Lesson 2: Installing Windows Vista

17

Windows Product Activation

Windows Product Activation (WPA) is the method Microsoft uses to ensure that Windows

Vista is installed on only a limited number of computers. You should record each unique key

and the computer that it is tied to in a table or in a database in case you misplace the installa-

tion media. Several separate identifiers are used in the WPA process:

■

Hardware ID

An identifier that is generated using information generated from a com-

puter’s hardware configuration

■ Product ID A 25-character unique key supplied with the installation media

■ Installation ID An identifier that Windows Vista creates from the hardware ID and

product ID

During the WPA process, the Product ID and Hardware ID are sent to Microsoft. A single Prod-

uct ID cannot be tied to more than one Hardware ID. If the activation check finds that the

Product ID has not been activated and tied to a Hardware ID, both IDs are recorded and the

installation is activated. If the activation check finds that the Product ID is tied to a different

hardware ID, the activation fails.

MORE INFO Windows Product Activation

For more information on Windows Product Activation, consult the following website:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/library/plan/e35edd60-9784-491d-8c51-

7affbb42df30.mspx?mfr=true

Microsoft allows you to reinstall and reactivate Windows Vista on the same computer once.

Trying to do so again results in WPA failing, and you need to contact Microsoft support. If you

substantially change your hardware configuration, you also need to reactivate Windows Vista.

Changing a single component does not force reactivation, but changing multiple compo-

nents—for example, motherboard, network card, and graphics adapter—forces reactivation.

This is to guard against people installing multiple copies of Windows Vista on different com-

puters by swapping hard disk drives around.

NOTE

Wait until your system settles

We have found that until you have installed a new operating system a few times, you are likely to

want to reinstall once or twice. With Windows Vista’s hardware requirements, you will probably

consider upgrading some of your hardware after you have installed to improve your experience.

For this reason, we recommend that you do not go through the activation process until you are

positive you are happy with your current configuration. That way, if you find you have to revise

your hardware configuration, you do not have to worry about activation problems.