# Windows vista home premium 32 bit install no disk



## ajay000222 (Aug 18, 2009)

Right so through a long line of events i need to install vista 32 bit with new hard drive (caviar black) and motherboard (Asus crosshair II) and I don't have the dvd. So what's my best choice? I have my key and stuff.
Would it be to just download a torrent of vista then use my legal key? 
any better ideas?
I'll see if I can find a friends disk. but it is unlikely.


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## Concordedly (Aug 18, 2009)

What I would recommend is in the future you create your own backup of the DVD that Vista came on for situations such as this. As for the rest, I think you know whether or not it will work, but I am not supporting it.


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## Bodaggit23 (Aug 18, 2009)

ajay000222 said:


> Right so through a long line of events i need to install vista 32 bit with new hard drive (caviar black) and motherboard (Asus crosshair II) and I don't have the dvd. So what's my best choice? I have my key and stuff.


Please explain why you have a key but don't have a disc.


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## Concordedly (Aug 18, 2009)

I know on the old Windows 98 discs they would have a manual with the key, not have the key on the actual disc. Therefore, if this is the same for Vista, or if someone wrote down the key, and then lost the disc, this would be an applicable theory.


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## Cleric7x9 (Aug 18, 2009)

Bodaggit23 said:


> Please explain why you have a key but don't have a disc.



the key is probably on a sticker on his case, and he doesnt have the disc anymore. it happens all the time


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## Concordedly (Aug 18, 2009)

Then that concludes my theory. However, I don't think anyone is really going to take my tutorial as to how to download the torrent as a 'backup' as a great legal idea. 

I refer to my first post on this thread.


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## Bodaggit23 (Aug 18, 2009)

Cleric7x9 said:


> the key is probably on a sticker on his case, and he doesnt have the disc anymore. it happens all the time



The reason I ask is that if the OP only has the key that came on a prebuilt computer, it won't work to use just any install disk. It would have to be an OEM disc from a similar or same computer.

If the OP bought a retail copy of Vista, then any retail Vista disc should work.


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## Cleric7x9 (Aug 18, 2009)

Bodaggit23 said:


> The reason I ask is that if the OP only has the key that came on a prebuilt computer, it won't work to use just any install disk. It would have to be an OEM disc from a similar or same computer.
> 
> If the OP bought a retail copy of Vista, then any retail Vista disc should work.



im not sure that that is true, im pretty sure you can use a retail Vista disc for an OEM license.


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## Bodaggit23 (Aug 18, 2009)

Cleric7x9 said:


> you can use a retail Vista disc for an OEM license.



I would bet money against that.

The keys are specific. Retail keys are retail keys, OEM are OEM.


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## Cleric7x9 (Aug 18, 2009)

Bodaggit23 said:


> I would bet money against that.
> 
> The keys are specific. Retail keys are retail keys, OEM are OEM.



right, the keys are specific, but the disk is the same afaik


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## Concordedly (Aug 18, 2009)

Well, have the OP give it a shot and find out first-hand. I am kind of interested for purposes of back-ups of my OS CD's


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## ajay000222 (Aug 19, 2009)

Bodaggit23 said:


> Please explain why you have a key but don't have a disc.



Sure well you were right it was OEM once.
And I say once because It used to be a HP but I've changed graphics card (8800gt, case (antec 1200), PSU (coolermaster extreme 460w) and most recently hard drive (caviar black) and motherboard (crosshair II)

so basically I performed previous upgrades without needing to reinstall vista. I have the recovery disks but I don't think they will work well with a new motherboard. and I have the key from sticker on case (well I just took a picture of it cus the old case is in storage)

and as per the person who said yes torrent will work but its not very legal.
I realize that and I am definitly not for torrenting OS, but I already hav a legal key so MS has gotten theyre part from me, So I'm just getting the dvd pretty much. cus I'll use my key anyway

I reely hope the key is not locked to the OEM but I honestly doubt it. I think it shud work

btw I'll prbly try it this weekend
taken a while cus I had to RMA my caviar black a second time (kinda rediculous to replace faulty hard drive with another faulty hard drive, but thats another story)


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## Bodaggit23 (Aug 19, 2009)

Your OEM key will not work with a retail disk. Period.

And you won't be needing a key if you download an OS from a torrent 
because they're all hacked and don't need cd keys. *(and trojans and 
viruses and whatever else they feel like putting in the OS so they can 
hack into your pc whenever they want to steal who knows what)*

If I were you, I would buy a fresh copy of Windows Vista OEM while it still includes the free Windows 7 Upgrade.


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## Concordedly (Aug 19, 2009)

Bodaggit23 said:


> Your OEM key will not work with a retail disk. Period.
> 
> And you won't be needing a key if you download an OS from a torrent
> because they're all hacked and don't need cd keys. *(and trojans and
> ...




I agree 110% honestly [sarcasm] Torrents of pirated software are great, you get the product for free without any consequences at all. [/sarcasm]


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## lawson_jl (Aug 20, 2009)

In Vista the same disc works for both retial and OEM versions.  Most OEM PCs don't come with disc anymore, which should be illegal.


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## ajay000222 (Aug 20, 2009)

umm I'm not gnna pirate windows
So are you telling me my OEM key is useless now that I have a new motherboard?
I can't use recovery disks and there's no way to use it on this comp with any other disks


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## tlarkin (Aug 20, 2009)

Cleric7x9 said:


> im not sure that that is true, im pretty sure you can use a retail Vista disc for an OEM license.



No you can't, well physically you can be legally you can't.  OEM software is tied and bound to the first machine you install it on and it is non transferable to any other computer.  That is why it is cheaper, because it is OEM and it is originally meant for system builders to buy bulk OEM licenses and then preinstall them on their machines they sell to customers.

OEM licensed OSes from Microsoft are meant to be purchased and bound with a system and then follow that system and never be allowed to transfer into a new one.  There are some gray areas, like upgrading.  So that is why you can still physically install it, otherwise the DRM would be written so it wouldn't work at all.

When I used to work with a system's builder and we would do OEM installs of software like MS Office and Windows OS on barebones, if that system was returned by a customer under their 30 day return policy we were not allowed to take that software off.  We had to sell that system with all of that software installed because the OEM license would not allow for us to transfer the software to another computer.  Of course we were a corporation and Microsoft would audit us on our licenses at times.  I doubt they will go after an individual, but just to be clear on the subject.  OEM licensed software is not transferable from computer to computer at all.  Only retail boxed copies are.


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## Cleric7x9 (Aug 20, 2009)

tlarkin said:


> No you can't, well physically you can be legally you can't.  OEM software is tied and bound to the first machine you install it on and it is non transferable to any other computer.  That is why it is cheaper, because it is OEM and it is originally meant for system builders to buy bulk OEM licenses and then preinstall them on their machines they sell to customers.
> 
> OEM licensed OSes from Microsoft are meant to be purchased and bound with a system and then follow that system and never be allowed to transfer into a new one.  There are some gray areas, like upgrading.  So that is why you can still physically install it, otherwise the DRM would be written so it wouldn't work at all.
> 
> When I used to work with a system's builder and we would do OEM installs of software like MS Office and Windows OS on barebones, if that system was returned by a customer under their 30 day return policy we were not allowed to take that software off.  We had to sell that system with all of that software installed because the OEM license would not allow for us to transfer the software to another computer.  Of course we were a corporation and Microsoft would audit us on our licenses at times.  I doubt they will go after an individual, but just to be clear on the subject.  OEM licensed software is not transferable from computer to computer at all.  Only retail boxed copies are.



i didnt say anything about moving an OEM license from one machine to another. i just said you could use a retail disk to reinstall the OEM software on the machine that has the OEM license...

also, that is not really why OEM is cheaper. OEM is cheaper than retail bc with OEM, technical support is left up to the vendor, not microsoft.


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## tlarkin (Aug 20, 2009)

Cleric7x9 said:


> i didnt say anything about moving an OEM license from one machine to another. i just said you could use a retail disk to reinstall the OEM software on the machine that has the OEM license...
> 
> also, that is not really why OEM is cheaper. OEM is cheaper than retail bc with OEM, technical support is left up to the vendor, not microsoft.



and the license is non transferable and MS doesn't give out free tech support for their product after so many days.  Trust me, I used to have support from MS at my last job and we paid extra for it.

Retail box license you can install and uninstall on as many different computers you want to as long as you only use it on one at a time.  OEM software once you install it, it is bound to that computer for ever.  The license agreements are actually different if you read all the way through the EULA.

I used to work for a MS Systems builder years ago, and unless it has changed which I doubt it, this is how it was done.


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## Cleric7x9 (Aug 20, 2009)

tlarkin said:


> and the license is non transferable and MS doesn't give out free tech support for their product after so many days.  Trust me, I used to have support from MS at my last job and we paid extra for it.
> 
> Retail box license you can install and uninstall on as many different computers you want to as long as you only use it on one at a time.  OEM software once you install it, it is bound to that computer for ever.  The license agreements are actually different if you read all the way through the EULA.
> 
> I used to work for a MS Systems builder years ago, and unless it has changed which I doubt it, this is how it was done.



right, ok, when did i say anything about transferring a license from one computer to another? stop quoting my posts if your responses have nothing to do with them, i find it irritating. 

you keep squawking nonsense about transferring the license. i said, the OP probably has the vista license sticker on the side of his computer but doesnt have the installation discs. i then proceeded to say that i thought you can use a retail vista disc to reinstall the OS on that computer, using the license on the side of the case. everybody else seemed to understand what i said, so i dont think it was confusing. jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.


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## tlarkin (Aug 20, 2009)

Cleric7x9 said:


> right, ok, when did i say anything about transferring a license from one computer to another? stop quoting my posts if your responses have nothing to do with them, i find it irritating.
> 
> you keep squawking nonsense about transferring the license. i said, the OP probably has the vista license sticker on the side of his computer but doesnt have the installation discs. i then proceeded to say that i thought you can use a retail vista disc to reinstall the OS on that computer, using the license on the side of the case. everybody else seemed to understand what i said, so i dont think it was confusing. jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.



It was in response to your saying you can use an OEM license on a retail disk, which may or may not work but they typically batch the keys, so there is a good chance that it will not work.  Plus, on a legal level I don't think it is allowed.  So I stated this since this forum does not support anything illegal.

If it pisses you off that bad just use the ignore feature, this is just a website man, no need to get irritated over something on the interwebs.

It sounds to me like they are trying to transfer a license from a prebuilt system to one they are building, which you can't do.  Though they stated they just replaced major components.  Which is where the license agreement gets very gray.


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## Cleric7x9 (Aug 20, 2009)

tlarkin said:


> It was in response to your saying you can use an OEM license on a retail disk, which may or may not work but they typically batch the keys, so there is a good chance that it will not work.  Plus, on a legal level I don't think it is allowed.  So I stated this since this forum does not support anything illegal.
> 
> If it pisses you off that bad just use the ignore feature, this is just a website man, no need to get irritated over something on the interwebs.
> 
> It sounds to me like they are trying to transfer a license from a prebuilt system to one they are building, which you can't do.  Though they stated they just replaced major components.  Which is where the license agreement gets very gray.



<thread jack>
im not going to ignore your posts bc you are one of the people on this forum who is almost always right, and definitely very helpful. and you are right, it is only an internet forum, but i was trying to help the OP, and then you quote my post and say im wrong about something i didnt even say, which just ends up being more confusing to everybody.
</thread jack>
<on track>
@ OP, i am 99% sure that you can use a retail disc to install the OS on your OEM computer. the license you input will have to be the license that came with the machine. microsoft allows you to upgrade any component in your computer except the motherboard, and still use the same OEM license that came with it. microsoft also allows you to change your motherboard provided it was due to a previous hardware failure. gluck.
</on track>


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## ajay000222 (Aug 20, 2009)

ok well yea switching motherboard and it was having some problems with a hard drive recognition thing (dont worry bout details) and I thought I could change it and this wud also be a good chance to get a decent motherboard. 
so with motherboard change being allowed do i just use same key or do I need to get microsoft to issue a new key or sumthing...


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## tlarkin (Aug 20, 2009)

ajay000222 said:


> ok well yea switching motherboard and it was having some problems with a hard drive recognition thing (dont worry bout details) and I thought I could change it and this wud also be a good chance to get a decent motherboard.
> so with motherboard change being allowed do i just use same key or do I need to get microsoft to issue a new key or sumthing...



You can use the same key but the built in DRM in Windows hates it when you swap out motherboards, so you will most likely have to wipe and reload the OS.  Back up your data first and foremost.

If your computer was a prebuilt computer originally and had a restore partition instead of an actual restore disk you can contact the manufacturer of that computer and order a copy of the restore DVD, however, it most likely will not work because it is probably DRM'd to only work with their motherboards.  This is very common.

So your options are, 1) buy a new retail or OEM copy of Windows (if it doesn't work) or 2)  Download a pirated version and just try your product key - this may or may not work since they batch the keys.  I know if you contact Microsoft they are going to just say tough luck buy a new disk.  If you go with option 2, this forum can't help you since this forum does not support any kind of illegal software.


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## ajay000222 (Aug 21, 2009)

I have restore discs too and I was planning to just reinstall the OS anyway but like u said I don't think the disks will work
I'll have to see what I can do.
thanks for help


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