Need To Buy Vista...

[Aroot]

Hi
Im in the market for a copy of vista to run some software for college, i really begrudge paying top dollar for a piece of software i wish i didn't have to use. i have got a 2 ghz macbook at the moment and am looking to upgrade to a mac pro in the near future. i have got two questions really......

1. Does any one know where the cheapest place to buy a copy would be in the uk? i have found this site at the moment but not sure if it would work? im looking at the oem basic (£47.99).... most prob booting using bootcamp.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SW-034-MS&tool=3

2. If i was to buy a copy and install it on my macbook would i have to buy another copy for my mac pro?


Thanking you in Advance


AR

[slu]

No idea on where to buy. Google is your friend.

You would not need to buy another copy for your Mac Pro, assuming you uninstall it from your Macbook before you install on the Mac Pro.

[hogfaninga]

I thought you could only use the OEM one time. I know people who have used it and then changed computers and talked Microsoft into giving them a new key code/password to download into their new computer, but it doesn't always work.

Has anyone been able to download/uninstall a OEM copy to another computer?

[bartzilla]

No idea on where to buy. Google is your friend.

You would not need to buy another copy for your Mac Pro, assuming you uninstall it from your Macbook before you install on the Mac Pro.

'fraid not. Leaving aside the "rights and wrongs" for the sake of a peaceful life, Microsoft's licence terms say that OEM software is tied to the first computer it is installed onto. You can't install OEM software on one computer, then later uninstall it and move it somewhere else. Not "legally" anyway. And I suspect with Windows Activation, you wouldn't be able to do so even if you were not bothered about their licence terms.

[cristo]

Hi
Im in the market for a copy of vista to run some software for college, i really begrudge paying top dollar for a piece of software i wish i didn't have to use.

Are you entirely sure that you need to buy vista to run this software? Most common software has an equivalent for the mac.

[Aroot]

Are you entirely sure that you need to buy vista to run this software? Most common software has an equivalent for the mac.

Yes Unfortunately... well for the industry standard software at least.. im quite sure there are mac equivalents but i really need this certain one.

Thanks for your insight into the OEM Software.... the only thing worse than having to by vista is buying it twice! so do u know if i was to buy the retail copy if i could uninstall and reinstall that?


Thanks

[MacDawg]

If you name the software, maybe we can help you...

It is possible you could use Crossover (http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/) to run it

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[minicoop503]

I'm not sure if you have Amazon in the UK, but I got a FULL copy of Vista Ultimate for around $230. Not that bad IMO.

[Chris3d]

'fraid not. Leaving aside the "rights and wrongs" for the sake of a peaceful life, Microsoft's licence terms say that OEM software is tied to the first computer it is installed onto. You can't install OEM software on one computer, then later uninstall it and move it somewhere else. Not "legally" anyway. And I suspect with Windows Activation, you wouldn't be able to do so even if you were not bothered about their licence terms.

Not sure if that's an OEM difference, but I just pulled this from the Vista Home Basic License Terms:

"You may uninstall the software and install it on another device for your use. You may not do so to share this license between devices. "

It also might be worth checking if your college can give you a student discount or free copy. I know my school will provide a free OS upgrade.

[bartzilla]

Not sure if that's an OEM difference, but I just pulled this from the Vista Home Basic License Terms:

"You may uninstall the software and install it on another device for your use. You may not do so to share this license between devices. ".

The non-transferable licence bit is an OEM specific limitation. In terms of the licence at least, you can't transfer a Microsoft OEM product licence to another computer once the software is installed somewhere. You might be able to make it work (but probably not for an OS such as we're talking about in this thread), and let's face it, that's good enough for most people, but transferring OEM software from one machine to another is against the terms of the OEM licence.

It stays with that first computer for life and goes in the bin with that computer when it dies. That, and differences in the support offered, is why their OEM prices are much cheaper than their 'shelf' prices.

It might be stupid, it might be confusing, but that is how it is.

[bartzilla]

Yes Unfortunately... well for the industry standard software at least.. im quite sure there are mac equivalents but i really need this certain one.

Thanks for your insight into the OEM Software.... the only thing worse than having to by vista is buying it twice! so do u know if i was to buy the retail copy if i could uninstall and reinstall that?


Thanks

"Retail" Microsoft software can be transferred from one machine to another. The worst you'll have to do is ring them during activation and tell them you are transferring it from one machine to another.

Shop around and you might find a decent price for retail Vista just as MacDawg suggests (It might still be cheaper to buy the OEM version twice, sadly, if you are sure you'll only need two copies). Consider what you need from Vista and don't buy the full "ultimate" package if you don't really need it.