Hi, Installed Vista RTM (build 6000) 3 weeks ago. Everything was just fine. Todayafter the boot it popped up message something like - The hardware has changed. Key deactivated. You have 3 days to reactivate key. I looked later into EventLog - it has Security-Licensing-SLC event saying the same thing. It started yesterday after crash of iexplorer.exe (I am trying to recover sequence from event log because I didnt pay attention to it yesterday). I am a bit frustrated - it can deactivate itself without proper reason! I havent changed anything in the box. And where is the bloody explanation - what changes can deactivate a key. In future - if I change RAM or add HDD or what? I hate surprises. Such a thing must have been said on the very first screen (please dont tell me it is in small print or something - this is too unexpected and fundamental change in the licensing - must be anounced very loud and clear). I dont want to loose this key for nothing. Is there any way I can fail a complain and get fast resolution ? (It says - 2 days to go now!!)

Did you do any changes to the hardware, or a part of the licensing software bits could have been corrupted. if you loose activaton you can call to re-activate

That is a whole point- I didnt touch a thing after installation. Certainly I didnt change any hardware. Didnt open the box. Can you please tell me how many times I can re-activate? Does it affect my key? I have it from my MSDN subscription (the biggest one - analogue to old MSDN Universal). I had impression that I can have it activated 10 times only. Does it mean - I can have it on 10 different PCs and can reactivate every time when licensing software get corrupted as much as I want. Or after 10 licensing software *** ups I will get no OS on my single PC?

sound like the license software gothosted. Are you a partner ? If your hardware/ software has a problem that you reinstall that does not count against you in install counts

Windows Product Activation technique is to find a fingerprint for your hardware to recognize whether this copy of Windows you have was installed at many number of different computers, hence the activation process fails if the used product key was used for a max number of computers. So once you changed a hardware, your fingerprint was changed.Good luck

No this is my personal MSDN subscription. I get confused here. Providing I didnt change hardware actually - if I hit "reactivate" button now - will I have one less time with my key to activate another PC installation ? What would you recommend to do next? Is ithelpful to send some report to the support ? Or just reactivate and forget the whole accident? I am having thought that it may happen again and again then.... :-S

How many computer are using MSDN copy of vista if under 10 no issue if more that 10 problem I

I haveone on desktop and one on Q1. Not like I am going to have10 PCs with Vista. But considering that with time- hardware upgrades,PC replacement (I replace my desktop every 2 years), new UMPC buy etc - all these are going to consume activations. And this is why (I think) MS provides us with 10 keys. Vista is OS for number of years. So 10 keys is not very big figure to be honest (I presume this 10 for whole subscription life and not for this year - after I will extend the subscription in next year - I think it will not reset activation counter to 10 back - am I correct?) But more importantly (it was my very first question) - if security component is going to be busted every 2 weeks and reactivation decreases my available activation counter - then I am going tohave no key in couple of months. I mean - I agree that it might be necessary to protect Vista reading hardware pattern but why should I lose key for some software bug? P.S. I reactivated it anyway yesterday. Is it possible to see how many activationsleft on my subscription ?

If the same guid is on the computer is there There is no ISSUE. I f you have problems on a computer and IT happened 4 time, For example bad hard drive it 1 will not use all of you msdn keys, If you do not understand the process call the activation Number and someone from MSwill explain the PROCESS. (If automatic activation fial and you do not have more that you are license for, you call the Activation Number and explain you had a issue.)

It just has happened again :( I had one thing to be suspect No 1 and now I am almost sure. I think it something to do with my Black Gold TV tuner. If Vista had in sleep/hybernation I cant watch TV in Media Centre. So I restarted my PC and got this Hardware has changed / re-activate thing. Obviously there is a bug. Whatthat Activation Number I can call was again ?

go to the activate screen and disconnect from internet and you can choose other methods (phone number is there)