thollian Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I got a legal copy of Vista ultimate for being a beta tester, and bought a new laptop with Vista pre-installed. I want to format the laptop, but it didn't come with any installation DVD, can I use my retail DVD with the OEM key? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salterbomb Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 check to see if your laptop has a recovery partition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OPaul Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 It didn't come with a Recovery CD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thollian Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 it does have a recovery partition, but it just restores the system to the default state, with all the bloat ware installed...so I would rather use my retail dvd with oem dvd key... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSecondComing Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Do you have the ability to create restore cd's/dvd's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thollian Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 yes I can, but again, the restore cd's are just the default state that the computer was in when I first bought and booted up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H. Veteran Posted February 14, 2007 Veteran Share Posted February 14, 2007 well i guess you cna just test it, put in the retail dvd and try your OEM key and see, you don't have to go the final step to make Vista install again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xpablo Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I'm not sure about Vista, but with XP an OEM key will not work with a retail disk. but with XP there was a way to convert an XP Retail disk to an OEM disk and vice -versa, not sure if Vista disks work the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thollian Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 yah I know I can just try it out, but I was hoping someone alrdy had; thanks though for everyone's responses, I will try it, and let everyone know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagamer34 Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Retail keys only work with retail media, OEM keys with OEM media. They are completely separate from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kraftman Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 PLEASE let me know if this works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qumahlin Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I got a legal copy of Vista ultimate for being a beta tester, and bought a new laptop with Vista pre-installed. I want to format the laptop, but it didn't come with any installation DVD, can I use my retail DVD with the OEM key? My question is why don't you just use your retail key with your retail DVD? It makes no sense if you have a free version of vista why you are worried about reusing the one from your laptop?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EZRecovery Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Companies do not send recovery discs anymore because you can create them yourself now. Why don't you do this. Uninstall all the software you are not going to use, trial version programs, trial version games, etc. Then I believe if you go to Start > Programs (I don't have Vista, so don't flame me for this). Somehow get to your programs list and find something like Recovery software, or go to Windows Explorer and under Program Files see if you find a Recovery software so you can make your discs, after that, then try the DVD you got for being a beta tester and if it doesnt work, pop the recovery discs you created and install Vista again. What is the model #? And yes like someone already mentioned before, OEM and RETAIL are totally different keys. I doubt it will work. /EZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsquare Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I'm not sure about Vista, but with XP an OEM key will not work with a retail disk.but with XP there was a way to convert an XP Retail disk to an OEM disk and vice -versa, not sure if Vista disks work the same way. How do you convert a XP retail disk to OEM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EZRecovery Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 How do you convert a XP retail disk to OEM? Read here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thollian Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 My question is why don't you just use your retail key with your retail DVD? It makes no sense if you have a free version of vista why you are worried about reusing the one from your laptop?! Because retail Vista key is on my desktop and Vista Basic OEM for my laptop..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockwiz Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 from my experience it doesn't matter what disc you use the version is determined by the key you input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkyle Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 With Vista I dont think there is any difference between any of the dvd's oem, retail, nfr and so on. They are all the same dvd and its the key which determines version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thollian Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 it worked, my retail DVD accepted the OEM key and was ready to install! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevets Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 it worked, my retail DVD accepted the OEM key and was ready to install! Yeah, Vista is different bc I hear the Home & Ultimate install disc are basically the same, will automatically install according to your key type. (unlike xp .. but you simply change a text file in xp install.. just a few numbers and it can accept oem or retail keys. That's what I used to do till I got hands on a OEM disk) You should get product id: xxxx-OEM-xxxx.... Don't have hands on retail disk, but I used an RTM to try on my laptop but can't activate. I could try to call in. Did yours activate over internet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanmcv Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Yeah, Vista is different bc I hear the Home & Ultimate install disc are basically the same, will automatically install according to your key type. (unlike xp .. but you simply change a text file in xp install.. just a few numbers and it can accept oem or retail keys. That's what I used to do till I got hands on a OEM disk)You should get product id: xxxx-OEM-xxxx.... Don't have hands on retail disk, but I used an RTM to try on my laptop but can't activate. I could try to call in. Did yours activate over internet? All Vista discs are identical, regardless of retail, OEM, volume, etc. The only thing that matters is what type of key you input. You could use a disc labeled Vista Home Basic, input your Ultimate key (retail or OEM), and Vista Ultimate would install just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsquare Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Read here Have you tried that method yourself? I tried it multiple times and it doesn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevets Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Have you tried that method yourself? I tried it multiple times and it doesn't work. It works. I've done it many times to make the discs I needed to install for my clients. I like to use power iso because you can make image from disc.. modify the file and save to iso... burn it back to blank disc. very simple. Eventually I got hands on orginal disc so I don't use that method anymore. Very useful for XP installations if you lose your recover, or want a clean install without all the bloated software and advertisements. OR. look up OEM scan (google it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsquare Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 It works. I've done it many times to make the discs I needed to install for my clients. I like to use power iso because you can make image from disc.. modify the file and save to iso... burn it back to blank disc. very simple. Eventually I got hands on orginal disc so I don't use that method anymore. Very useful for XP installations if you lose your recover, or want a clean install without all the bloated software and advertisements.OR. look up OEM scan (google it). Weird, it doesn't work for me. Are you doing this on a Windows XP Professional SP2 disc? Cuz that's what I'm using and it doesn't work. I got the image from MSDNAA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevets Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Weird, it doesn't work for me. Are you doing this on a Windows XP Professional SP2 disc? Cuz that's what I'm using and it doesn't work. I got the image from MSDNAA. Don't know about MSDNAA images, but should be identical. I use XP pro SP2 disc. one file(under i386 dir): setupp.ini only edit the last 3 numbers: Retail = xxxxx335 Volume License = xxxxx270 OEM = xxxxxOEM guaranteed to work or your money back :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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