Vista activation?

Hey, I've just bought a windows vista laptop, acer aspire 5310 to be precise.

I want to format it as a lot of people do to get rid of the manufacturer installed software.

It came preinstalled with vista home premium, and has vista key printed underneath the laptop.

I was wondering if I could format it and install vista and activate it fine? Also just out of interst, windows xp codes no reactivate themselves every 3 months, does anyone know what it is with vista?

Thanks,
Hunter

Found a resolution here :

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Wi...8be6-3538-46a6-99fb-05e74aeb48b51033.mspx#E1D

Just wondering, will I need to use the supplied disk to reinstall vista?

And what if only a code was supplied and no disk?

Thanks

Problem solved. For anyone that wants to know :

I borrowed my dad's disked, installed Home Premium, then used the activation system and automated phone number to activate. All worked out fine

Thanks anyways!

FYI - If you have a Dell that came with any form of Vista, it will "Auto Activate", and you don't even enter a CD-Key! Something with the BIOS triggers "This is a Dell - Activate Me" or something like that. Even before I re-installed the LAN/WiFi Drivers, I was activated! Even Dell Discs from different Dell PC's will activate on other Dell PC's - odd but true...

My laptop wasnt supplied with a os cd, so I used my dads cd, and when I rang up, just entered a key, and then the auto system gave me a key.

Registered fine, Microsoft are suprising me this year.

If you buy a key, you can use it 10 times on a single system, if it comes with your pc you can use it unlimated times, microsofts new record.

Holy quattro post floppyhunter! I'm planning on buying a new proc this january, and I know vista has some funky activation rules with hardware changes. I guess we'll see.

Randyman... said:

FYI - If you have a Dell that came with any form of Vista, it will "Auto Activate", and you don't even enter a CD-Key! Something with the BIOS triggers "This is a Dell - Activate Me" or something like that. Even before I re-installed the LAN/WiFi Drivers, I was activated! Even Dell Discs from different Dell PC's will activate on other Dell PC's - odd but true...

Click to expand...

I think for those CD's that come with Dell, eMachines, HP, Compaq, and those other OEM's a lot of the time it gets the copy of windows installed and activated. Then they add in all the other programs that you are not likely to use, and image the HDD on to one or more CD/DVD's. That way if you have to use the disc to reinstall your OS, you don't have to fumble around with product activation. I don't know if it is the same for Vista, but that was the way it was for an eMachines rig I worked on with XP some time ago.