OEM Editions from Large Manufacturers
Is there any difference between the OEM DVDs that you get from NewEgg, and the OEM DVDs that you get from large manufacturers like Dell?
Yes, these DVDs do not work the same way. You can not activate a clean Vista installation with a product key that is labeled on a computer from a large manufacturer. In fact, the product key labeled on the computer is not used at all.
If I can't perform a clean installation with the product key labeled on my computer, then how do I do a clean install?
You must use the Vista DVD provided by the manufacturer. It will not ask you for a product key, and will automatically activate without connecting to the Internet.
Woohoo! That sounds like the Vista DVD I need!
Don't get too excited. The DVD does this by checking the BIOS of the computer to verify that it is from the correct manufacturer.
Can this Vista DVD automatically activate on any new computer from the same manufacturer, whether or not it came with a Vista license?
Yes, it should. As long as they don't change the identification code in the BIOS.