Beware OEM OS

[RakuraiTenjin]

Gateway made upgrading hell. This should've been one thing I obviously knew before I put in my new mobo, but I guess it slipped my mind.

OEM OS's usually will not reactivate when you change the motherboard and RAM. Not always that you bought OEM, but ones that were preinstalled on your system when you got it, as in buying Dell or Gateway. I called Gateway to ask if they could give mea new reactivation key but I was told bluntly "Since you've now got a third party motherboard and RAM in there we can't help you."

I had to install my old Windows 98, then go out and buy the Windows XP Upgrade pack (cheaper than the regular, but it's still $100)

This also caused me to have to wait 3 days to get up and running (Had to wait till Monday for stores to open)

So beware, when making hardware changes, that you're ready for a new OS if you need one.

 

[bosox188]

Yep, I was lucky enough to have a copy of XP Pro, because after putting in a new motherboard with an AGP slot for my Dell, it gave me a notice that I had 30 days or something to register or something like that I think, and if I remember correctly I think it popped up on the log on screen before I even logged on.

 

[Asus]

Can't go call up MS' activation line and get it reset? I guess because it's OEM from Dell. :/

 

[JFry]

I don't understand why the upgrade costs so much. I got an original (not upgrade) oem windows xp for $93.

 

[nofx]

Coudlnt you just use your old key on the new mobo/ xp os?

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

Can't go call up MS' activation line and get it reset? I guess because it's OEM from Dell. :/

Nope, you call in with the number and the MS automated lady tells you after you give her the number that "This is not recognized as a number to a valid Microsoft product"

 

[Maxi]

Thank god I purchased my oem version. Can install it on anything I want and still get it activated.

 

[FieryGoose]

do hp's come with retial os' s or are they the same thing as dell and gateway cause i got a dell and a hp os but im not sure if any of them will work because of changing components?

 

[ankalar]

Crack it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it is legal because you have paid for the software already.

 

[Washuu]

You can call up MS with an OEM copy, I did that with a Gateway.