Windows Vista Removal

[searchlight]

ChuckFickens if you see this ..
When you remove vista home premium (full version boxed with product key/c.o.a bought independent of a pc) does the uninstall process effectively cancel the current activation making it available for use on another pc? Does the disc have to be loaded during the process?
I'm asking because I may do this and don't want to make a pigs ear of it,
All answers from others welcome
Thanks

[vehelpfulguy]

There are two main versions of Vista you can buy "over the counter".

There is the retail version, which usually comes boxed.

And there is the OEM version which is normally just sold in a plastic sleeve. This version is usually for System Builders (people building PCs).

The Retail version CAN be uninstalled from one computer and installed on another legally.

The OEM version CANNOT be moved to another PC. The first PC it is put on is where it stays, even if the PC dies and has to be thrown away.

I dont believe the un-install process cancels the activation, but as I said, the retail version CAN be moved to another PC

[vehelpfulguy]

>Does the disc have to be loaded during the process?

Not sure what you mean by this.

What do you mean by "loaded"?

Are you talking about the uninstall process or the install process?

My GUESS is that you are asking if the CD has to be in the CD drive during the uninstall process.

If that is your question the answer is no.

There is no uninstall proces for Vista as such (or any version of Windows) - after all it cant uninstall itself can it.

Normally you either install another product in its place (another version of Windows, or maybe something like Linux) or you just format the disk, which will remove Windows (and everything else on the disk).

[ACtheTROLL]

no me neither
... given that the uninstall would (for me) consist of deleting the partition

I think it's possibly a case of talking to microsoft who will unlock the serial

[searchlight]

Don't think i thought this through but I get the picture

[ChuckFickens]

others seem to have it pretty much covered...

but this is how it works.

if you want to "downgrade" to XP you put the XP CD in the computer, start the computer from the CD and during the XP installation delete the partition that vista is on and install XP onto a blank, newly formed, partition.

Then when you come to install Vista onto another machine it will install no problems but on first use it will ask you to activate it via the internet, This may or may not work, if it does great, if not no hardship.

All that happens if it doesn't activate is you will be presented with a (very long) number and a phone number, you call the number, enter the long number on the phone keypad and you will be given another long activation number, you enter this on the computer and it will activate windows for you.

the worst case scenario is going to be that you get put through to an operator, then all you do is explain the situation you have described above to them and they will give you the activation number.

As it is a retail version of vista you have you are perfectly entitled to move it around computers as long as you don't have it on more than one at a time.

[rojash]

But be careful how you answer the question "how many machines have you installed this copy on?"
Logically, having just installed it, you will answer "1".
WRONG ANSWER!
If you answer "1", they will assume you are trying to activate a second copy and refuse to activate it - you have to answer "none".
(Americans - they're not very good with language" :-)