Windows Vista for System Builders

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ITTom80

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Microsoft has been offering system builders Windows Vista Ultimate for just under $200. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this version of Vista or knew all the finer details of their "system builder" policy.

To me Vista ultimate priced at about 50% of retail sounds too good to be true, I was wondering if there was a catch... for example, if I decide to upgrade my hard drive in the future, will it still work? What about upgrading my CPU or motherboard?

I would appreciate any input on this...
 
No doubt that's an OEM version of Vista. The big caveat with that AIUI, and I'm sure the local folks will correct me if I'm wrong, is that OEM versions of Vista once installed are effectively locked to the motherboard of whatever system they're installed on...and I'm honestly not sure how many more hoops you'd have to jump through to get it reactivated in the event of a board swapout. (If it's even allowable.)
 
Definitely an OEM license. The 'catch' is that it's a single machine license with no migration rights, and that you have to provide your own product support.

It's literally 'tied' to the machine it is first installed and activated on. Redshirt #24 is correct in saying that it's "effectively locked to the motherboard", because a motherboard upgrade makes it a new system. But that "provide your own support" gives you a potential way out of that dilemma.

Okay. The 'license' becomes active once it's first installed an activated. Your responsibility as the 'system builder' though, begins in the act of opening the shrink-wrapped package. Once you've done that it can't be used on any other system than the one you assembled (or renovated) for that OS installation. If it's a system you plan to flog off with the System Builder OEM Windows included, you have obligation to provide the COA sticker with it, and have your contact details either included with the package or embedded in the installation. You gotta let the end-user know where to obtain the product support you're obliged to provide, in other words.

Right. Now fast forward to the day the motherboard blows up! That's a scenario within the scope of what's permissible. You're allowed to replace a faulty motherboard. And Microsoft knows damned well that system builders/OEM assemblers can't always source the exact same item as a replacement every time, so there's flexibility to enable a suitable replacement alternative to be designated by the builder/assembler. MS wouldn't get past "fair trading" if they didn't allow for that possibility.

You still need to activate by telephone, but take a tip and don't go waffling about "upgrading the motherboard". There almost certainly won't be any questions asked if you mention that you "replaced some faulty parts", but you might strike some heels dug in if you ask to reactivate an OEM Windows after a motherboard upgrade!
 
Ditto, I simply don't see how M/B tie in can be a problem when you can just tell the Indian Dude your old one broke.

MS must know this though but they can't do shit about it.
 
I just put this version of Vista Home Premium on my new build last week. I think I paid $111 for it at Newegg. Its definately the way to go but make sure you choose your words carefully if you have to swap out your motherboard and call them to re-activate it. Oh.. and someone above posted incorrectly, you don't have to call anyone to activate it, it can be done over the internet once its installed.
 
bill0527, the only person who mentioned telephone activation was me, and that reference was in relation to the scenario following a motherboard change ;)
 
bill0527 said:
I just put this version of Vista Home Premium on my new build last week. I think I paid $111 for it at Newegg. Its definately the way to go but make sure you choose your words carefully if you have to swap out your motherboard and call them to re-activate it. Oh.. and someone above posted incorrectly, you don't have to call anyone to activate it, it can be done over the internet once its installed.
Click to expand...

My XP install requied me to ring up.
 
Microsoft is very tolerant of hardware replacements on OEM systems. They know that they sell a lot of OEM software to whitebox builders who use off-the-shelf parts, which means there is high potential for a different model motherboard being used if the original fails.

What I hear most from MS salespeople is that the OEM license is tied to the case; you can gut the system for upgrades, but you can't replace EVERYTHING and still use an OEM license legally.
 
PopeKevinI said:
Microsoft is very tolerant of hardware replacements on OEM systems. They know that they sell a lot of OEM software to whitebox builders who use off-the-shelf parts, which means there is high potential for a different model motherboard being used if the original fails.

What I hear most from MS salespeople is that the OEM license is tied to the case; you can gut the system for upgrades, but you can't replace EVERYTHING and still use an OEM license legally.
Click to expand...

So you can leave a soundcard or something in? :D
 
Then the salespeople you talk to are at odds with the MS legal people, because that definition is about as far from the intent of the license conditions as you could imagine. The legal terms actually refer to the installation on the "device". A "device" is defined as a "physical hardware system".

Now you can put that "device" or "system" into a new housing, and it still remains the same device. But if you gut the thing and put an entirely new system into the housing it then becomes a different "device". Technically, and legally, what those salespeople you've heard have said is just plain wrong!
 
I have an oem vista premium. I have replaced my motherboard 2x with different mb's. Each time I called they reactivated no problem!:)
 
purefun65 said:
I have an oem vista premium. I have replaced my motherboard 2x with different mb's. Each time I called they reactivated no problem!:)
Click to expand...

Count your blessings. Third time you might luck out and get to buy an another green box with a corner missing.
 
Catweazle said:
Then the salespeople you talk to are at odds with the MS legal people, because that definition is about as far from the intent of the license conditions as you could imagine. The legal terms actually refer to the installation on the "device". A "device" is defined as a "physical hardware system".

Now you can put that "device" or "system" into a new housing, and it still remains the same device. But if you gut the thing and put an entirely new system into the housing it then becomes a different "device". Technically, and legally, what those salespeople you've heard have said is just plain wrong!
Click to expand...

Neither is really within the spirit of the EULA. It's hard to set a definite limit. Should my OEM license be void because my hard drive failed? What about my motherboard? Can I upgrade my video card, add RAM, and buy a secondary drive?

MS has gone on record that they don't object to any of that. They're pretty upgrade-friendly.
 
Quite frankly I'm no sure why tech savvy people would pay for the full licence seeing as how the upgrade and OEM is more or less unrestricted.
 
You're actually incorrect, PopeKevinI. The 'system' doesn't ever and always need to remain always in its original configuration. There's never been any suggestion that replacing/upgrading hard drives, video cards, system memory and so on would void either a retail or OEM license. Those (minor) upgrades have ever and always been considered as 'enhancements' to the system rather than a replacement of the system. There's never been any restrictions which mandated that the "system" must ever and always remain in its original casing. That would be beyond the boundaries of what Microsoft could legally demand.

When product activation first became an integral part of licensing there wasn't a clearly set "definite limit" regarding the point at which a system becomes a new system rather than the same system enhanced with minor upgrades. It was 'implied' that a motherboard upgrade was that point. Microsoft understood and intended it to be that point. Microsoft instructed its staff to consider the motherboard upgrade to be that point. But there were inconsistencies in the EULA which negated. The OEM EULA originally made specific mention that the license was 'tied' to the component it was sold with. Big mistake on Microsoft's part. They assumed that the 'component' it would be sold with would always be a motherboard or motherboard package deal.

So, about 12 months into XP's product life or thereabouts, the EULA and the rest of Microsoft's relevent documentation was changed. Since then the EULA has specifically referred to "the device" or "the system", those terms relating to the same thing. The MS website clearly identifies that a motherboard upgrade constitutes a new "system".


Fair dinkum, there's no confusion except in the minds of naive or pig-headed end users. The detail is clearly delineated in documentation. It's only confusing to end-users who either fail or refuse to make the distinction between the act of "replacing" a motherboard and the act of "upgrading" a motherboard.

Hypernova said:
Quite frankly I'm no sure why tech savvy people would pay for the full licence seeing as how the upgrade and OEM is more or less unrestricted.
Click to expand...

Legality. It's as simple as that. Some (most) people don't want to be constantly accompanied by the knowledge that they are operating outside the bounds of legitimacy. That "more or less unrestricted" is only a practical scenario, not one of legality/legitimacy.
 
Just to add my experience.

Purchased the 64 bit Vista Premium OEM from newegg. Reinstalled now five times without phone activation. Think its over 5 installs that I will have to call to re-activate. No other issues to report. Really like this new OS after getting to know where everything is.
 
SR45 said:
Just to add my experience.

Purchased the 64 bit Vista Premium OEM from newegg. Reinstalled now five times without phone activation. Think its over 5 installs that I will have to call to re-activate. No other issues to report. Really like this new OS after getting to know where everything is.
Click to expand...

You reinstalled 5 times or did you swap hardware 5 times then reinstall? Theres a real big difference.
 
Thanks I think I understand how the OEM license works now.

So the advantage of buying retail version of Vista Ultimate means you are not limited to what you are able to upgrade? The user could upgrade any part of the system- including motherboard- with the retail version?
 
you can only reinstall the OEM on the same computer as you used to activate it... not 5 activations on different machines.
 
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