Free Upgrade To Windows Vista?

[Alfred Kaufmann]

I build new computer systems and every so often I have enough spare parts
left over, plus a few new parts to build myself a whole new computer system.
I was going to wait until the release of Window Vista until I saw this ad,
"Get a FREE upgrade to Windows Vista when you buy a qualifying copy of
Wondows XP today. It goes on to show that if you buy XP Pro you get a free
upgrade to Vista Business. I got the Xp Pro today and a redemption coupon
which has the FINE print. It spells out requirements that have me worried.
Number 1, I have to provide a receipt for a PC PRELOADED with Windows XP
Professional. Why would I buy an OEM CD copy if the thing is supposed to
come preloaded? Number 2, I must provide a receipt from the period October
26th to March 15, 2007. I can say the 85% of the parts fall in that period.
Number 3, it must be from an authorized system builder! Are there any
system builders that are not authorized? ;-)

Am I worrying needlessly or should I just return this Window XP Pro with the
coupon asap?

Al

 

[Mike Brannigan]

I build new computer systems and every so often I have enough spare
parts left over, plus a few new parts to build myself a whole new
computer system. I was going to wait until the release of Window
Vista until I saw this ad, "Get a FREE upgrade to Windows Vista when
you buy a qualifying copy of Wondows XP today. It goes on to show
that if you buy XP Pro you get a free upgrade to Vista Business. I
got the Xp Pro today and a redemption coupon which has the FINE
print. It spells out requirements that have me worried. Number 1, I
have to provide a receipt for a PC PRELOADED with Windows XP
Professional. Why would I buy an OEM CD copy if the thing is
supposed to come preloaded? Number 2, I must provide a receipt from
the period October 26th to March 15, 2007. I can say the 85% of the
parts fall in that period. Number 3, it must be from an authorized
system builder! Are there any system builders that are not
authorized? ;-)

Am I worrying needlessly or should I just return this Window XP Pro
with the coupon asap?

Al

Hi Al,

The coupon and the offer is normally for OEMs/system builders to offer
to their customers. So you buy that OEM CD and it comes with a coupon
that a purchaser of one of your systems supplied with that CD and XP
preinstalled can then redeem to get to Windows Vista after the January
release to the general public.
It is not a buy a generic OEM CD and qualify for a free upgrade; it is
part of a bigger program for system builders/OEMs to offer their
customers the ability to buy now and get Windows Vista later.

So I would think in your situation you will not be eligible to redeem
that coupon.
see
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/expressupgrade.mspx
Where it talks about it being available from your "local system
builder" namely you and those CDs.

 

[Alfred Kaufmann]

Hi Al,

The coupon and the offer is normally for OEMs/system builders to offer to
their customers. So you buy that OEM CD and it comes with a coupon that a
purchaser of one of your systems supplied with that CD and XP preinstalled
can then redeem to get to Windows Vista after the January release to the
general public.
It is not a buy a generic OEM CD and qualify for a free upgrade; it is
part of a bigger program for system builders/OEMs to offer their customers
the ability to buy now and get Windows Vista later.

So I would think in your situation you will not be eligible to redeem that
coupon.
see
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/expressupgrade.mspx
Where it talks about it being available from your "local system builder"
namely you and those CDs.

Thanks Mike for the link but it is more for people in the U.S. than from
Canada; it only allows U.S. postal zip codes. I did get a redemption coupon
(that looks like a bad photcopy) with a serial number stamped on it and it
may be that my retailer is an "authorized system builder", they build
systems and they advertise this OEM Windows XP Pro with the Vista upgrade
coupon. If that is the case I only need to decide what receipts constitutes
a new computer system. I did just buy new hard drives from them.

I will contact the retailer and get the answers I need or send the product
back.

Al

 

[Alfred Kaufmann]

Replying to myself is a bit strange but it seems like I stepped in the MS
Twilight Zone.

My retailer (NCIX.com) has a forum and this is being discussed there. Some
people have tried the redemption number on the coupon and have been told it
is not valid. The retailer is contacting Moduslink which handles the coupon
redemption and everyone is waiting on this reply. Some people beleive that
they cannot return the product, even unopened, because the Certificate of
Authenticity is on the outside of the package. This is an agreement the
retailer has with Microsoft! Now that is a load of BS. What is next, will
GM make you buy your car blindfolded?

If I am not satisfied by this Friday, the package will go back and if I do
not get an RMA number I will be contacting VISA to put it into dispute. I
spend I lot of money there so I am pretty sure I will have no problem
getting an RMA number. If the latter case happens I hope that retailer pulls
all the old MS OEM XP stuff off their shelves and sends it back to their MS
distributor with a Merry Christmas card.

I think Microsoft created this situation and they should get off their butts
and correct it. When a corporation is ready to bring out new software all
good corporations offer free upgrades to customers that buy their old
software after a certain point in time.

Al

 

[Mike Brannigan]

Replying to myself is a bit strange but it seems like I stepped in
the MS Twilight Zone.

My retailer (NCIX.com) has a forum and this is being discussed
there. Some people have tried the redemption number on the coupon
and have been told it is not valid. The retailer is contacting
Moduslink which handles the coupon redemption and everyone is
waiting on this reply. Some people beleive that they cannot return
the product, even unopened, because the Certificate of Authenticity
is on the outside of the package. This is an agreement the retailer
has with Microsoft! Now that is a load of BS. What is next, will
GM make you buy your car blindfolded?

If I am not satisfied by this Friday, the package will go back and
if I do not get an RMA number I will be contacting VISA to put it
into dispute. I spend I lot of money there so I am pretty sure I
will have no problem getting an RMA number. If the latter case
happens I hope that retailer pulls all the old MS OEM XP stuff off
their shelves and sends it back to their MS distributor with a Merry
Christmas card.

I think Microsoft created this situation and they should get off
their butts and correct it. When a corporation is ready to bring
out new software all good corporations offer free upgrades to
customers that buy their old software after a certain point in time.

Al

Al, the fact that an end user can buy an OEM product from a
distributor/reseller has always been an issue.
This package you bought is a by-product of that. It is really for
sale to systems builds to ship on PCs. OEM generic OS CDs were never
truly intended as the distribution method to end users hence all the
old issues around buying it on a full machine , then with a piece of
qualifying hardware then a single screw and in Germany with noting at
all.
While I completely understand your issue here, it does not really
change the fact that this is a product sold to system builders for
them to sell on as part of a complete system and the process for the
"free" upgrade program is for use in that space, not as a tool for end
users, building there own PCs.

Just my 2 low denomination coins

 

[John Barnes]

Alfred
I know this is from another site, but the same questions were being raised
about their XP to Vista coupons. Here is the reply I received from them.

Dear Customer,

Thank you for contacting Newegg.

We truly apologize for the inconveniences this may have caused you. You will
still qualify to get the Vista upgrade coupons even though you didn't
purchase a PC system. Please enter any information in the data fields when
it asks for a Model and Serial Number. As long as the fields are filled,
Microsoft will process.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

 

[Alfred Kaufmann]

This package you bought is a by-product of that. It is really for sale to
systems builds to ship on PCs. OEM generic OS CDs were never truly
intended as the distribution method to end users hence all the old issues
around buying it on a full machine , then with a piece of qualifying
hardware then a single screw and in Germany with noting at all.

I have always bought an MS operating system for every computer I built and I
have sold quite a few upper end machines. What I resent more than anything
else is this term "qualified system builder" as if you need to be ordained
by Microsoft. They are selling an operating selling that comes with an
upgrade coupon. They have no business controlling who built your computer
or how much they spent and their hardware; it is none of their business.
Further to say if you look at the Certificate of Authenticity that is on the
outside of the package, that it can't be returned, that is really obscene. I
don't think anything like that would stand up in any Canadian court.

While I completely understand your issue here, it does not really change
the fact that this is a product sold to system builders for them to sell
on as part of a complete system and the process for the "free" upgrade
program is for use in that space, not as a tool for end users, building
there own PCs.

I was building it for a Christmas present. Have a look at this
advertisement: http://www.ncix.com/go/?vistaupgrade There is no fine print
there. It really looks like this advertisement was produced by Microsoft.
I hope that is is resolved by Friday or it will be going back.

Al

 

[Alfred Kaufmann]

Alfred
I know this is from another site, but the same questions were being raised
about their XP to Vista coupons. Here is the reply I received from them.

Dear Customer,

Thank you for contacting Newegg.

We truly apologize for the inconveniences this may have caused you. You
will still qualify to get the Vista upgrade coupons even though you didn't
purchase a PC system. Please enter any information in the data fields when
it asks for a Model and Serial Number. As long as the fields are filled,
Microsoft will process.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Thanks for the information, I did not try to enter any information. I have
read on my retailer's furoms that the redemption form number on the coupon
was rejected as invalid and they are contacting moduslink to find out what
is going on. Maybe if they enter a model and serial number it will be
accepted. I will tell them to try it.

Alfred

 

[Guest]

I had bought mine from NEWEGG also, bu thte upgrade site says that it can not
validate my coupon either. I treid last week and sent them an email/
Microsoft upgrade site sent me a reply, and it was like this
"Dear Customer,

Thank you for your interest in the Upgrade Program.

Unfortunately there was a glitch with the Redemption # this will be resolved
by Tuesday (11/21/06) it should go through after that date.
We do apologize for any inconvenience.

To order your upgrade, please visit the following site:

https://upgradeweb.moduslink.com/vista/Default.aspx
" This was sent to me on the 17th of November and here it is the 22nd of
November and I still can not get it to work

 

[Guest]

Dear Customer,

Thank you for your interest in the Upgrade Program.

Unfortunately there was a glitch with the Redemption # this will be resolved
by Tuesday (11/21/06) it should go through after that date.
We do apologize for any inconvenience.

To order your upgrade, please visit the following site:

https://upgradeweb.moduslink.com/vista/Default.aspx
This is the reply that I got on the 17th of Nov, here it is the 22nd of
November, and I still can not redeem my NEWEGG coupon. I wrote the upgrade
site back another email a few minutes ago. Now I am going to wit for another
reply from them

 

[Coord]

My Newegg coupon worked today finally and everything went smoothly...glitch
seems to be fixed.