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    Transferring Vista Ultimate from a Computer I'm Selling

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by acuraintegralove, Sep 19, 2007.

  1. acuraintegralove

    acuraintegralove Notebook Consultant

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    I'm selling a computer I bought, the Sager 5760. I have vista ultimate, I assume it's the oem version because it came pre installed with two restore disks that said only for distribution with a new sager computer... I wanted to know if there is a way I can keep my vista ultimate and put it on the computer I'm about to get in the mail since the purchaser doesn't even use windows....
     
    acuraintegralove, Sep 19, 2007
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  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    If it was preinstalled, it is OEM and is legally tied to that specific PC. You can't transfer it. I mean, you could try but I'm sure MS will have a mechanism to prevent you from breaking the EULA in the manner you are suggesting.
     
    Greg, Sep 19, 2007
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  3. Storm3016

    Storm3016 Notebook Evangelist

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    Yeah, i'd say you better forget about it. It is possible but it isn't easy, and it would leave you with an illegal version that you can't update.
     
    Storm3016, Sep 19, 2007
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  4. Les

    Les Not associated with NotebookReview in any way

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    I asked this question not yesterday of a Microsoft Validation person. I asked if I had a Dell Vista Ultimate and removed it from one Dell to put on another, is that legal. His response was that, as long as I purchased the copy of Vista/received it with a system purchased by me and I was installing it on only one computer, it was (in his words) correct and legal.

    Is this right then?
     
    Les, Sep 19, 2007
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  5. lowlymarine

    lowlymarine Notebook Deity

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    Yes. You are the owner of that Windows license now. You are legally allowed to move it to another PC, but it must be removed from the original machine entirely. The discs say "For Distribution only with a new Sager PC" because they are preactivated for Sager BIOSes, and will not activate on other machines. You can install Vista and have it activated manually, however, so long as you keep the COA and don't have it installed on any other machines.
     
    lowlymarine, Sep 19, 2007
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  6. swarmer

    swarmer beep beep

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    The OEM EULA doesn't allow you to move an OEM copy of Windows from one computer to another. (I can't find the license text on the net now... but you can read the license text that should have come with your copy.) However, if Microsoft's validation people want to grant you exceptions, I'm certainly not going to get in the way.

    http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070130-8730.html

    From the article:
     
    swarmer, Sep 19, 2007
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  7. tritium4ever

    tritium4ever Notebook Consultant

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    You also have to remember that the CoA on pre-installed versions of Windows is attached to the computer itself and is designed to prevent its removal without being damaged.

    If you really want to keep it, I suppose there's nothing wrong with trying. Just see if MS will activate it on your new machine (best to give them a phone call), and if it goes through then you're golden. If it doesn't, well then there's your answer. If you're able to transfer it, just remember to tell the subsequent purchaser of your laptop that Windows will not be included.
     
    tritium4ever, Sep 19, 2007
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