I've just been reading through the forums a bit and it came to me to ask how many times can you use an actual key? I got a free copy of Windows 7 Professional 64bit from University and I got a number of different keys for it. English 32+64bit Chinese 32+64bit Total of 4 keys. I've personally reinstalled my windows 64bit a number of times and used the english 64bit key every time. There must be at least 5 occasions in me doing this. Is that key mine for as long as I like or it their an actual limit and it may not work in the future? Then would the chinese or 32bit keys work in replacement?
You can use one key once concurrently, unless you have a corporate/volume key which will allow n depending how many you bought. You can reinstall your operating system as many times as you freakin' well want
Awesome thanks. I just wanted to make sure incase I hit any limit because I'm going to be building a new build this month and I didn't want to have to go and buy a new copy.
If you're going to change hardware (motherboard) you might have to call M$ to explain and get the activation. So long as you don't change hardware, you can reinstall W7 as often as you want with the same key.
Is that the same with OEM and retail? I've never really understood how this works with new mobos etc.
OEM is completely tied to the motherboard basically, e.g. it's tied to the system it's sold with, like Dell-PCs or notebooks etc... The retail-version can be activated, even if you switch out the motherboard or swithc to a completely new system, but you might be requested to give M$ a call to receive a new key by phone, explaining yourself.
Way I understand it Retail you can install as many times as you want as long as it's only on one machine at a time. OEM if you make a major hardware change, which i assume means CPU or mobo as I changed every other component on my OEM vista license, you'll have to phone up to get the key reactivated.
It's allways limited to a single PC, and you can aswell reinstall it as many times as you wish. However, even the retail-versions can't be activated online automatically, once you change your motherboard, but require a phone-call. And OEM... these are tied to the bought system and originally don't qualify for changing hardware yourself. In most cases you don't even get a DVD, when you buy a system including an OEM-version of Windows.
I changed my entire PC apart from HDD a few months back and used my Vista OEM disc I got with my previous computer. Activated no problem over internet lol
OEM XP re-activates very easily, just call the automated phone line, type in a number, write down a number & type that into the PC = windows is now reactivated. I imagine its the same for shista & 7 too. At worst, you'd have to make up a story about the mobo dying and buying a new one, then they'll give you a new key to re-activate windows with- this is a very common issue/question indeed...
If you were to install win7 32 bit on say an old socky 754 setup, would it recognise the 64 bit on another more powerfull, yet to be built system? Totally hypothetically speaking of course Nic
Your serial number and a checksum/hash based on your hardware is sent to the M$-server and an activation-key is generated out of it. So installing a 32-bit and 64-bit version simultanously with the same serial number isn't possible. Aslong as the checksum/hash doesn't change (usually based on the motherboard-ID) you can reinstall and automatically activate your system as often as you want. Once the checksum/hash changes, you're required to get a new activation key.
There is a subtle difference between possibility and legality of such move. Legally, you are not allowed to transfer a OEM licence from one motherboard to another, except rare cases where MS allows you to do that (motherboard RMA). The fact that activation process didn't stop you doesn't change the fact that if anyone would check your licences, by the law your licence would be invalid.
This is very true however user replaceable parts, such as gfx, ram and HD can be changed on oem without invalidating the lic.
