Vendor Sent only Recovery CD

[DaveR]

I just bought a new system with Windows XP Pro. There was no Microsoft
CD, only a Recovery CD.

Is this legal? Should they have sent me the Microsoft CD?

There is a certificate of authentication on the computer. If I should
ever need to reinstall Windows XP in the future, can I use ANY Windows
XP Pro CD (i.e. borrow a friend's) since I do have a valid product
key? Or should I pressure the vendor to send me a Microsoft CD?

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Yes it is legal - so long as you can restore your PC to the same state it
was in when you purchased it. Your vendor does not have to send you a
Microsoft XP CD.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User


| I just bought a new system with Windows XP Pro. There was no Microsoft
| CD, only a Recovery CD.
|
| Is this legal? Should they have sent me the Microsoft CD?
|
| There is a certificate of authentication on the computer. If I should
| ever need to reinstall Windows XP in the future, can I use ANY Windows
| XP Pro CD (i.e. borrow a friend's) since I do have a valid product
| key? Or should I pressure the vendor to send me a Microsoft CD?
|
|

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

That is normal procedure for some companies and fully acceptable as
per their agreement with Microsoft.
All they are required to do is give you a way to restore the computer.
Some manufacturers give even less...a hidden restore partition on the
hard drive.

You can pressure all you want, but since there is no requirement, they
will probably refuse.
Your only recourse may be to return the computer and have one built
locally.

Your Product Key will most likely NOT work with any other CD other
than yours.

 

[Guest]

Even more to the point

By their very nature the recovery disks assist both the vendor and Microsoft. The vendor has a licence to include the XP operating system [OEM Version] with the PC that you have bought. There are many tighter controls on the use of this OEM version than for Retail versions

A manufacturer can include configuration checking components that ensure you do not use that set of recovery disks in any other but your PC or its twin

On another positive note, most of the systems that are set up in this way do not require activation, because of the control in built in the recovery process.