already activated at purchase

[Guest]

i purchased a new pc from an individual dealer with xp pro already installed.
knowing nothing about xp i didn't get product key, software, NOTHING. now the
guy tells me that for an outrageous price he will sale me what i need. is
there any way around this? and he has already activated it so will this info
do me any good? and can you give me 3 good reasons why i should activate
considering all the problems that everyone is having. you're not kiddin' me
microsoft is the pirate in this case. i'm trying firefox this week. it's
faster and more secure then ie. not near the spyware, and that in itself
should tell consumers something.
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Patrick Keenan]

i purchased a new pc from an individual dealer with xp pro already installed.
knowing nothing about xp i didn't get product key, software, NOTHING. now the
guy tells me that for an outrageous price he will sale me what i need. is
there any way around this? and he has already activated it so will this info
do me any good? and can you give me 3 good reasons why i should activate
considering all the problems that everyone is having. you're not kiddin' me
microsoft is the pirate in this case. i'm trying firefox this week. it's
faster and more secure then ie. not near the spyware, and that in itself
should tell consumers something.
(e-mail address removed)

If you purchased a computer with an XP license, you should at least have a
sticker on the computer case giving the install key. It's actually not
always necessary (though it certainly is bad form) for the seller to provide
install media.

As to activation, XP will run for, IIRC 30 days without activation and then
will not start. At that point you will have to activate or look elsewhere
for an OS. If you don't want to activate, and don't want "all the
problems", you're not obliged to use that product. Use something else.

If your reseller has provided a pirate copy, you have some legal recourse.
It's probably a Small Claims thing. Alternately, you can ask MS about the
validity of the license you may or may not have purchased.

HTH
-pk

 

[t.cruise]

If you have an old Windows 98 or Windows ME CD, buy the Windows XP upgrade CD (approx
$99). You don't have to install the old versions. They're just needed to swap as proof
of purchase of a previous version. It's a VERY bad move to purchase a system that doesn't
come with a Windows XP CD. Sometime in the future, you will need it for something.
Personally, if you purchased the system with a credit card, I'd get with the credit card
company, and inform them of this extortion, and ask for them to meditate returning the
system, and crediting your account. Then buy a Dell "as advertised special" on a week
where they're giving the most freebies. Dell supplies CDs for Windows XP, and all bundled
software. The week that I purchased my latest Dell system, the freebies that I got were a
flat panel monitor, double memory, free cd-rw, free shipping, $100 rebate, and a warranty.
I added a few extras, and the system total was about $800, for a truly loaded system.
(Stay away from Celeron Processors though, only go with Pentium) I don't know what you
paid, but I don't think that your system comes close to the above one. Dell changes the
"as advertised" specials at its web site weekly. Check them out, until you get the most
freebies for your $.

 

[Guest]

thanks patrick. he has already activated this copy of xp. any suggestions?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

What do you mean by "he has already activated this copy of xp."?
It is not unusual for the seller to activate Windows XP for the buyer.

Do you have a valid Product Key?

Look here:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/ww/default.mspx

If there is a pirate involved here it is most likely the seller and
not Microsoft.

 

[Rock]

i purchased a new pc from an individual dealer with xp pro already installed.
knowing nothing about xp i didn't get product key, software, NOTHING. now the
guy tells me that for an outrageous price he will sale me what i need. is
there any way around this? and he has already activated it so will this info
do me any good? and can you give me 3 good reasons why i should activate
considering all the problems that everyone is having. you're not kiddin' me
microsoft is the pirate in this case. i'm trying firefox this week. it's
faster and more secure then ie. not near the spyware, and that in itself
should tell consumers something.
(e-mail address removed)

In addition to the product key which should be on a sticker attached to
the case, the seller is required to give you some means of recovering
the system. That can be one of three things:

1. A set of recovery CDs

2. A windows installation CD

3. A hidden partition on the hard drive from which you can restore the
system to it's condition when you first got it.

 

[Alex Nichol]

i purchased a new pc from an individual dealer with xp pro already installed.
knowing nothing about xp i didn't get product key, software, NOTHING. now the
guy tells me that for an outrageous price he will sale me what i need. is
there any way around this? and he has already activated it so will this info
do me any good? and can you give me 3 good reasons why i should activate
considering all the problems that everyone is having.

He is required under his contract as a distributor to provide you with
A Certificate of Authenticity
The Product key (25 characters in groups of five)
- the two often being combined in a label on the back of the machine,
and
Means of restoring to ex-factory state, either a CD or by running files
stored separately on the hard disk

If he has not done so, threaten him with Microsoft Legal Department and
the local Better Business people; and consider report to
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.asp

Activation is a way of preventing people from buying a CD and installing
it on a dozen (or even two) machines. You have the option of course not
to use the product, but you must realise Microsoft has interests that
it needs to protect and has adopted this way of doing so. which is not
any trouble at all to most people

 

[Guest]

the only thing i got with this pc are the basics, mouse, kb, monitor. trying
to install sp1, couldn't, sp2 said that i had an invalid product key.
went back later and update scan told me all i was lacking was sp2. so, did
it install sp1 or not. don't get technical, just use this for fun. i thought
w xp was the greatest thing ever invented until i got into this mess.

 

[Rock]

the only thing i got with this pc are the basics, mouse, kb, monitor. trying
to install sp1, couldn't, sp2 said that i had an invalid product key.
went back later and update scan told me all i was lacking was sp2. so, did
it install sp1 or not. don't get technical, just use this for fun. i thought
w xp was the greatest thing ever invented until i got into this mess.

Right click My Computer, Properties. It will indicate if SP1 is installed.

 

[Alex Nichol]

the only thing i got with this pc are the basics, mouse, kb, monitor. trying
to install sp1, couldn't, sp2 said that i had an invalid product key.
went back later and update scan told me all i was lacking was sp2. so, did
it install sp1 or not. don't get technical, just use this for fun. i thought
w xp was the greatest thing ever invented until i got into this mess.

He has sold you a pup. This is one I think could well be drawn to
attention of police as being a fraudulent sale