Problem with activating vista

[r_j_k_p]

i recently put in a new mobo in my pc.
i have vista home premium OEM.

Now it won't boot into windows, however on the log on screen it says to activate windoes.
Anyways, now when i try to activate online, it won't let me.
When i put in the key, it says its invalid.
(this im used to)
so i go to the automated phone system thing, however i don't have an installation ID.
pic:




so i ring them various times. After a few phone calls they say i need to phone technical support which only opens on monday morning!!!

anyone know of any fixes or any additional numbers i can phone to get the problem fixed asap.


MANY THANKS.

[mehmeh]

i recently put in a new mobo in my pc.
i have vista home premium OEM.

That could be your problem. Was the new mobo a direct replacement for the old one, same model?

A Windows OEM license will be tied to the hardware in the machine. You can get away with changing out Hard drives, graphics cards, even a CPU, but Microsoft see the motherboard as a constant and once you've replaced it (say going from a S775 board to i7 as an extreme example) your looking at needing a new license. They were always nice enough on XP, if a mobo broke or you upgraded but stayed on the same socket with the same CPU, flirt with the lady on the activation line and she'd usually whack it through for you. Heard they tightened up allot of Vista though?

Why you dont have an installation ID I'm not sure of. Am assuming you just swapped the Mobos over without a format? Dont know the consesus on that these days, but I would always do a format along with such a drastic change and if your getting nowhere with it tonight anyway, might be worth considering. As a bonus you'll get the 30days to activate so atleast you'll be able to use your new rig over the weekend. Beyond that dude, can't really help, sorry.

[synaesthesia]

I concur, a format is a must irrespective of how much time you have to spare sorting out the drivers and leftovers. Would almost certainly sort out that issue. You might still have to phone MS but at least you'll have an ID to activate with.

[Blitzen]

i recently put in a new mobo in my pc.
i have vista home premium OEM.

Now it won't boot into windows, however on the log on screen it says to activate windoes.
Anyways, now when i try to activate online, it won't let me.
When i put in the key, it says its invalid.
(this im used to)
so i go to the automated phone system thing, however i don't have an installation ID.
pic:




so i ring them various times. After a few phone calls they say i need to phone technical support which only opens on monday morning!!!

anyone know of any fixes or any additional numbers i can phone to get the problem fixed asap.


MANY THANKS.

Is it the first time you have used the Vista installation? If so, take it back.
If not, then the reasons are below.
OEM should not be installed on a different PC. New Motherboard = New PC

So many people try to circum navigate the cost of windows by thinking it is acceptable to buck the system and then get caught this way.

People can and do lie to microsoft as to why they needed a different motherboard for example, and ocassionally get away with it.
It is theft though........

[synaesthesia]

Actually, a new motherboard != a new PC. Motherboards go wrong. It's not always acceptable, viable or possible to get a direct like for like replacement. Microsoft are more than happy to let you activate knowing this. Although not morally correct, legally you're quite safe as long as there's one remaining piece of non peripheral hardware from the original system. Hard drive, sound card etc, all fine. I'd checked this with MS separately with XP and Vista just to be clear and that was their take on it. I'm happy to take their word for it - lets just remain thankful it's not Apple we're dealing with.

[r_j_k_p]

what i did was insert the windows disk and restore it to an earlier time using system restore.
It then booted to desktop, then i activated it using the validation tool.
It now works fine, for now..


And yes, it was a new mobo, but the same socket.

[dave87]

If you need to activate it in the future, phone up MS to get the activation - hardware failure is a legitimate reason for moving from one mobo to another.

[Agent]

Yep, the new mobo = new licence simply is not true if it was faulty.

Hardware failure is covered by the EULA.