When you reformat and reinstall you always have to activate windows, every time. It doesn't matter if you change some or no hardware. The question is whether you can do it online or by phone. My experience is I have to do it by phone now always on two of my licenses, and the other still works. I have a vista 32bit version, but haven't done anything yet with it in regards to reactiving.
OEM Vista and Activations after re-builds?
- Thread starter sir doris
- Start date
When you reformat and reinstall you always have to activate windows, every time. It doesn't matter if you change some or no hardware. The question is whether you can do it online or by phone. My experience is I have to do it by phone now always on two of my licenses, and the other still works. I have a vista 32bit version, but haven't done anything yet with it in regards to reactiving.
I've changed my computer completely once and formatted twice since buying my Vista Home Premium Upgrade. Of course changing my computer required me to call MS. The 2nd time I switched to 64bit and my actual original key from the box worked so I'm assuming they allocate both the old key and the new one they had generated to the new hardware, which makes sense.
It seems that Windows XP OEM has different activation rules from Windows Vista. When I changed the motherboard of one of my computer, it refused to re-activate through internet and required phone in, which is the first time it requires re-activation. However, several months later the same computer needs another re-activation due to some hardware changes, but this time it can re-activate through internet. Several other installations of mine shows similar patterns.
