"saving" Vista activation

My copy of Vista Home Premium 32-bit has arrived so I guess I’ll be installing that this evening. Just wondering if it is possible to save the activation files in case of later re-install?

To be clear, I believe this is possible on XP but never tried it. After you activate, you can copy certain files created by activation. Later, if you reinstall onto the same PC with the same key, you can copy those files back rather than attempt re-activation. I’d like to do the same on Vista if possible.

The other alternative is to image the HD after installing and activating, but I’d prefer something smaller to save :stuck_out_tongue:

Edit: done some more googling since I started and not found an equivalent method for Vista. There is a claim that providing the hardware is identical and unchanged, online activations may not be limited. About the only component that might change in the system I’m planning on using is the hard disk, should it fail…

I can’t help you with vista, i’m not quite ready to jump there yet :slight_smile: But I have never had any bother reactivating the same copy of xp on the same machine, even with a number of hardware changes. Even managed it this weekend on a machine last activated about 18 months ago, now with two new hard drives, new graphics and different memory config.

On one occasion when it refused the automatic system, I telephoned them and said it had failed, so some parts were replaced and they gave the autorisation code.

I can’t belive it would be any different with Vista.

According to MS Vista buy or upgarde

If you acquired Windows Vista via retail purchase (boxed product) or pre-installed on a computer from a local computer vendor, Windows Vista will not require re-activation if you, for example:

* Replace the hard disk drive only.
* Replace the video card and add system memory at the same time.

and

Windows can be activated any number of times, but your re-activation experience will vary based on the way you acquired Windows.

* If you acquired Windows Vista via retail purchase (boxed product), you may activate via the Internet the first five times. Subsequent activations are allowed but must be completed via telephone.

Cheers

Thanks for the link and info there. Doesn’t sound too bad. MS seems to refer to the OEM version as the one sold by big OEMs, and not what we can buy as OEM versions which I think it their “local computer vendor” version.

The install is done and everything seems running ok. Haven’t activated it yet, as the box is making a bit of a rattling noise. If it turns out to be the HD I’ll probably replace that before activating. True test will be when I actually put some software on it…

The install so far has used around 10GB of space. Of that, I think a fair chunk of it might be the swap file and system restore stuff, so in reality a full disk backup might should be manageable at this point :slight_smile:

No worries Mackeral, I’d be interested to know how you get on especially if you need to activate twice. Might make the inevitable change a bit sooner for me.

Cheers

I have activated more than once, and the same phonecall systems is in place and works well, I leave entering the product code untill it refuses to let me continue, then don’t activate untill I have to, I tend to trash the system quite often, so calling them up al the time is a pain in the backside.

but you’ll be glad to know atleast it works, so don’t panic too much.