just received vista HP OEM from voucher

blode

My copy of MCE 2005 came with a voucher to upgrade to Vista home premium. After a ridiculously long delay (don't go there) my vista DVD arrived this morning.

My MCE is installed on an Abit AB9 pro motherboard with 1GB ram and a dual core E6300 processor in an antec case.

I'm thinking of building a quiet HTPC but that would require a new case and micro ATX motherboard. Can I use the Vista OEM which I've received in a new PC and continue to use my original MCE system?

Or are the COAs of my original MCE and new Vista HP OEM somehow connected?

kryyst

Yes you can use it on another machine. Though I'd suggest sticking with XP Vista has it's own issues but the Home version is the worst.

primesuspect

Depends. Did you get an "upgrade" version where you have to install it through your currently installed OS, or did you get a full, "blank" OEM copy that you can install right from the DVD on a blank drive?

If it's the upgrade version, it legally invalidates your MCE license.

blode

Thanks for the reply Prime - I just opened the box - it is a single disc marked 'Upgrade'. Kryyst, your reply contradicts Prime but does that refer to the standard (non-voucher-upgrade) disc?

There's a note inside saying (among other things) "You may not reassign the licence for this software to another device" which can be read two ways:

1 That I must install it on the same device (ie motherboard) as I installed my MCE on... or

2 Once it is installed on a particular device (ie motherboard) it is then firmly licenced to it (in the same way as other OEM versions of Windows).

If 1 then will Vista refuse to activate on a different device? Or if 2, will my original PC with MCE refuse to work (or display the dreaded WGA messages of doom)?

Could I in theory have both MCE and the Vista OEM upgrade dual-booting on the same PC?

The quick start guide implies that you can use this upgrade disc as a clean install (which would be my preference).

primesuspect

You cannot use the upgrade disc as a clean install, sorry.

Straight from the source (PDF file linked), item #13:

Vista EULA wrote:

13. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible
for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software
you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

It invalidates your MCE license. Now, in real practice, at least as recent as a few months ago, you'll probably be able to pass WGA with your MCE license. I tried it myself and it worked, but you're violating the license agreement. There's no promise that they won't invalidate your MCE key at any given time.

deaden_07

I don't think they invalidate license keys. In order to install Vista I have to have an activated install of my XP Pro. If they invalidate keys because of upgrade editions wouldn't that block activation? This stuff is so dang confusing eheh!

primesuspect

That's not entirely correct: Your copy of WinXP does NOT have to be activated in order to upgrade to Vista. To do a truly clean install, (and yes, it's a pain), I've formatted the drive, installed XP barebones with no drivers or anything, and the second I am able to get to a desktop, I run the Vista clean upgrade. It'll run without having activated XP.

kryyst

Prime is correct if it's an 'upgrade' edition it has to be installed either overtop of an existing windows installation or has to have an original disk that it can validate.

You could however install it on a 2nd machine and validate the installation with your current MCE disk. However after you do that you legally couldn't use that MCE disk anymore. Technically I don't know if that license would actually be unvalidated in term of the MS validation check.

blode

Kryyst - so is Prime wrong: Can I do a clean install just like the XP upgrade by inserting the MCE disc when asked?

(with XP upgrade it asked you for the Win 98 CD)

kryyst

blode wrote:

Kryyst - so is Prime wrong: Can I do a clean install just like the XP upgrade by inserting the MCE disc when asked?

(with XP upgrade it asked you for the Win 98 CD)

Not 100%. I know with all previous versions of windows that is the case. I don't know if that still holds true with vista. I have yet to try an upgrade version of vista to see what it does. My suggestion is try it. You'll know very quickly if it'll work or not.

primesuspect

I've done several vista upgrades now - I can tell you that you cannot boot off the DVD and do a clean install. Don't believe me? Try it.

You're not asked for a valid XP/MCE CD. You are told to boot into your existing version of a validly upgradeable windows and run the installer from the Vista DVD from within windows.

Thrax

primesuspect wrote:

I've done several vista upgrades now - I can tell you that you cannot boot off the DVD and do a clean install. Don't believe me? Try it.

You're not asked for a valid XP/MCE CD. You are told to boot into your existing version of a validly upgradeable windows and run the installer from the Vista DVD from within windows.

Verified.

blode

Ahh, fair enough, Prime. OK I'll try the clean XP/immediate vista upgrade route.

blode

OK I finally got Vista HP up and running (I just couldn't face reinstalling all my apps so I did an upgrade install). I had issues with Creative X-fi drivers and NIS 2007, fortunately I could download vista-compatable versions from another PC so that's all sorted.

My only problem is that IE7 doesn't work any more (but it worked intermittently whilst I was trying to sort out NIS problems). Internet connection is fine (through wireless network) and I can run live updates on NAV, play online games, do the vista updates and chat on live messenger but IE7 doesn't respond.

Any ideas? I've googled it but the answers are confusing and contradictory - one even suggested Java needed updating - I did that but it didn't help.

deaden_07

Actually with the 64 bit version of Vista you do HAVE to boot off the DVD to start the upgrade. It just has to be able to see the partition with XP installed and activated on it. I've tried it without activating xp and it said it didn't see a valid install. Rebooted, activated xp, then Vista was happy to upgrade. Although I've been turned onto a trick to avoid the xp step.

NIS?

blode

Norton Internet Security, sorry!

kryyst

get the hell rid of NIS as fast as possible

deaden_07

Ah! Can you disable that and see if IE works just fine? It might have gotten mad at IE or is just conflicting with Vista.

blode

It worked fine on MCE though...

blode

Earlier I wrote:

blode wrote:

OK I finally got Vista HP up and running (I just couldn't face reinstalling all my apps so I did an upgrade install). I had issues with Creative X-fi drivers and NIS 2007, fortunately I could download vista-compatable versions from another PC so that's all sorted.

My only problem is that IE7 doesn't work any more (but it worked intermittently whilst I was trying to sort out NIS problems). Internet connection is fine (through wireless network) and I can run live updates on NAV, play online games, do the vista updates and chat on live messenger but IE7 doesn't respond.

Any ideas? I've googled it but the answers are confusing and contradictory - one even suggested Java needed updating - I did that but it didn't help.

Following kryyst's suggestion I uninstalled Norton Internet Security (even though it worked fine with IE7 under my old MCE 2005) but still no luck.

Network, MSN, online games, windows updates etc still work fine but I still can't connect to the internet with IE7 - just sits there trying to connect then comes up '...not responding'.

Any ideas guys? Thanks for your help so far btw :-)

blode

I unchecked 'enable protected mode' in internet properties/security and IE now works as normal.

It rather begs the question why does having protected mode 'on' cripple Internet Explorer? It's a bit like improving road safety by locking everyone in their houses.

And is my PC now at risk??

Apologies for hijacking my own thread and ending up asking an entirely different question!!