changing OS

Subject: changing OS Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:43 am

When Windows 7 comes out and if I bought it would I then be able to use my legally bought (in PC when it was new but have CD to install) copy of Vista in my other PC.? Thanks for answers, Zante.

Subject: Re: changing OS Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:49 am

Technically - no. If it's a full system disc and was bought with a new PC, it will be an OEM version. OEM is supposed to be only used on the system it was bought with. Supposed to be.

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I realised I was dyslexic when I went to a toga party dressed as a goat.

Subject: Re: changing OS Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:15 pm

accordion wrote:

Technically -

OEM is supposed to be only used on the system it was bought with. Supposed to be.

Without going into lots of dialogue that has been talked about in the past, I "truly believe" you will be able to use your existing OS on a different PC.

However:
Should you come across the dreaded "WGA" notice telling you it is being used in a different PC, then it may be necessary to phone MS and explain that it has been removed from the previous PC and you now want to use it solely on this new PC.

Although in the past some people have stated even that is not technically possible, although I have done it without any problem or hassle from MS, I simply quoted the number that was asked for and inserted the new number given by MS.

*************
This is for XP, but do not know if the same applies for also to Vista, although there are probably similar tutorials around.

If the Windows Genuine Advantage notification keeps popping up.

This may be an option if the wgatray.exe process is running :-

Lauch Windows Task Manager.
End wgatray.exe process in Task Manager.
Restart Windows XP in Safe Mode.
Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32.
Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32\dllcache.
Lauch RegEdit.
Browse to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify
Delete the folder ‘WgaLogon’ and all its contents
Reboot Windows XP.

or

You could go to http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/RemoveWGA.shtml, download and run that little utility.....that should kill it.
If the link does not work properly, then from within the Softpedia website just type "RemoveWGA" in the search box at the top of the page, that will take you to the page and download you need.

RemoveWGA description

A small utility that enables you to remove the Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications tool

RemoveWGA will enable you to easily remove the Microsoft "Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications" tool, which is calling home and connect to MS servers every time you boot. Future updates of this notification tool will (officialy) setup the connection rate to once every two weeks.

Once the WGA Notification tool has checked your OS and has confirmed you had a legit copy, there is no decent point or reason to check it again and again every boot.

Moreover, connecting to Microsoft brings security issue for corporate networks, and privacy issues for everyone.
It is also unclear which information are transmitted (Microsoft published an official answer, but an individual study brought some questions).

All of that, along the fact that Microsoft used deceptive ways to make you install this tool (it told you it was an urgent security update, whereas it is a new installation giving you no extra security) makes me calling this tool a spyware.

Also, Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications is different than Windows Genuine Advantage Validation. RemoveWGA only removes the notification part, phoning home, and does not touch the Validation part.

Here are some key features of "RemoveWGA":

· Tell you if the WGA notification tool is active on your system
· Allows you to remove the WGA notification tool from your system
· Accept the "-silent" command line parameter to silently check if the WGA notification tool is active on your system, and popup only if it is found (usefull for checking automatically at startup for instance)

Note: Some antivirus and antispyware programs flag RemoveWGA as being infected/malware, although the application is perfectly safe and does not pose a threat to your system.
This is called a 'false positive'. The term false positive is used when antivirus software wrongly classifies an innocuous ( inoffensive ) file as a virus.
The incorrect detection may be due to heuristics or to an incorrect virus signature in a database.
[Similar problems can occur with antitrojan or antispyware software.]

(Some of the above information is taken from: Softpedia.com)
other bits ~~stolen~~ curtsey of forum member "Dave I think it was"

_________________
If it ain't broke.
Don't fix it.

Subject: Re: changing OS Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:48 pm

Very informative post Phil Cool

_________________
ANNE R

Subject: Re: changing OS Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:59 pm

Thanks Anne.
Although I have to confess, I posted the above before realising the original topic was for Vista but decided to leave it there anyway and just add a sentence towards the beginning stating for XP etc.
Who knows, someone may come across it and find it useful.

_________________
If it ain't broke.
Don't fix it.

Subject: Re: changing OS Sun Aug 16, 2009 1:50 am

Probably be able to use the same info for Vista anyway - or at least find some similar. Thanks gain. Zante