Can i Replace an HP Mobo w/o Getting a Tattoo?

[mariostrousa]

I have been trying to figure out whether i can replace the motherboard in my HP m9200t without having to buy vista again. The board in my comp is microATX, and i am replacing it with a regular ATX along with getting a new case and PSU (they give you a 350W PSU for a system that advises 500W+).

I contacted HP, and they said that the new motherboard would have to get a specific code written into it's bios (called a tattoo) for the repair discs to be usable.

My question is whether i can use the system w/o getting it tattooed, or whether the code they refer to includes being able to use the vista on my HDD and not just the repair discs.

I don't think i can get a newer board tattooed, because the replacement i want to get won't fit into the old HP case. Does anyone know whether the system can run without a tattoo, or whether i will need a new copy of Vista?

Here are the responses i have gotten from HP:

I would like to inform you that, I have verified your PC specifications and found that your PC has IPIBL-LB (Benicia) motherboard. You can replace the motherboard with any other motherboard which is compatible with the PC. However, after replacement you need to tattoo your motherboard because when tattooing an HP Pavilion, a code is written into the BIOS on the motherboard. The recovery CD checks for this code. If it cannot find it, it will display an error message on screen. When you replace a motherboard, you must also re-tattoo it.
In order to prevent unauthorized use of the abundant software that HP provides its customers, HP has adopted a security measure that "brands" the motherboard in each computer. The brand is called the tattoo. This tattoo, if done properly, allows the licensed user to retrieve all needed software from the recovery CD. If done improperly, needed software may not load on affected HP Pavilion PCs. If a tattoo is not done, the recovery CD will not function and the end user will get a message stating: This Is Not The Correct Recovery CD For This Model Pavilion. In order to verify that a system has been properly tattooed, have the user press the CTRL+ALT+S keys simultaneously. This will bring up the HP Pavilion Support Information window. If no information is present, either the tattoo has become corrupted or the motherboard was nottattooed.

and

I would like to inform you that, you can replace the motherboard without the tattoo information and can use the system by installing the retail version Operating system. However, If you wish to use Recovery discs then the motherboard should be tattooed.

I would be grateful for any advice you have.

 

[Zorg]

Screw HP and the insanity. Get an Antec Three Hundred, the mobo of your choice and Vista Home Premium SP1 32-bit for System Builders - OEM.

Get rid of your ties to HP and the nine tons of bloatware they foist on you. I would rather drop the $100 on an OEM copy of Vista (actually XP SP3) even if there was no "tattoo" issue.

Bite the bullet and be 100 times happier. F**** HP and the horse they rode in on.

I always thought you got a tattoo at a tattoo shop. :lol:

 

[curnel_D]

Lol, "tattoo". That's about as funny as a dell technician telling me that virtual memory is 'pretend memory' and isnt important.

Oh, and ^+1. Zorg has it right. OEM copies are cheap as hell, and you'll notice a HUGE increase in speed and usability when all the HP crapware is gone.