What!?! Microsoft

[Rand Dusing]

I just got the new LanParty NFII Ultra mobo and was activating Windows, since I've had to activate Windows so many times from changing video cards and drives my activation key isn't valid so I had to call them and do the phone activation.

I told her the first block and she asked me some questions and blah blah. Then I said yes I activated this 5 times cause I got a new motherboard and wanted to reformat. Then she said OEM could only be installed on that motherboard and I needed to buy XP again.

Since when did I have to buy another OEM XP, if I want to change hardware. She must of took it a wrong way and though I have installed on another computer still. Or was she right? If I switch mobos and I have oem I need to buy it again? That doesn't make since.

When I had to phone M$, I had installed XP Home OEM on two different mobo's. They didn't say a word about it being OEM or that it had been installed before. I told them it was being reinstalled because of an upgrade and that was it.

Activation complete, have a nice day.

[jmebonner]

Doesn't make sense, IMO. I got xp w/ a dell and put 2K on the dell, then used xp on another, so here logic is off. I'd just call back and tell thenwhatever they want to hear.

Stuf like this pushes me closer to linux every day.

[Rand Dusing]

Well, after I'm done installing some drivers and crap, I will call them back and keep my mouth shut and say, "I'm upgrading my computer and needed to reinstall Windows."

But what I was doing is that ok or are you only allowed to install OEM per motherboard?

[Rand Dusing]

Speaking of Suse 9.0 I just installed it on my old mobo but can't get the internet working yet. Think I need drivers for it.

[jmebonner]

AFAIK, the EULA only specifies that it be installed on one machine at a time.
Maybe she thought you were saying you still had it on the other computer and were going to try and put it on the new mb also?

[Siliconjunkie]

This is when you call back and tell them that you canged CPU or something.

[Rand Dusing]

Well, I only have it installed on one computer / hardrive. Just the one I'm using right now. My other comp has Suse on it.

[Rand Dusing]

She was like a drone, as soon as she thought I said I had it on two computers. She wouldn't let me explain the situation or anything and so I was like OK, bye.

Is there anyway I can skip through the robot that answers you first. I'm think I'll just say 11111...11111 cause it takes too long and is pointless.

[PyroSama]

If they refuse to let you activate it there are LEGAL ways of bypassing activation.


PyroSama