Anyone know if MS will help with this???

[Dee]

Hi all...
I purchased a new XP system approx. 18 months ago which of course was
under warranty. In April, I began to occasionally hear a clicking sound
from the hard drive and called the warrantor.
From about June through this past September, the techie who came to the
house under the warranty not only replaced the hard drive three separate
times, but had the system so messed up with so many left-over parts and
cables that I knew this thing would never be the same again. (He
obviously did not know what he was doing and even stated he had never
seen a setup like mine before...high end system with all the toys).
After the third drive, he began guessing the problems may have been Mobo
related and once again, three Mobos later and nothing. The system was
no longer usable from the first time he was here.
I decided to use the "Lemon Law" option and nicely enough, the warrantor
not only sent me a brand new system at today's standards (all upgraded
from even 18 months ago including larger hard drive, faster processor,
dvd writer in addition to cd-rw writer and an extra cd rom drive, 512mbs
Ram, USB 2.0, 4 USB ports, etc...etc...(Hewlitt Packard).
They also sent new peripherals with it and told me I could just keep the
18 month old system for parts if I ever needed them which the drives
such as cd-rw, empty hard drive, dvd drive, modems, ethernet, TV Tuner
card, graphics, etc...are very much usable.
Problem:
I have a full version XP disk that I purchased at the same time I bought
the initial system 18 months prior. The new system they replaced under
the lemon law just has recovery cds and I was given 90 days warranty
under HP and then new system will revert back to warranty under original
company.
I want to be able to format this new system down and get rid of much of
the junk programs I will never use as well as use the full XP disk
rather than rely on only recovery disks.
If I called MS and explained...will I be able to have them register my
initial disk with the new system and in turn do as I want above with
formatting it and installing by full disk?

The latest system also did not come with any driver disks which I assume
these drivers are located on either the recovery disks or I can just get
each driver for the hardware myself before beginning the project. It
also did not come with the manuals as the first system did.

If there are answers or anyone knows, can a number be posted for me to
call MS and explain it all as well as info on whether I will run into a
problem should the new system be calling for the already pre-installed
OS even if I want to run setup from the full version XP disk?
Have been very busy and both systems are sitting here next to one
another...but I was told by a tech at the company who warrants the
system that this cannot be done. I am stuck using the recovery disks.
IMO, if I am no longer going to use the original system and have already
been registered with MS under the product key for the full version disk,
and just want to take the same disk and now register it for the new
system...I can't understand why it cannot be done???

Also, as my time is severely limited lately, if there are commands or
things I need to know about before I begin a format on the new system to
be able to install from the full version disk...can someone please list
what I may need to know or do?
It is all very much appreciated. (Systems have not been plugged in at
all except for this one - my upgraded, but older 98 system) as house is
being remodeled and other situations, but I am getting near setting this
all back up with the XP system and networking). I have only found time
to be online maybe once a week or longer and briefly at that as well as
just setting up a new notebook system for my daughter for college which
took up some time to load programs and configure her for completely
wireless campus.
I would prefer answers on this one from the experts here as I don't hold
much faith any longer since I was left with the mess from my warrantor's
tech.
And for anyone's info...I learned that with computers...particularly in
the US...5 separate calls for any problems on a system still under
warranty allows you to use the lemon law option. The problem does not
have to be 5 calls for the same thing...it can be 5 calls for 5 separate
problems.
Thanks and Take Care...
Dee

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Dee,

Question for you: Is the full version disk that you want to use a regular
retail disk? Or is it an OEM disk that came with the original system?

If it's a retail disk, and you are no longer using the old system, then you
can use it on the new one. Microsoft allows you to move it from one machine
to the other provided you remove it from the first system.

If it's an OEM disk, then it is likely tied permanently to the original
installation. This is a limitation of the OEM license (which is one reason
why it's cheaper). As a general rule, OEM versions cannot be moved to a new
machine.

One thing to consider though: HP machines often come with proprietary
hardware that requires drivers not found on a retail installation CD.
Usually, the needed drivers are found only on the System Recovery disks that
they supply. You may find that all this fancy new hardware will not run
correctly under a retail version. Check with HP for compatibility and/or for
downloading any needed drivers.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[David]

Hi Dee,
Sounds like what Office Depot would do.
With regard to the new Pavilion (?) HP has all the drivers available on the
web. They don't usually have the 'installed applications' that are on the
Recovery Disk. If there are updates to those programs, they will be avail
but they tend to be 'updates' and not whole replacements. So the drivers
for the TV card would be avail but the TVO app would not. You can however
buy them. As to the warrenty, you will be on your own.
As to the OLD unit, did they ever replace the power supply? Most of HP's
offerings have what most would call tiny or inadaquate units. You are not
expected to enhance the system, overloading the 120-200 watt ps so they have
little power to spare. Today, a lot of the parts are off-the-shelf items.
Good Luck
Dave

 

[Dee]

Hi Rick...
And thanks.
The disk is a retail version. So looks like I may be ok there, but didn't take
into account HP's proprietary hardware. First HP I've ever owned as all other
systems I have are each custom built to my specs with all brand name parts.
I'll see what the deal is when I get everything up and running.
There are no recovery disks that came with the HP system although a bunch of
literature with instructions to create the recovery disks myself.
(First time I have ever seen that).
Anyway...the info you provided is much appreciated.
Take Care...
Dee

 

[Dee]

Hi David...
No...they never replaced the power supply although I did suggest it at one
point. The big problem here was I had a young tech fresh out of school and I
knew after the first swap of the original HD...he did not know what he was
doing.
(First system not an HP by-the-way).
It really got to a point I knew the system would never be the same and was
really ridiculous when I saw leftover cables and parts after the first time he
opened the tower to swap the drive. I'm also now stuck with a brand new Mobo
for it...but it's the third one he swapped and the wrong one entirely. (Maybe
stuck is not the word here...it may come in handy someday for another tower and
compatible hardware).
(I actually pretty much flipped as the system was built to my specs all the way
around and considering the cost...and all I have into my systems here...I made
him more nervous than anything.
So really, I have a system with the wrong mobo never installed as I ended it
after that 6th call and visit. Just told him to leave and I'd call the warrantor
demanding a new system.
I believed it was never the HD in the first place and one would have had to see
this all to believe what was happening. (He telling me the drives were all set
up wrong etc...although I bought it brand new and it worked beautifully for 18
months. By the end of his first visit to my home, the floppy was no longer
working, system was not recognizing and holding the bios settings any longer, I
was looking at two extra cables on the floor next to it, he had my modem, nic
card, and tuner card out, and the list goes on. It was a case of someone not
knowing what they were doing. I knew it would never be the same and actually
wanted him to continue to make mistakes as I knew what rights I had under the
lemon law.

As I sit here on this system and look across at the new one, it's time I got it
all hooked up and have a long look around. It's great I can pick up all of my
drivers online...and as I said in my last post of this thread...there are
instructions for creating my own recovery disks for it as the warrantor never
sent anything like that...but they did send and replace everything else and more
which was impressive. (And not a lot of arguing to get a system replaced).
I'm curious if the tech got himself into some trouble over it all as it's
obvious that a high end system had to be replaced with another high end system
and this latest with even more than I expected.
(Had his boss been here just after only his first visit, he probably would have
fired him on the spot).
Besides all of the latest...the only real difference here is the TV Tuner is
external USB as opposed to the internal in the 18 month old system.
Thanks to you as well for your help and best wishes.
It's all very much appreciated.
Take Care;;;
Dee