My Two Letters to Microsoft : 1When FSX was first advertised it was supposed to go hand and hand with Microsoft Vista. A lot of people will not upgrade their computer to Vista, but would rather just buy a new computer. I am afraid to use my copy of FSX because I know I will be buying a new computer when Vista comes out. Will we be able to transfer our copy of FSX when Vista is released? I purchased FSX the day it was released but I am not opening the box, until I find out if I can put it on my new upgrade computer.2Re: Activation FSX: With MSFS 2004 I must have re-installed it at least 5 or 6 times due to the add-ons and all of changes I made to the original game. I purchased FSX the first day it was released. I have yet to install it or even open the box as I have to make room on my present computer. Now I find out about an activation process and now I do not want to install the product at all. I plan on buying a new computer when Windows Vista is released. I do not want to install the new FSX on my present computer if I have to buy a new copy of the game when I upgrade to a new computer. As much anticipation I have to try the new game I am considering returning it to the store, as Vista will not be released until next year and I just cannot afford to buy two copies of the game. In the future this aspect of activation will definitely affect my decision to buy certain software. I do not like the thought of activation and the reuse of only 2 times. There is a lot of negative feedback on the flight simulator forums right now and some people are just not buying FSX and staying with MSFS 2004. R/ SkipP.S. You cannot get support by E-Mail without a Product I.D. I do not have one as I have not opened the box yet.

There are a LOT of folks who're complaining based on what they've read that someone else wrote, who based their interpretation on yet another person's uninformed opinion... ad infinitum, ad naseaum.As someone who's already been there, done that, there IS no real problem!Remember, this summary is based on my own, experiential evidence, not supposition... ;)No one has to buy a new license no matter how many times they install it. 1) You can re-install/activate it as many time as you like as long as you don't change major hardware or change computers. 2) You can then re-install/ativate it on more time after a major hardware or computer change. 3) If you then change major hardware/computers a second time you, then call the toll free number to get a new activation key for the new hardware/ computer... just like you have to do with XP. Bottom line, you can re-install it/activate it as often as you want, on different systems etc. You simply have to call the toll fee number for a new key each time a particular activation quota is used up. As of today, I'm on my third set of "2 Activations," meaning I've called twice to obtain a new Activation ID.Honestly, I can't figure out whether this whole thing more closely resembles a "Tempest in a Teapot" or "Much Ado About Nothing..." ;)

RE : A lot of people will not upgrade their computer to Vista, but would rather just buy a new computer, with Vista installed. I have been wanting to upgrade my computer for a while now but I am waiting for Vista to be Realeased.From the Microsoft Help and Support pageFrequently asked questions about how to activate and how to troubleshoot activation issues for Flight Simulator XQ3: What is the Installation ID?A3: Activation is associated with the specific hardware installation ID. During activation, the Activation Wizard creates a unique hardware identification that represents the configuration of the computer at the time of activation. The hardware identification does not include any personal information, any information about software or data that may reside on the computer, or any information about the specific make or model of the computer. The hardware identification identifies only the computer, only for activation. The installation ID is unique for every computer. If you install certain Microsoft Windows updates, change or upgrade hardware components and then reinstall the game, the Installation ID will change. This change creates an error message that states that you have exceeded the number of activations.Q4: How many times can I activate the product?A4: You can activate games for Windows two times. Removing and then reinstalling the game will not affect the game activation quota as long as you have not changed any hardware components on the computer.Q6: Can I install the game on more than one computer?A6: Microsoft Product Activation verifies that a software program's product key has not been used on more personal computers than the software's license allows. The product key can be used only on one computer. To run a game on two or more computers, purchase additional copies.For example, to purchase additional copies of Flight Simulator X, visit the following Microsoft Web site

>From the Microsoft Help and Support page>>Frequently asked questions about how to activate and how to>troubleshoot activation issues for Flight Simulator XForget what that says! For one thing, it totally contradicts what is written in the EULA, which is what you actually "agree to" when you install FSX.I'll take experiential evidence over the "written theory" any day... ;)I'm hardly unique in this experience. Some of my associates have activated/reactivated many, many more time that I have during the course of beta testing.More that a few have it installed on TWO computers simultaneously and link them via WidevieW...Oh, that's right, supposedly that isn't possible... :-lol

Maybe I answered my own question, while looking for the product license I found this.Games: Error message: The product key is not valid You can use one product key on one computer. If you are trying to install the game on more than one computer, purchase more copies of the game.

I know the last thing that I want to do when I upgrade my computer is call Microsoft. I've already had to do that once, right in the middle of a reboot, and it was around midnight. I wasn't very happy. The thought of then having to make additional phone calls for Office, Visio, and now FSX doesn't sit well with me.Bruce

Funny thing : Even microsoft could not answer my question.This is my first response;----- Original Message ----- From: Microsoft Contact US To: gsm1adams Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2006 6:37 AMSubject: RE:'RTCProd=013-581-816' SUPPORT ISSUES FOR FLIGHT SIM XHello, Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Service. I understand that you would like to know if you can transfer your Flight Simulator X to a new computer after you have installed it from a different computer.I am currently working with my colleagues to provide you with the information you require. I will forward the information to you, as soon as one of my resources replies. Typically, we hear from them in 24 to 72 hours, but it all depends on the complexity of the issue. Should you have other concerns, please feel free to write back. Thank you,John PaulMicrosoft Online Customer Service RepresentativeIf you have any feedback about your Online Customer Service experience, please e-mail my manager, Ruth Ramos, at [email protected].

Bill has it right. You can activate 2 times, so if you install now and then install on a new computer you buy when vista comes out, that will work fine. Also, if you just upgrade to Vista on your existing machine, you should not even be asked to re-activate. In the unlikely event that you need to activate a 3rd time (say you install now, then change a bunch of hardware and re-activate, THEN buy a new Vista machine) you will need to call the activation center to get it straightened out.

It does seem a little odd that they cannot appear to answer what to me looks like a simple straight forward questionStrange???

>In the unlikely event that you>need to activate a 3rd time (say you install now, then change>a bunch of hardware and re-activate, THEN buy a new Vista>machine) you will need to call the activation center to get it>straightened out.Since that is not unlikely at all, please allow me to ask for clarification on this."get it straighted out" means I *WILL* get a new activation key from them?Regards,Robert

>"get it straighted out" means I *WILL* get a new activation key from them?Yes! You will get a new key. Usually they are prompt ( atleast thats my experience in office and xp dont know how well the agents are trained for not common product like fsx especially if we say its a game!) The problem is in the holding time in some occasions. I have never been denied a key though in one instance was a boderline case(My organization had VLK and at that time I did not know that we had crossed the number of license, I called up when i installed office on my new laptop-they gave me the key pronto. It was much later that we bought another 100 odd VLK)

Hey Santanu, thanks for the reply. :)I also inquired via mail about this, and Mike Gilbert from the ACES team informed me that "There is a built-in recycle period (120 days) when you'll automatically be able to re-activate using the same product key. So even if you bought a new PC every six months (!) you'd still be okay." :)Regards,Robert

I have a problem getting FSX to install. I installed it once and had a new Vid card to go south and jumped back to an old card ..... Bingo.....That was a no-no. FSX didn't like that at all. It said to re-install.... I un-installed and now it won't install........I have close to 150 gigs on this hard drive and I do scenery with FREEflow and I would rather NOT re-install XP....When is the fix for this going to come about?Joe Watsonhttp://home.comcast.net/~raptor67/Joe_W/Joe_sig.jpg

>>"get it straighted out" means I *WILL* get a new activation>key from them?>>>Yes! You will get a new key. Usually they are prompt ( atleast>thats my experience in office and xp dont know how well the>agents are trained for not common product like fsx especially>if we say its a game!) The problem is in the holding time in>some occasions. >>I have never been denied a key though in one instance was a>boderline case(My organization had VLK and at that time I did>not know that we had crossed the number of license, I called>up when i installed office on my new laptop-they gave me the>key pronto. It was much later that we bought another 100 odd>VLK)Sorry too much - but my experience with XP left a totally different taste in my mouthThe 1st and 2nd times that I RANG - all I got was laughter and told to go BUY another copyI was stupid enough to not select the best hardware for my built machine and after 2 Motherboards (under Warranty) and 3 Hard Drives - the Activation people thought it was hillariousI didn't

>The 1st and 2nd times that I RANG - all I got was laughter and told to go BUY another copyLaughter? Why? did you try and flirt with them? No just joking! I am sorry to hear your experience but I've done activations in three countries, US, UK and India and everywhere I noticed the following:1. I think MS has instructed them that if a guy gathers the courage to call up give him a key unless its far too obvious or its one of those keys which is on pirated list.2. The agents have a very standard script and rebuttal. Questions were near identical in the three countries. So I dont think personal interpretations of the agent matters in the decision to alott a new key.3. Usually it helps if you are very concise, to the point and confident with the agents. If you sound hassled and unsure they get their antennas up.