Pre Installed XP Home on HP Computer

[Guest]

I just purchased a Compaq PC from Wal Mart for my son. It came with Windows
XP Home, SP-2 pre installed and no Windows CD. It does have a crash recovery
routine that eats up 7GB of my already small hard drive and as it doesnt have
a DVD burner, would require alot of time and CD's to burn off.

Someone, and I cant remember who, told me that I can contact Microsoft and
as long as I can provide proof of purchase, Microsoft would provide me with a
Windows CD.

Does anyone know if this is true and if it is, direct me to the right place
on Microsofts web site so that I can put those wheels in motion?

Thanks

 

[kurttrail]

I just purchased a Compaq PC from Wal Mart for my son. It came with
Windows XP Home, SP-2 pre installed and no Windows CD. It does have a
crash recovery routine that eats up 7GB of my already small hard
drive and as it doesnt have a DVD burner, would require alot of time
and CD's to burn off.

Someone, and I cant remember who, told me that I can contact
Microsoft and as long as I can provide proof of purchase, Microsoft
would provide me with a Windows CD.

Does anyone know if this is true and if it is, direct me to the right
place on Microsofts web site so that I can put those wheels in motion?

Thanks

False.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[BR549]

Who ever told you that doesn't have a clue because it's not gonna happen.
You have an OEM version of XP and Microsoft will not provide you with
anything.

I just purchased a Compaq PC from Wal Mart for my son. It came with Windows
XP Home, SP-2 pre installed and no Windows CD. It does have a crash recovery
routine that eats up 7GB of my already small hard drive and as it doesnt
have
a DVD burner, would require alot of time and CD's to burn off.

Someone, and I cant remember who, told me that I can contact Microsoft and
as long as I can provide proof of purchase, Microsoft would provide me with
a
Windows CD.

Does anyone know if this is true and if it is, direct me to the right place
on Microsofts web site so that I can put those wheels in motion?

Thanks

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Microsoft will not provide a CD for your OEM computer.
Contact Compaq for options, they are your only source unless you want to pay
full price.

 

[T. Waters]

The trouble is, the Windows XP SP2 CD that you can get from Microsoft for a
nominal charge cannot be used on your system. The version of Windows sold on
Compaqs has been altered to be custom for Compaq hardware. If you were to
install a disk gotten directly from Microsoft onto your computer, you would
not have an Activation Key, and after 30 days, you would not have an
operating system!
This is the dirty little secret behind OEM Windows computers, whether bought
at Wal-Mart or more upscale venues.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, AllDave.

I don't think so! I've no inside information on this, but my understanding
is that the contract that allows Compaq to customize their own version of
WinXP to fit their specific hardware and then pre-install that OEM version
on your computer also requires Compaq to furnish the full WinXP CD-ROM with
the package as delivered. Since you bought the computer from Wal*Mart, my
guess is that you should deal with Wal*Mart and have them demand the CD for
you from Compaq.

Let us know what you find out. We're very interested!

(As a shareholder in both Wal*Mart and Microsoft, I sure hope they have not
agreed to let HP (Compaq) treat their customers this way! And for either
WMT or MSFT to bear HP's financial responsibility.)

RC

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Microsoft does not offer OEM replacements of Windows XP.

HP Pavilions that ship with Microsoft Windows XP do
not come with Recovery CDs. Instead, they use a hidden
space (partition) on the hard drive to store the recovery
information.

Read the following article for assistance:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...docname=bph07145&product=71013&dlc=en&lang=en

Obtaining HP Recovery CDs
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...3&lang=en&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=bph07143

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I just purchased a Compaq PC from Wal Mart for my son. It came with Windows
| XP Home, SP-2 pre installed and no Windows CD. It does have a crash recovery
| routine that eats up 7GB of my already small hard drive and as it doesnt have
| a DVD burner, would require alot of time and CD's to burn off.
|
| Someone, and I cant remember who, told me that I can contact Microsoft and
| as long as I can provide proof of purchase, Microsoft would provide me with a
| Windows CD.
|
| Does anyone know if this is true and if it is, direct me to the right place
| on Microsofts web site so that I can put those wheels in motion?
|
| Thanks

 

[R. McCarty]

There is one thing to check on. While most OEM's do not provide
a physical XP install CD-ROM, many do place the installer folder,
i386 on the system partition. Do a full system search on your drive
for the existence of i386 folders. There may be others not related to
the XP installer found such as Sun Java or a Drivers. The one you
are interested in should have a file content size of ~560 Megabytes
and an individual file/folder count around 5000+.
If this folder exists you should burn it to CD-R. Using this i386 CD
and a 6-disk floppy set you should be able to perform 'some' XP
install/repair operations.

 

[Guest]

Thanks to all of you for your responses. I will contact HP support and order
a recovery DVD. It is a bit aggravating that my machine did not come with the
Operating system on a CD, but I understand the rationale behind that and hand
holding process they have adopted. At least, it appears, I can order the
recovery system on a DVD for a small charge, not have to hassle with buring
the whole thing out to CD's and then regain the 7 or 8 gig its taking up.

One of the responders spoke of a dirty little secret about OEM versions of
Windows XP that if I understood correctly, has me worried. It had to do with
product activation and after 30 days having an operating system that doesnt
work....

I am upgrading my other computer that runs Windows ME currently. I bought a
new processor, video card, memory, hard drive and an OEM version of Windows
XP Home SP2, all from New Egg. I paid like 104.00 for the copy of Windows. Am
I going to have a problem with the copy of Windows I purchased not working or
me not being able to obtain an activation key for it so that it will work??

Help!!!!!!!

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I just purchased a Compaq PC from Wal Mart for my son. It came
with
Windows XP Home, SP-2 pre installed and no Windows CD. It does
have a
crash recovery routine that eats up 7GB of my already small
hard
drive and as it doesnt have a DVD burner, would require alot of
time
and CD's to burn off.

Someone, and I cant remember who, told me that I can contact
Microsoft and as long as I can provide proof of purchase,
Microsoft
would provide me with a Windows CD.

Does anyone know if this is true and if it is, direct me to the
right
place on Microsofts web site so that I can put those wheels in
motion?

Sorry, but it's completely false. Microsoft provides no support
for OEM versions (which is what you have) and won't provide you
with a CD or anything else. If you had a retail version and lost
it, Microsoft would relace it for a nominal charge, but they
won't do that for an OEM version, let alone give you one you
never had.

Your only recourse is with Compaq; I doubt very much if they will
*give* you a CD, and I don't know whether they even have them
available to sell.

Personally I would never choose to buy a computer from a company
like Compaq, which doesn't provide at least an OEM CD of Windows
with it.

 

[Guest]

Compaq, well HP, apparently will sell their recovery system on DVD for a few
bucks. I am waiting to hear back as to what a few bucks actually is. I have
always built my own PC's, this time around for the 500 bucks (which included
a 17 inch flat screen monitor) I spent, I couldnt build something comparable.
I knew the operating system would be installed, but I guess I expected either
a copy of the operating system or at least the recovery disks to be included.
You find out what you have once you open the box. Live and learn.

 

[T. Waters]

The XP that you bought from NewEgg came with a Product Key. Basically that
was what you paid $104 for; please be sure not to lose the key. Place the
label on your computer case ASAP. Write it down on the inside of your
computer case, too (be paranoid).
Sorry to scare you unintentionally. What I meant about the dirty little
secret is that when owners of OEM machines other than Dell have their hard
drive die after the warranty period, they lose both the hardware and their
operating system. The activation issue was specifically concerning the
hypothetical situation of you overwriting your OS using a Microsoft disk
that you did not buy, and therefore did not have the Product Key for.
Activation could not take place without the key, and unactivated Windows
will work for 30 days only.

 

[T. Waters]

So true about "live and learn." I wonder why the journalists who cover
technology do not discuss this issue more. Either they are beholden to the
OEM's, or they fear that the discussion would open up a can of worms with
tech-unsavvy computer users. As if the current situation is not a can of
worms...on time-delay.

 

[Guest]

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. I am pretty anal about product serial
numbers and CD keys, so, I am already paranoid lol

Apparently, Compaq (well, HP) will sell a recovery dvd for a few bucks that
is model specific. Am waiting for them to respond to my email and I will just
buy that. The computer came with a 40 gig drive thats already half full so I
see a new drive in this machines future. I just bought a 200 gig maxtor for
99 bucks for my machine so at those prices, why not. I would assume that as
long as I have the Compaq supplied recovery system, I can change out drives,
run the recovery disk and remain fat, dum and happy.

Thanks again for your info. It is appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Not that I believe in conspiracy theories, but I am not naieve enough to
think that journalists are totally impartial.

You would just think that they would list the contents of what is in the box
on the box. I really dont have a problem because I know that you get what you
pay for and I didnt pay much, so , here we are. I just believe that they
should produce the recovery CD's or DVD and include it with the package. If
they need to charge 10 bucks more to cover their cost, I doubt anyone would
have an issue with that. Or, at the very least, include a flyer and order
form. They do have the recovery info on a second partition and a routine to
copy it to CD or DVD (this unit has a DVD/CD-RW combo drive and does not burn
DVD's) so the alternative is to spend an hour and burn 10 cd's for system
recovery. I pass.

Wal Mart also sells E-Machines. I wonder if a recovery disk or the Windows
CD comes with those ....

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Compaq, well HP, apparently will sell their recovery system on
DVD
for a few bucks.

That's better than nothing, and I'm glad you're able to get at
least that. But personally, I wouldn't find that satisfactory. I
want a complete installation CD of any operating system I'm
running.

I am waiting to hear back as to what a few bucks
actually is. I have always built my own PC's, this time around
for
the 500 bucks (which included a 17 inch flat screen monitor) I
spent,
I couldnt build something comparable. I knew the operating
system
would be installed, but I guess I expected either a copy of the
operating system or at least the recovery disks to be included.

Unfortunately among major brand names, installation CDs are very
rare. Even recovery CDs are getting rarer.

Dell is one of the few major OEMs which provide an installation
CD, and that's one of the reasons I prefer Dell to most of the
others.

You
find out what you have once you open the box. Live and learn.

Well, that's one way to find out. But it is possible to check
first.

 

[T. Waters]

Not sure a replacement hard drive is the way to go if it affects your
warranty (check this out).
You could get the cheap, monster HD and attach it to the same cable as the
original hard drive, if there is room in the case and a place on the cable.
The bigger drive would be the "slave" drive.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

OEM users can not get Windows XP CDs from Microsoft at a "nominal charge".
That option is only available for retail owners.

 

[T. Waters]

There is a tremendous consensus that the consumer should be more than happy
to pay for the disk, as you suggest. Not sure about eMachines having a disk,
but offering a disk is no longer the default (Dell still does, and the disk
is not customized to the Dell hardware...yet).

 

[T. Waters]

I should have said "that *one* can get," as it was hypothetical, and surely
a friend could order the disk for him (not that it would do him a bit of
good).