maybe there's still hope...   

They are, however, not allowing any transfers at all to people with OEM versions. This can have big consequences if you are not someone who likes to build their own computer. If you buy a machine with the OEM version pre-loaded (as I imagine the vast majority of domestic consumers will) and the motherboard, say, develops a fault which requires its replacement, then Vista won't be transferable back onto the repaired machine. It will recognise the change of board and it will be seen the same way as being put on a whole new computer. This means a customer with a repaired fault will have to go out a buy a new copy of Vista. Not very clever Microsoft.

They are, however, not allowing any transfers at all to people with OEM versions.

This is nothing new. OEM software is licensed to the hardware you bought when you received the copy of Windows and is therefore not available for transfer to other hardware.

If you buy a machine with the OEM version pre-loaded (as I imagine the vast majority of domestic consumers will) and the motherboard, say, develops a fault which requires its replacement, then Vista won't be transferable back onto the repaired machine.

This is not true at all. If you have to replace a defective motherboard you will in theory be replacing it with the same motherboard that was in your system previously and you won't need to re-activate at that point. If however the computer maker no longer has the motherboard you originally had I'm sure you'll be able to call MS and explain the situation and they will provide you with an activation with no problem.

These changes are to curb piracy, MS may be changing the rules a bit but I don't honestly think they are stupid enough to cut off their nose just to spite their face!! No company is stupid enough to think you're going to actually buy a new copy of their software every time you have a hardware failure. I have dealt with some companies who act like they are doing you a favor when they allow you to install your purchased copy of their software if you've activated it more than the number they think you should.. Anyone used a recent version of Ipswitch's WS-FTP? It has horribly restrictive activation rules, and they don't have 24/7 support centers you can call should you need to call them to get your software activated.

well cant say anything

If you have to replace a defective motherboard you will in theory be replacing it with the same motherboard that was in your system previously and you won't need to re-activate at that point.

Sorry, you are plain wrong. The computer will pick up the serial number of the board electronically and it will "know" it is different.

I'm sure you'll be able to call MS and explain the situation and they will provide you with an activation with no problem.

You have more faith in them than I do. How are Microsoft supposed to know if you have genuinely had a problem and have repaired or whether you have in fact upgraded your machine? As the linked article says: "If you purchase a new computer with Windows Vista preinstalled, or if you build your own PC using an OEM version of Windows, this change doesn't affect you. Your copy is locked to that PC and cannot be transferred to another."

Once you change one of the crucial components like the hard drive or motherboard it is essentially a different machine. If it is to be treated any differently they would not have made the distinction between the retail version and the OEM version.

my OEM version of windows XP is very buggy (since I've got my laptop for 3 years now, and tweaking a lot).

I can't format and re-install it: they say my activation number is wrong...)

This is very annoying.

The computer will pick up the serial number of the board electronically and it will "know" it is different

So, you have intimate knowledge of the hardware devices used in that determination huh? I'm assuming you also then know what has been added to Vista to make the calculations more lenient to hardware changes.. Personally, I don't think you're anywhere near right on this, but I don't have any more proof than you do, and continuing to disagree with you on this is nothing more than a waste of both yours and my time. So, I disagree with you but I have no interest in comparing guesses with you to try and make a point that neither of us can prove.

Sorry, you are plain wrong. The computer will pick up the serial number of the board electronically and it will "know" it is different.

Sorry, but Kevin_C is correct....after a mobo & CPU replacement back in March, all I had to do was a repair install of XP to get it running....reactivation was not necessary.

More recently I upgraded the CPU again, added a new HD and another gig of RAM. This time, however, I got a Windows message in both XP and Vista RC1 to say that each had to be reactivated due to significant hardware changes since initial installation. Vista reactivated online without a hitch, but due to prior installs of my copy of XP, it had to be reactivated over the phone.....

During the reactivation process I was transferred to customer service and thus was able to enquire with regards to Vista, should I make further hardware changes and need to reactivate it over the phone. I was told that the licensing and activation for Vista is/will be much the same as it is for XP, that should the pre-existing activations expire due to hardware changes/clean installs, etc, Vista will prompt users to perform phone reactivations, as has always been the case with XP.

Okay, MS has tightened up the licensing terms for Vista some....one non-transerrable license per machine, etc, but it seems there's been much ado about nothing regarding activation/reactivation. Besides, MS would be cutting off its nose to spite it face if it were to impose relicensing via more severe reactivation restrictions, and it's quite unlikely they'd alienate consumers towards a competitors OS or a return to XP.