About to install Vista 64bit. Advice very welcome!

[will101]

I assume you've already upgraded Acrbat?!

For anyone else looking to upgrade, why remove XP? As long as you have enough disc space just install as a dual boot so you have all the legacy compatibility of XP and a new OS to play with

Look no further than here: http://apcmag.com/5023/dual_booting_xp_with_vista

I did this and it works flawlessly on my Raid 0 config.

[Gr44]

Afriad it's very true, if you change the motherboard it won't let you activate it.

So it, in effect, becomes £115 paperweight?

Nice! You know what makes me laugh, I paid for this, like many others - and as per usual, we get less use out of than those who illgeally download it! It's a complete joke!

I'll email MS and moan when it comes to motherboard changing time... : )

[Paul Adams]

So it, in effect, becomes £115 paperweight?

This is why OEM products are meant to come bundled with kit you buy from 3rd parties as they supply it cheaper with no right to transfer to another machine.
And this is why the Retail box is more expensive - you do have the right to have it installed on 1 machine at any 1 time, so you can transfer it to a new computer.

Edit:
This transcript might help:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...5_0222_sb.mspx

[directhex]

the differences in OEM and Retail windows licenses aren't news. enforcement is long overdue.

[Splash]

the differences in OEM and Retail windows licenses aren't news. enforcement is long overdue.

QFT

[Gr44]

Granted. But when does the initial PC not become the same thing any more?

if you upgrade the GFX card? change a hard drive? swap out the motherboard? a mixture of them all ?

In my mind, changing a motherboard from a P35 to a X38 board doesn't mean the PC is not as it was....

[dangel]

Just opened..

[directhex]

Granted. But when does the initial PC not become the same thing any more?

if you upgrade the GFX card? change a hard drive? swap out the motherboard? a mixture of them all ?

In my mind, changing a motherboard from a P35 to a X38 board doesn't mean the PC is not as it was....

as per the license, which hasn't changed in this regard for an eternity, when you change the motherboard for non-hardware-failure reasons

[Gr44]

So in that case, if the motherboard fails... and you buy another one... it's okay? They know the differance how?

If you can't buy back the same model because they don't make it any more.... loophole ? More likely of course they'd just force you to fork out for another, but still... interesting! : )

Assuming the P5K i bought works okay I imagine I'll be keeping it for the better part of a year anyway so will cross that bridge as and when! : )

[Gr44]

I'm not trying to find ways to swindle MS out of money, directhex.

I was under the, admittedly wrong impression that OEM was transferable. This is my failing, fine. I was only trying to fully understand the implications as such.

I disagree that changing your mobo every year means OEM isn't for you though. Ultimate retail is £200 more than OEM at the moment, which means you could buy 2 of them and still have change. Chances are in a year when you want to change it they will be a fair amount cheaper anyway.

All this does is give me an excuse to buy a whole new PC in ~18 months anyway... : )

[Splash]

I'm not trying to find ways to swindle MS out of money, directhex.

I was under the, admittedly wrong impression that OEM was transferable. This is my failing, fine. I was only trying to fully understand the implications as such.

I disagree that changing your mobo every year means OEM isn't for you though. Ultimate retail is £200 more than OEM at the moment, which means you could buy 2 of them and still have change. Chances are in a year when you want to change it they will be a fair amount cheaper anyway.

All this does is give me an excuse to buy a whole new PC in ~18 months anyway... : )

The OEM option has been available with all the usual license terms for a long time as Directhex said. Why did you think it was so much cheaper than retail? What advantage would buying retail gain you above and beyond it being a transferable license? You get support officially as well, but who makes use of that?

Also I wouldn't bank on Vista dropping in price significantly. It's around the same price as XP at the moment.

[Gr44]

I thought MS support was the only differance bar the packaging...

I've already bought it now anyway so it's done, besides I'm not sure I could have parted with the amount they ask for a retail version... that really is too much IMO.

[directhex]

I'm not trying to find ways to swindle MS out of money, directhex.

I was under the, admittedly wrong impression that OEM was transferable. This is my failing, fine. I was only trying to fully understand the implications as such.

okay, here's the short version (note, this is the license being discussed, not potential realities that some forum members may have gotten away with, before anyone asks):

* oem: no support; may only be installed on 1 motherboard, or failure-based direct replacements thereof.
* retail: support from ms; may only be installed on one machine at once, but is transferable to new machines as & when

I disagree that changing your mobo every year means OEM isn't for you though. Ultimate retail is £200 more than OEM at the moment, which means you could buy 2 of them and still have change. Chances are in a year when you want to change it they will be a fair amount cheaper anyway.

let's assume vista lasts 5 years, like xp did. with a mobo swap every year, that's 5 oem licenses or 1 retail licenses. assuming ultimate, that's £115*5=£575 versus £315*1=£315

question is, which is easier to stomach - the cheaper-overall lump sum, or the cheaper short term but more expensive long term subscription-style renewal? could buy a 360 elite with a game or two for the price of vista

anyway, who needs ultimate?

All this does is give me an excuse to buy a whole new PC in ~18 months anyway... : )

with a whole new windows license?

[Gr44]

As I've already said, I was under the wrong impression when I bought it. If I'd have done my homework then I may have bought a retail version instead. But atleast in my case there is little point in considering such things now, is there?

Of course if I were to buy a whole new PC in a year or two the current one would of course need an OS installed on it, so it would require another license in that case anyway ( assuming you keep your old PCs... I tend to keep my 3-4 most recent ones running before they get pushed into the loft ).

Your point about buying 5x£115 or 1x£315 is a good point ( assuming prices don't move ) but in many peoples cases they would probably find it easier to pay £115 every year or so rather than £315 at once. Though personally, if I knew I was going to need 5 of them and 1 would have done, I would have shelled out the £315.

Anyway, whats done is done. Don't depress me by telling me the harsh truth of my mistake...

My RAM should be waiting at my local post office and all I want to do is get out of work... install XP 32 and Vista 64 and play some games!