Is it legal to reload window with another disc if i lost my original?

[nickfromnj]

I have a question that is related to this topic, and I have to admit I am on the fence about it...

If you already have the same underlying version of Windows properly licensed, why is using a third party distro with some bells and whistles added - or maybe with some overhead removed? I mean if I reload windows from another disc 'cause I lost the first one, but still under the licensed key wouldn't that be legal? Why would this be different?

[jman98]

Welcome nickfromnj, but don't dig up old posts to add to them. Yes, your post actually is related to the original post but we really discourage "grave robbing". Just make a new post if the old one is more than about 6 months old unless you are adding critical information to an old thread.

I've never heard of Microsoft licensing 3rd parties to make such distros, so if you reload Windows from such a distro and told Microsoft, I don't think they'd be very helpful if you needed them to reactivate your key.

[Hoser Rob]

I would not touch that sort of thing with a 10 foot pole.

Microsoft is notorious in tech support circles for using hidden system stuff to download usage data to themselves. They did it semi openly in early versions if IE but the resulting outcry forced them to stop.

They didn't stop doing it though. They just moved it into the background. And you cannot stop it.

I'm not crazy about Microsoft doing it, and think of the possibilities with 3rd party 'extensions' to Windows.

Plus, while I'm not as diametrically opposed to warez as some here, I think you'd be nuts to install a cracked OS from a torrent site. I won't even touch cracked application software.

[johns0]

nickfromnj-Please do not grave rob old threads,i moved your post to a new thread.

[nic2k4]

The only thing that makes your Windows install legal is the MS sticker on the "side of your PC". This is why making an nLite CD is possible and also why HP, Dell, Acer and so on can mass install Windows with 1 VLK; run Jellybean keyfinder on 1 of those PC's and you'll see the license numbers don't match.

Being a VLK there's no activation required, but you still need a sticker for the same Windows version. In other words, say you get your hands on an original Dell install disc for Vista and your Dell laptop only has an XP license sticker on it; Vista will install no problem and you won't need to activate, but you would be in violation of the Vista license, as you've only got an XP sticker. Same would be said if you "upgraded" to XP pro while you're sticker was for XP Home.

[johns0]

Even if you install dell vista copy on a dell laptop that has dell winxp(vlk)once you install something that requires windows genuine software authenticator then it will deyect it as an illegal copy.

[nic2k4]

Actually, a Dell Vista install disc would have a VLK of it's own and would pass Windows genuine advantage authentication. I'm talking about a fresh install. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think you can use a Dell disc to upgrade. In the end, even if you pass genuine advantage without a license sticker for that os, you are illegal.