Vista and Office 2007 deactivation feature?

KLOP! · § #1 11-20-2006, 10:28 PM

First, I'm not talking about warez, I'm fully aware with the rules of computer forums

http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/wi...ing-terms.aspx

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My IT Manager were kind enough to allowed me to install beta Vista and Office 2007. I'm kinda satisfied with both of them. I'm considering to buy retail versions (when the beta time bomb triggered) to be used at the office (since most of my time are spent there) and deactivate them when I assigned to a new computer, resigned, or terminated.

Here, vendors are charging premium prices... (ex: Office 2003 Std is still US$ 380 here) and we earn signifactly less (my "overpaid by market standard" monthly salary is US$ 400). Hence, deactivation is very important for me.

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Assuming some of the tech gurus here may already get the (legal) RTM copies and have the access to such feature; Does anyone know how the procedure works? Is it also available on Office 2007?

**Bryan** · § #2 11-21-2006, 08:18 AM

Thats old news and the terms have been changed.

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+backtr...3-6131900.html

**Mjölnir** · § #3 11-22-2006, 12:24 AM

As far as I understand, they're not registered to a name as such, and are simply activated with a number. Therefore if your work are allowing you to keep these software packages, you wouldn't have to worry about deactivation. If you wanted to change the activation code on the work computer, you could use a Vista Key Changer if the office also own a copy. Other than that, you could ask the office to remove them when you go or contact MS. I believe that MS have a deactivation patch, however from what I recall, it is intended to deactivate pirated copies of Vista. Aside from that, I'm pretty sure neither actually have a deactivation feature.

RatboyX · § #4 11-22-2006, 02:55 PM

I think it might be good to look at the EULA (End User Licensing Agreement) on any software you install, especially a Microsoft product. It may indeed be that the EULA restricts the software to the original PC it’s installed on and doesn’t allow for reinstallation on a different system. If we were talking about someone other than MS I would not expect this to be the case

As far as the office 2003 EULA it allows for the transfer of the software to another PC as long as it is uninstalled completely from the first system. It also allows ONE transfer from the original user/purchaser to a new End user as long as ALL software is also transferred. I haven’t been able to find the office 2007 EULA on line.

**Mjölnir** · § #5 11-22-2006, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RatboyX

I think it might be good to look at the EULA (End User Licensing Agreement) on any software you install, especially a Microsoft product. It may indeed be that the EULA restricts the software to the original PC it’s installed on and doesn’t allow for reinstallation on a different system. If we were talking about someone other than MS I would not expect this to be the case

As far as the office 2003 EULA it allows for the transfer of the software to another PC as long as it is uninstalled completely from the first system. It also allows ONE transfer from the original user/purchaser to a new End user as long as ALL software is also transferred. I haven’t been able to find the office 2007 EULA on line.

You can find EULA's on MS software here:
http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/

Vista allows you to move it to another PC provided that it is uninstalled from the other PC. I presume the Beta versions fall under the same category as the full Vista version.

KLOP! · § #6 11-22-2006, 11:44 PM

Thanks for the responses. but how do Microsoft exactly know that it has been uninstalled from my old machine?

When I read the provided links above, I assume (wish) that it would be something like when you uninstall the retail copy of Acrobat 7 Standard where the uninstaller will ask you whether you would like to deactivate (so you can activate it on another computer via internet) or not; Or maybe there's a "deactivate this copy of windows" button in System Properties (or maybe by simply change the product key, the activated copy will be deactivated automatically?)

000

Mjölnir, many thanks for restoring my removed thread.

**Mjölnir** · § #7 11-23-2006, 01:34 AM

They would know through Windows Updates and Validation. If both PC's are accessing their networks then they'd have a record of it. MS have a history of components of Windows "phoning home" without the user's knowledge or consent (eg. WGA in WinXP), so it really wouldn't surprise me if that happened in Vista. Businesses dealing with software licenses really want to stay on the right side of the law, so it's in your employer's best interest to be prepared to remove/replace the OS in case you do leave. Do you own the software or do they? At this stage I presume you do. If you do leave, it might be in your interests to remove the software yourself.

Aside from uninstalling Vista and Office 2003, I think the only way to "deactivate" them is to change the CD Key to another one for the same product and re-activate with that one (that way the old CD Key is no longer used on the original PC). There's been a bit of talk about deactivation for Vista and most of the discussion I've seen comes back to the conclusion that Vista doesn't have a "deactivation" facility.

No worries on returning the thread. Sorry about misreading it in the first place. Which country are you in?

KLOP! · § #8 11-23-2006, 05:29 AM

i will buy Vista (and Office 2007) with my own money.

When I deactivate Vista, I would need to return the organization computer's OS to WinXP SP2 OEM using the restore disc.

So how do people actually transfer licenses in WinXP, I never transfer a license before. Maybe the procedure in Vista would be the same procedure as on WinXP(?)

I'm in Indonesia (SE Asia, near Malaysia, Singapore, and Philippines)

**Mjölnir** · § #9 11-23-2006, 12:03 PM

Ok cool. Usually when you need to transfer a license in XP you use a Key Changer to change the Product Key (the number on the holographic sticker or the folder that came with the Windows CD). I usually use Magic Jellybean Keyfinder for XP, and once you change it and reboot, you should be asked to activate it. I have never tried it in Vista but I imagine the procedure is similar. You could try this link:
Google Search: Vista Key Changer

Indonesia? Bagus! We're practically neighbours

I'm in Australia. I lived and studied in Malaysia for a while and picked up a little bit of Bahasa Melayu while I was there. Just enough to catch transport, eat at mamak stalls and not get cheated at pasar malam, etc.

Have only been to Bali in Indonesia though, but would love to go to Ambon and Jakarta.

KLOP! · § #10 11-24-2006, 05:51 AM

Bottling, your blood's worth!

So what do I supposed to fill in to the product key changer? random chars? entries from uhm... keygen?

Because if we want to transfer license, usually that means we only have one product key right? that's why we want to transfer it.

thanks heaps

P.S: the timeout for this forum is just too quick, I just went to fix a paper jam on the finance dept, return to my pad, and gobsmacked because I already kicked out like a whacka dero. I'm sure it was a lot longer in the past...

**Mjölnir** · § #11 11-24-2006, 06:11 AM

If you want to transfer those software packages to another PC without uninstalling them from the first PC, you'll need to enter new codes into that first PC (ie. buy another copy if there are none already available). Otherwise you have to uninstall the software (which I think is your only option at the moment).

You can use the "remember me" function when you enter your user name and password and you won't get kicked out. You'll only need to log back in when you log out, clear your cookies or log in from a different PC.