Installing Windows Vista on a different PC

So, I picked up Windows Vista about a decade ago and installed it on my desktop.
The desktop finally kicked the bucket, so I tried to install the original Windows Vista disc on my laptop. Big mistake. Now, after a month of use, everything is locked down except for the activation prompt.
Even though this was an original disc I grabbed from a Best Buy clearance sale, Microsoft is flagging it as a bootleg. Is there any way to bypass this, or should I just call Microsoft support?
Anyone dealt with this nonsense before? Any advice?

Technically, you can't just move Windows from one computer to another—the activation key is pretty much tied to your motherboard. You could always try calling Microsoft and playing it cool—maybe tell them your motherboard died and you had to swap it out—but I honestly have no clue how they'll react to that. To be honest, you can find genuine activation keys on eBay for around $30-$$12, so if I were you, I’d just go that route. It'll save you a massive headache and a lot of wasted time... Are you set on using Windows Vista specifically, or are you looking at a different version of Windows?

Just a heads up, if you're looking at a brand new laptop, those latest processors pretty much only play nice with Windows 8 or Windows 10. But, if you happen to be working with an older machine... man, stay far away from Vista. Seriously. You're much better off sticking with Windows 7—it feels way more polished and stable than Vista ever did, especially on older hardware.

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