "We don't trust you!" to every single person who buys their products.
Member since:2008-09-08
Actually, just 2 days ago (because of hardware failure) I replaced my Asus motherboard for a EVGA motherboard and replaced all of my RAM (Patriot for OCZ); I kept the same CPU and hard disk. I did not "deactivate" windows or anything. After re-installing Vista (Home Premium 64-bit OEM) (a clean install / formatted the disk) on the machine I was able to successfully activate the system. Zero problems with activation.
I've read several times that if you replace your main board or some major component like that then you cannot reactivate, but I did not run into this problem. I did have to reactivate, but that was a minor inconvenience... it only took 10 seconds. I imagine that if you replace only a few components (such as in my case: a motherboard and all of the RAM), then the system is intelligent enough to figure out that since you have some of the other same hardware that you are still on the same computer.
Does anyone have a link to a Microsoft page that explains how the activation system / rules work in detail? I'm a bit curious after my experience.
Member since:2005-06-29
I've had vastly differing experiences with activation in the past. I've had XP (Pro OEM, legit) allow a motherboard change without a need to reactivate. Then again, I've had it force a reactivation on adding a hard drive controller card (ATA, not RAID) along with a video card, both installed at the same time. I was tempted to simply download a cracked copy (I personally refuse to use the word "pirated" to describe anything that doesn't involve a man with an eyepatch and cutlass stealing goods in international waters). I was tempted, but instead I decided to go back to Unix-derived operating systems since the only appeal Windows held was a wider selection of video games.
Apart from a laptop that came with XP preinstalled, I've only dabbled with Windows when necessary in the past few years. What little gaming I do can be done in OS X and Linux, and I've gotten so comfortable with the workflow on the Mac that I feel lost on a Windows box now. I have yet to find an email program that comes close to the balance of simplicity and usefulness of Mail.app, and I'll approach nirvana when the rest of the Unix world obtains the equivalent of Disk Utility.
Member since:2005-07-24
Activation id's a computer by numerous devices in the system, according to Microsoft when WPA first came out.
I have had only one time when a computer changed enough during an upgrade that the original Windows CD did not activate, and it actually wasn't even the same computer anymore, and the previous had been upgraded about 2 years prior - so that is 2 transfers.
I think one change of any magnitude is permitted, while a second change of anything serious is not. Jives with the EULA at least...
--The loon
Member since:
2005-06-29
Actually, it's not. Read your EULA carefully. For retail Windows, it's transferable one time only, and by transferable Microsoft means you have to completely remove the OS from the first computer and only install it on one new computer. If you get an OEM version, it is restricted to the system it was purchased for, period. According to Microsoft this means if you change the motherboard, you'll have to purchase a new license.
My personal feeling on this is that it is quite silly; a customer buying an OEM license is doing so because he or she is a hobbyist and will most certainly upgrade the entire computer every year or so. I would certainly prefer for Microsoft to license the product to the user with a restriction of no more than two concurrent installations for Retail and no more than one concurrent with OEM. That would somewhat justify the higher price for Retail in my eyes. They won't do that though; there's less profit in it.
I like Apple's attitude towards OS licensing, OSx86 issues notwithstanding. You can buy a Family license and you get five concurrent installations, for less than the price of two single licenses. They also do not restrict you to one transfer. Say, for example, you buy Leopard for your old MDD Power Mac, then you sell it and buy a G5 Power Mac. As long as you remove Leopard from the first computer, you are free to install on the G5, then if you sell that computer and buy a Core Solo Mini, you can once again move Leopard to the new computer.