Update on licenses - Box, OEM (Windows Vista)

This small topic is intended to clarify the many issues that appear to be raised about the thorny issue of licensing of Vista. Here you will find information gleaned from here and there and condensed in a short summary. I warn right away: I prefer not to give both those sources can be numerous and contradictory. Most of the information may find itself connected with Microsoft and they must be considered as the only truly reliable. So by definition this topic is not an absolute truth, but tries to get closer as it may evolve in a few days ...

The different versions
Quick glance Publishing which offers up the Microsoft Vista.

• Family Basic (Home Basic)
• Family Premium (Home Premium)
• Professional (Business)
• Enterprise (Enterprise)
• Ultimate (Ultimate)

It's less glamorous in English, but good ...
Home Basic is the minimum union within the meaning of the word. No Aero interface eg ... Brief on so it will not seem worth.
Home Premium is truly the offer will be most prevalent among the general public: Aero, Media Center and so on. 95% of "non-pro" to find there.
Professional and Enterprise are devoid of fun features such as Media Center. Aero is there, but mostly lies in the functions specific to the professional world (connection to a domain etc.).
Ultimate will combine everything that the previous version are, in addition to trash supposed justify the extra distance to be negligible (2x the price of a home Premium). It should be noted by the former "Ultimate Extra", a sort of official Add-On. Have in the future if it is really worth.
To learn more about the differences between the versions you can refer to different folders on the subject here.

A word about some peculiarities specific to Vista.
Some subtleties have been announced by Microsoft shortly before the official launch of Vista:

• A license for Ultimate may be eligible to purchase 2 license Home Premium "box" at a reduced price under $ 100. The only requirement is that licenses are used in the same household.
• It will be possible at any time to move from one edition to another (with finance for version tariffs). Indeed, the DVD contains all editions on the same wafer, and only the license key to determine which edition will be installed and used.
• Microsoft will, for the first time offer its OS online. You can buy and download Vista directly from Microsoft.

Warning: for now these 3 points only to the USA, but Europe predict that Microsoft will do whatever it takes for the old continent to follow suit.

Now see what choices you have if you want to buy the best.

License Box
The most expensive and least restrictive.
With this license you can change gear as you wish, it will be transferred smoothly and without restriction.

Only limitations (some of which have nothing new):
1 license = 1 PC. It does not install 1 license on 2 or more PCs.
10 automatic activation possible, after it will call Microsoft (free call) to activate Vista.
A new activation will be necessary after change of motherboard and / or hard disk system. This is less restrictive than before, where sometimes a change of CPU (or even the addition of RAM) could cause an application for reactivation.

Licensing Update
The license update is a bit special: it is the equivalent of a license box, but claims must possess a license in good standing of a previous OS as Windows 2000 or Windows XP or MCE.
Finally when I say "equivalent of a license box" is not quite true. Indeed, there is nothing (to my knowledge) to associate a license to an XP Upgrade OEM (for example). In fact, the Vista license will inevitably be linked to material that is related to the license for XP. To use the new license on another PC it will link it to another license.

The contents of the DVD is strictly identical to that of a license box.
Apart from the association of license there is a difference between a Vista "box and a Vista" update ". This difference lies in the operating mode of the installation. More precisely for those who would do a fresh install without going through an update of an already installed system.

In this case Vista brings a novelty: it will necessarily start the installation process from a system installed and activated legally of course.

OEM
The more limited but cheaper!
Initially these licenses have been made for assemblers, integrators and manufacturers of PCs. It provides an OS preinstalled took less when selling a complete setup. It is technically and definitively linked to the material with which it is sold.
Some vendors have quickly understood the benefits of selling "only", but so far it was still accompanied by a device or element of PC (type mice, RAM sticks, etc..).

Gone are the days when we had the system for an OEM. Indeed for some time the licenses are sold only OEM and retail licenses. Only difference, the main and most important, the OEM license is permanently tied to the hardware on which it will be installed first. By "material" will understand the main elements considered by Microsoft. For the latest news that concerns the motherboard and hard drive. For the latter seems somewhat unclear. Just know that if you buy a Vista OEM it must be connected to the motherboard used in the first installation. This will change it and you must reactivate it and there will not be automatic. I see you coming, "and if the motherboard fails?"
First case: it is replaced in exchange => no problem on repart as 40.
Second case: replacement by another model due to non-existent stocks (or other) => it will call Microsoft and explain the case.
In general it is not a problem.
Third case: Old model as outdated, impossible to replace it without any change => there must not have any illusions. That kit or two operators to Microsoft with no guarantee of success. After all, a motherboard that is often obsolete configuration obsolete. Kit change necessary to change all the PC and in this case again with a new OEM ... inevitably there comes a time when it gets stuck.

Apart from the OEM license that entitles you to exactly the same OS and the license box. The contents of the DVD are exactly the same!
Moreover, the OEM has the same limitations as the license Box: 10 automatic activations, 1 license = 1 PC (especially here), and conditions of reactivation.

Editions 32 and 64bits
A final word about the 32 and 64bit editions of Vista.

Getting started: The Ultimate version of Office is sold with 2 DVDs, each containing one of two versions.
For others they will all be sold with a coupon entitling free (excluding shipping) to the 64bit edition.
However a slight blur about OEM licenses. These are, it seems, sold either 32bit or 64bit by retailers. This could suggest that these licenses are not eligible for the famous coupon.
For now, I did not find anything confirming or refuting that. Whenever mention is made of this famous coupon, absolutely nothing is said about the exclusion of OEM licenses of this program ... So when in doubt and wait for official information I think it is better to avoid too far.
Anyway .. If I give advice: Unless you have a real need to have a 64bits edition, forget it! The latter does absolutely nothing in common use, and the fact of having a CPU 64bit "does not change this, you will say.

According to the initial user feedback, Vista OEM licenses are not sold with the famous coupon entitling the two editions 32 and 64 bits for free. It will therefore make a choice between one or the other at the time of purchase if you opt for this type of license.

Here I hope that this topic will help those who have questions about the different licenses of Vista

thank you for the clarification. But I have a question, Since the Ultimate can be installed on multiple PCs (not at the same time of course ^ ^) what is the license offer of 2 Premium.

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Originally Posted by Vicious

thank you for the clarification. But I have a question, Since the Ultimate can be installed on multiple PCs (not at the same time of course ^ ^) what is the license offer of 2 Premium.

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It does not make sense what you say. All licenses can also be transferred from one PC to another. As it one at a time. This is not unique to Ultimate.

By Ultimate with you against you will pay 2 licenses additional Home Premium box properly unless cost. It has absolutely nothing to do, because there you can equip 3 with 2 PCs simultaneously with licenses for less than $ 200 (or less than the price of a license box Home Premium).

Thank you for the post-it, great job.