OEMact reinstall with new Mainboard

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k@rt

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Apr 17, 2012
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Hi All,

I have a store bought Packard Bell iMedia PC from 2008. The motherboard has just died so I need to replace it. As with most of these types of machine I never had a windows installation disk, just Packard Bell recovery disks.

These disks will obviously not install correctly once the new motherboard is installed - so I need to get hold of a windows vista installation disk (i still have the OEMact code on a sticker on the PC case)

Having read one or two other threads here on Toms Hardware everyone says that in this situation I have to contact the computer manufacturer directly - Unfortuneatly Packard Bells online Customer Services seems harder to get into that Fort Knox!

My question is simply this: in this situation are Packard Bell under the legal obligation to provide me with a copy of the Windows Vista installation disk?

I am trying to find out whether it is worth forcing the issue if they ignore me or basically say, "go to hell..."

If I am unable to get the disk from Packard Bell can anyone point me to a trustworthy site where I can download windows vista install? There are obviously torrents out there but most are cracked/hacked and I don't really wanna go near them. I found someone selling installation disks on ebay for $50 a go (no licence, just the media)... which is an absoultely ridiculous price to pay for an ISO.
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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Nov 23, 2004
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Packard Bell does not have to provide you with anything.

The Windows OEM copies are tied to a motherboard. At this point a new board is classified as a new system.

Now you can get a proper ISO of Vista(What version is it?), but it is getting harder to find.

If you try to install, you may have to call MS. if you explain the board dies, 9 out of 10 times they will just let you activate it as long as it is ONLY on one system.
 
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K

k@rt

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Apr 17, 2012
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I only asked because the other threads I read where people had the same problem as me everyone said to contact the PCs original manufacturer about it - so I assumed there was a reason for that... I would imagine if they have no obligation to provdie you with anything then 95% of manufacturers would not do anything.

I never knew that a windows install was "tied" to a certain motherboard... I can't see any logical reason for that except greed and it seems absoultely scandalous to me!

I need a copy of Windows Vista Home Premium in French (32 bit - dunno if 64 bit exists for this version)

Are you saying though that even if I get the new mainboard installed correctly and do a complete disk reformat and clean Windows install that it could fail to activate correctly?

The problem is, Geek, that as this was a store bought Packard Bell machine the mainboard has particular specs that the manufacturer doesn't produce as one of their normal product lines... so to get the identical board is almost impossible. If I could get exactly the same then the problem goes away anyway, I wouldnt even have to reinstall windows to boot. I will keep looking but I am not that hopeful.
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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It is part of the OEM license that the copy gets tied to the board. They get a discount for buying Windows this way.

The retail copy can be moved as much as you want.

As for switching from Windows Vista 32->64 bit, that would be another key as well(I think the retail version may have had both).

Before the official copies of Windows Vista 32 bit had been taken off of digital river, I grabbed a copy of the 32 bit version(I already have original copies for 64 bit.). I was going to upload it, but it seems they have a French copy here. This is from Digital River and clean for sure.
http://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/57-windows-vista-direct-download-links

The full instructions are on the page to make those files into an ISO. Hope this gets you up and running(I have never had an issue with a single board change on reinstall).

Please make sure you get ALL the drivers from the PB website for your system as once the install is done, you may not even have network right way. This is a clean slate and everything you had must be put back onto the system.
 
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K

k@rt

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Thank you very much for the link - looks just like what I would need. I am not yet sure what I am replacing the mainboard with, as it came with a Packard Bell prebuilt machine the boards exact specs are different from anything in the manufacturers existing lines.

If I could find one with the same architecture then the reinstalling windows thing would not be a problem as I could probably boot directly from the current HD installation.

It looks like I am going to have to replace the board with one from another manufacturer entirely, in which case I would have to do the clean install and then I will get all the drivers from the new boards manufacturer.
 
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K

k@rt

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I just got given this link which gives all versions of vista in many languages and is downloadable as an ISO file so if anyone has the same problem, this looks like a good solution:

http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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Ohhh yea silly me(used to people wanting to fresh install on systems with the same board) :) You will get a CD/DVD to get you started with the new board
 
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