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So after 10 activations - thats it is it? Another £250 down the drain if you're using the Ultimate version. Bloody stupid idea if you ask me. It needs to be implemented so much better than what it currently is.

Phew, allot better than the 2 times that was rumored

So, I take it the guy means that once the hard drive plus one other component are changed, a re-activation is necessary...not that the hard drive and additional component have to be changed at the same time.

And if you installed a new motherboard, what's that image going to do for you?

Ms where we take the Personal out of Personal Computing :s ok so its gone from 2 times to 10 but even so come on , pc hardware will always fail be it down to the hardware itself or some dumb arse who doesn't know what he/she are doing

call me stupid but if i buy something id like to keep control of it , maybe im just expecting too much these days from people who only care about money heh

my bad

Last edited by Lasker on 26 Oct 2006 - 16:45

It's good, but it'll get cracked, I bet.

I don't see what all the fuss is about, doesn't windows xp have the same policy, of 10 activations?

If your doing a reformat you should be to save the activation file so you don't need to reactivate, like xp. Least I hope so.

like wiht xp they make it so you cant sell your copy if you wanted to. who would buy your licence if they couldnt know how much life it had left in it?

I'm not sure if it does much good to complain at this point. If you don't like the EULA restrictions, there is a very easy solution; don't use the product and either stick with XP or move to another OS platform. That is exactly what many of use are doing. If enough consumers move in this direction, the kids in Redmond will catch the drift.

I'd class myself as an enthusiast and I by no means have ever had to reactivate windows 10 times over the past 5 years due to hardware changes.

To all the people bitching, this only counts if you replace the hard drive AND something else, get a clue. New hard drives, reformatting, new RAID arrays etc. DO NOT COUNT.

I'm not even sure if replacing the entire motherboard would count, providing that's all that's replaced.

But the point is, as long as you don't swap out your hard drive each time you buy or install a new component, then this wont be a problem and even at that, how many of you have replaced a hard drive AND something else at the same time 10 times since XP was released?

You can always call the toll-free number and actually TELL someone why you've got to do a strange reactivation. They're not unreasonable. I have to call every time I reactivate XP now since I've had to reinstall it so many times due to my work, and for some pretty odd reasons. They've never told me to go buy a new copy.

what if you install windows on one HD thats installed
then say u move vista to a secondary HD
i have an 80 and a 160 gig drive..currently windows is on the 80
if i moved to the 160..is that a reactivation?

Why not just install everything (like mentioned in the article), image the drive and be done with it?

If the system goes 'tits up', you have a working, activated ISO ready to restore.

I wonder if Vienna? will come with some form of DNA matched mobile timecard access system whereby you pay for every minute you use the OS. Maybe they will even be able to charge you for the time spent thinking about using their OS by then...
/slippery slope

ugh wait... for someone like me that reinstalls their system almost weekly (because of driver development and such) I can only reinstall it 10 times?! because in XP i have to reactivate it every time I reinstall it! (not phone activation, but it asks me to activate the software every reinstall)... so for me to develop dirvers I have to spend how much money now!?

My suggestion would be to allow you to register your copy. Once registered you can login to a website and activate/deactivate computers. This way you can install it on any computer you want and are not violating any licensing. Redhat does this for their server activation, this works really well, especially when your dealing with many systems.

this is a hard drive and soemthing esle. Do they mean at the same time?

An usb dongle would be nice option.

Isn't this how XP has worked so far? You have a certain number of activations and then you have to start calling them. After you call they must reset it or something for a while... I dunno, every time I've had to call they always get me up and running pretty quickly, can't complain about that.

I thought Vista was suppose to have the ability to recognize change hardware upon boot and thus load the configuration manager if hardware had changed? Is this no longer a feature?

Good job MS, your forcing me to get a pirated copy then.

What about Hard drives in RAID? Wouldn't Vista see a RAID array and not the amount of hard drives in it? or the names or anything like that?

i guess enthusiast and people that change too much the config would get a cracked version... this its too much problem and annoyance cracked version its free and its the same thing. Im a legit windows user and somehow i feel that everyday pass i feel the less value we get with windows, microsoft treating us like criminals its not a way to go.

I think that going to the warez way its less problematic... waiting for cracked version or corporate.... or otherwise i stick with XP, sorry i dont feel that all this its right they should focus more on dropped vista features than crap like wga and activation that no one likes and only affect legit users.

Changing a hard drive is definitely (a lot) more common than changing the CPU.

I think as vista rolls out and with invisioning some of the activation headaches I will encounter, I will be more than likely to just get a mac and say goodbye to windows in my home. I agree with you 'eilegz' that microsoft is treating all of us like criminals.

What's wrong with you people? It's 10 activations on-line and unlimeted activations py phone! So wha`t's the problem? Is it so hard to undersand?

i have customers at that can go through 10 formats and reinstalls of windows in one year due to

1. viruses
2. adware/spyware
3. a combination of the above
4. 'experimenting' with system options/files
5. unexplained 'acts of god'
6. "hackers" (big emphasis on the ""

10 activations is insane. its not a question of weather or not i will need 10 or 1000, i bought your damn software i should not be limited to how many times i install it. for god sakes apples don't even have cirts of authenticity let alone an activation process.

people keep going back to the "swapping a hard drive and one other component" as the crutch, but they don't understand how it is going to work.

Change any one component other than the HDD constitutes as the "one other device" - and if at any time you change the HDD you must re-activate.

• Build your machine and put everything together - HDD and non-HDD hash code is generated based on the hardware - 1 activation and both hash codes uploaded to MS.
• Re-build the entire machine except the hard drive - Non-HDD hash code mutates - no activation, but mutated hash code uploaded to MS.
• Change the main HDD - HDD hash code has mutated - 1 activation, and both hash codes are uploaded to MS.

This could easily happen in 1 month, so 10 activations could easily be used in a single year... of course you would really have to try to do this, but it is do able.

The only logical step for enthusiasts is to start building machines with more than 1 HDD, so Windows ties itself to a single HDD and users can swap the others... which we do already.

Microsoft is targeting the users who purchase their machine instead of building it...

I don't like the "Big brother" feel, but MS has 95% of the market and it won't change anytime soon.

Once again the idiots who don't know anything post here.

The odds of you replacing 10 hard drives with another piece of major hardware before the next time you want to buy a new OS are slim to none. If you do manage to go thru 10 hard drives, you should consider killing yourself.

XP has a 25 limit of reactivations, Sometime ago I had to reinstall Windows because a Motherboard change and it was my reactivation number 26, The only thing I had to do to reactivate Windows was call MS Support and they give me a new key for the installation, I think the same case will happen in Vista.

Last edited by daniel_rh on 27 Oct 2006 - 11:39

I have never had any activation problems. All you need to do is phone then and most of the time they will give you a new code to activate with.

So when will MS actually show us an updated EULA for Vista confirming this? Until that time, treat this as a rumour.

I do not think it is a good idea that a newbie talks about such a thing.
However, what an article of this Bit-Tech can say

- Activation is the hardware certification with an HDD and another computer part
- Activation being possible to ten times again

It is written that concern of an enthusiast is removed by these 2.
It is the article which it does not write definitely which sale form this depends on.
It is the argument that depended on a totally untrustworthy article in this, and this is really meaningless.
It is for Microsoft to interfere it about constitution of our computer virtually to prescribe the number of times of activation.
It is synonymous with helping you for a future plan of Microsoft to argue about such a license.
Should not we insist that there should be a right to use a software license for regardless of a change of constitution of a part definitely if for a normal product?

I take treatment same as a criminal by an illegal copy and why must pay expense of that purpose more?
A criminal should judge it by a law. I cannot understand why we must obey a personal law of Microsoft

If it says without being afraid of misunderstanding, it is often important to think fundamentally and radically.


A user of we Japan continues a much basic argument from the country of the Far East.

【An agent】Part 7 that Vista limits transfer of the OS【Haunting】
http://pc7.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/jisaku/1161787670/l50
"Vista limits transfer of the OS"
http://wiki.nothing.sh/964.html

I watched a company on a network-affiliated note article, the user of we Japan always repulsed the anonymous fingers of the intentional company which I guided.
We repeat such an experience and repeat an argument in "2ch".
Our society made wiki in a very reason with a little interest to a computer. However, a so detailed thing is not lacking in wiki.
Because detailed information is discharged from prison by an all person and a flow of money, and understand it entirely; is because social.
I want you go over a border if it gets used freely to go over a border and Japanese to argue.
On the other hand, some of we "2ch"er may contribute to you.


Last edited by maxmini1978 on 27 Oct 2006 - 04:36

Replacing 10 HDs by the time a new OS is released is not impossible.

When was XP first released? I know "whistler" was being tested throughout 2000 and into 01, and XP was released late in 01.

When I first got XP, I was installed on an 800mhz P3 with a voodoo3. I think I had an 8 GB hd. That system was old then, but it was still good enough to play games.

1600xp, OCed, 60gb drive. a couple years later 1900XP OCed. I have 2 30gbs, 2 80gbs, 2 160s, and just recently a few months ago, 2 300s. To this day, I still will pop in my 80s or 120s, to see if I can find some old files from a few years ago. There is just no way possible I can plug 8HDs at a time.

Im still on a 1900xp, and have been since 04 which is ions ago. I know people who had systems simmilar to mine, then wentout and got a Amd 64 on that 754 pin in 04, who later maybe later last year or during sometime this year, are now on that 90nm new 940 pin, or the pentium EEs.

How many video cards have come through since then?

Well to make a long story short, Ill just list some of the componets ive bought since then, ive had geforce 2, geforce 3, and a radeon 9800. My radeon 9800 is beyond old. I got in in nov of 03, and it was old [like 4-5 months old yet still one of the top cards] when i got it. I said to myself I would get a new card/system last year but I have yet too.

I consider myself an "enthusiast," but not having the extra cash to freequently get new stuff, I have managed to change major componets more than 10 times, let alone the reinstalling windows. I usually go about 12-18 months between windows instillations, which is ions for some people.

The bottom line, anyone who thinks this 10 "major" hardware changes is alot, or will be sufficient for "enthusiast" is not thinking long term. If I can get 2 major componets upgraded within a year, I consider myself doing good, but compared to some people who may 6-8 months before turning over their entire system or CPU-mobo and/or vid card between upgrades, im archaic.

I think this 10 reactivations wont work. MS will weither scrap it, or change it, because for the 5 years or so between New OS, 10 wont be enough unless you pay for another license, which is what MS is trying to make people do.

Good to know and maybe this will finally silence the fear-mongers.
Seriously you run out of liscenses all you have to do is call up Microsoft like you did with XP and they are very leinant.

Now I know for sure I want to buy this edition of Windows and not deal with the bs WGA like in Vista.

I wish Microsoft would just go the Apple way and not even have a CD key. Life is so much easier.

This is only re-activations, from what I've heard this means you can reactivate the program on one hard-drive 10 times but you can only move it once to another PC then you are required to buy another copy.

This is just a scam.

Will linux get DirectX 10?

I used up an activation just by installing a virtual CD PROGRAM under XP.

everyone needs to QUIT THE B**CHING.

Microsoft has been doing activiation like this for the entire lifeline of windows xp. I've activated my copy of XP numerous times; through numerous upgrades. It just takes some patience and time calling the activation line. I've never had a problem. If you want to use the OS...suck it up. Quit your complaining or switch to and OpenSource OS. For those of you who don't agree...unplug your PC and learn a thing or two before you post stupid comments.

I've formatted my HD about 7 times already while using the beta version.
I don't anticipate doing that with gold, however.
I can see the motherboard as being the key to requiring activation but not the HD.

I got to admit that they only let you re-activate after the hard disk and one of the component is changed, which is treated slightly more leniently than XP. But, there is a Microsoft activation clearinghouse system which allow activation to occur over the Internet four times in one year on substantially different hardware on XP (stated in http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...te/xpactiv.mspx). XP after 20 years is 20*4= 80 times of activation while vista has only 10. I'm still sticking to XP, it's cheaper, stable, require less RAM and graphic memory. So, if only vista also have similar Microsoft activation clearinghouse system like XP's which allow some number of times it can activate per year, then it's worth throwing some money in.

Last edited by oscarntommy on 27 Oct 2006 - 13:38

This is clearly a contentious issue! Damn, that's a lot of responses.... Personally, I don't have a problem with their protection scheme. You can't please everybody.

Maybe there is way you make Vista activation thing, think you haven't changed your motherboard, still using the same one but really you haven't?

BEST BET IS TO -=BAD MOUTH=- MICROSOFT ON INTERNET. 6THEN SEND THEM EMAIL EXPLAINING SITUATION. OFTEN YOUR 30 DAY GRACE PERIOD SUDDENLY GOES TO ACTIVATION ON ITS OWN & ACTIVATES YOU COPY.i'M NOT KIDDING. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK TO THEM ON PHONE & ACTIVATION IS MUCH MORE CONTROLED BY STORE THAT SOLD YOU YOUR COMPUTER & ITS "ACTIVATION" NUMBER STICKER ON CASE THAN ACTUALLY IN MICROSOFT. DOUBLE DANCING AROUND TO USE UP YOU ACTIVATION LIMIT BY CRASHING & SENDING IN BAD SOFTWARE OVER INTER NET IS COMMON WAY TO GET UNIT ALL SCREWED UP, CUSTOMER WORRIED TO DEATH & TECH INTO BIG MONEY, SIMPLY BY CREATING PROBLEM & REFUSING TO ALLOW YOU TO RELOAD O.S.

THINK ABOUT IT. YOUR COPY OF WINDOWS COULD LAST 100 YEARS OR MALWARE COULD RIP YOU OFF ENTIRELY IN DAY. MICROSOFT IS WAY TO ACCOMADATING TO VERY CROOKED RETAILERS.

BEST IDEA OF ALL IS TAKE WALK & THEN PUT EQUIPMENT INTO BASEMENT FOR 3 YEARS, THEN TRY AGAIN WITH ENTIRELY NEW SYSTEM. OR BETTER YET, GO LINEUX.

SignedHYSICIAN THOMAS STEWART VON DRASHEK M.D.

the 10 activations thing isn't really new. it's in the betas, but it is also really sweet that they decided to include it in the final.

that article isn't 100% accurate though as i've 'ghosted' my system drive between a 320, 200, 120, 400 and a couple times in between and i can tell all of you without a mustard seed's size of doubt that changing the hdd alone will warrant a reactivation. as soon as you run the repair option on the dvd (not a full re-install, just to fix bcd) the system tells you that you have 3 days to reactivate windows to keep using it.


btw it will also screw-up VSC (unless someone can recommend a utility that can 'ghost' without messing things like that up).

What I suggest to Microsoft:
1. Allow user to easily backup the activation file and restore it when we need to reinstall it. as we know that most people need to reinstall the windows many times.
do not force the user to reactivating after reinstallation.
2. Do not asking for re activations when user; Adding the memory, changing the video cards, adding new hardware such as network cards, adding harddisk, upgrading the processor.
and the Full pack/ FPP must be able to works as now without the re activation trouble
I suggest reactivations need to be done when user change the harddisk or motherboard. and user can have few times.
3. It is better to detect if the serial number used single or multiple times when it is online. and shut down the system or warn it first it it is pirated.

for OEM also microsoft need to soften little bit. do not make user difficult with reactivation many times.

Please microsoft listen what user wants. I know microsoft need to reduce the pirated.

completly blown out of proportion. XP has basically the same scheme except you only get 2 or 3 activations. If you do use them all up you can call MS and organise a new activation (at no cost). It's hardly that big a deal, infact its good news not bad...seems alot more leanient than whats there now.

And they wonder why Apple's sales have dramatically increased.....

Iz only got to say one thing. Buy mac and put mac osx on it. No activation and you run your os for 10 years no problem of microsoft coming in and wipping your hard drive clean saying you didnt activate. Who the hell are they to deactivate your windows just because you changed a video card. All I got to say is my computer gave me a message your video card changed and logged me off my own fricken system and every time I restarted it only alow me to enter a browser and go online to buy a licence. So I did it. I bought a license and a new computer from apple. Now I got leopard an 8 core zeon and 8800gt card and no worries. Microsoft can kiss it now. With parallels microdick can run in a process next to my leopard and if micro window crashes I force quit it not have the computer force quit me. Open up a new window and start a new microdick process. Microsoft you dont control me anymore. You cant make me your hoe.

Well here is the future. You will have a usb wireless keychain with finger print reader. You will swipe you finger the computer will start and that usb device + your finger and the camera will also scan your retina. And bill gates will be at the other end zapping you every time you do something naughty online.