[linkinworm]

hi i got vista on my laptop preinstalled, and was wondering as i have made a back up disk, could that be used to install on a new comp, not in an illegal way, i intend to only use this on my new system, or is this OEM stuff gona stop me? i should be able to do this as i own the product key dont i?

[lazybear]

To my knowledge, no. What you have is a backup to an already installed program. You would need a full install disk. You should have gotten one with your new comp.

[calvin-c]

How could you install the backup from one PC onto a different PC without being illegal? For OS (and many other programs), one license = installed on one PC only.

[linkinworm]

well when i had xp on my old laptop, i installed media center on it, and i never used it so i went to vista, and it sucked on that laptop, then i went to pro, then media center, then back to home, and when i went back to home i used the same key to install it, and it activated online, 2 times, so thats 2 times it been activated, thats why i thaught it would work, i dont want to have to spent £250 on vista because it sucks, but i dont want to spent £100 on xp because i will have to move to vista next year anyway(reasons)

[Rich-M]

Originally Posted by linkinworm

hi i got vista on my laptop preinstalled, and was wondering as i have made a back up disk, could that be used to install on a new comp, not in an illegal way, i intend to only use this on my new system, or is this OEM stuff gona stop me? i should be able to do this as i own the product key dont i?

If it was preinstalled it has to be an oem install, and that precludes you moving that install anywhere though I would doubt you would be able to install it from image file you have anyway.

[calvin-c]

Originally Posted by linkinworm

well when i had xp on my old laptop, i installed media center on it, and i never used it so i went to vista, and it sucked on that laptop, then i went to pro, then media center, then back to home, and when i went back to home i used the same key to install it, and it activated online, 2 times, so thats 2 times it been activated, thats why i thaught it would work, i dont want to have to spent £250 on vista because it sucks, but i dont want to spent £100 on xp because i will have to move to vista next year anyway(reasons)

Of course it re-activated using the same key, it was on the same PC. They track which PC the OS is installed on, not which OS is installed on the PC.