OEM or still stick with retail version of Windows Vista Ultimate?

[Wildside]

Originally Posted by Makaveli213

There is a sticky up top that talks about recovering passwords.

But yes the OEM will be jsut fine. No need to go all out when it isnt needed. I have read and studied the Vista EULA for purposes just like this. If you dont plan on switching out hte mobo then by all measn get OEM. Even if you do there are ways around this as well. Cant talk about them as it is against rules.

But Activation is strictly hardware based. Vista and XP. The way it works is it takes a general snapshot. Menaing basically it takes your mobo info and CPU inro along with some stuff like # of HDD's, GPU or not sound card or not. Stupid stuff liek that. That way when you actiavte they can see if it violates what they have on record with that serial. Since the serial will be activcated for the first time this is the kind of info it will take.

Then on a re-isntall it will check this stuff again. Even if you switch GPU, Sound cards and everything but the mobo you have not violated the EULA and not gotten a new PC in the eyes of M$. Therefor you can get it reactivated by them legitly. XP was done close to this but with XP it hammers on you with CPU. Even though it shouldnt.

ya thx for the advice. Like i said, i already ordered the OEM n HDD, so all is good. I think it's time to lock this thread, unless u guys want to continue talking about OEM OS', that's fine.