: If you buy a used car and the jack is missing from the
: trunk, is it General Motors fault?
Piss poor analogy if I ever heard one.
Try this one on for size;
You lose you jack and because of this, the motor stops working
next time you go to change your tire.
regards
--DM---
:
:
: --
: The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
: But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
:
:
: message : |
: | "Mike Brannigan [MSFT]" <
[email protected]>
: wrote in message
: : message
: | : : | : > Hi Mike,
: | : > The Computer is a Compaq and most likely came from
: | : > Compaq with Win 98 as there is a Win 98 sticker on the
: front.
: | : >
: | : > I really suspect that the computer might have had a
: bootlegged copy of
: | : > XP put on it by someone, only I don't know that for
: sure. There's
: | : > absolutely no way of knowing what the original owner
: did before they
: | : > donated the Computer to the Goodwill ( charity store)
: | : >
: | : > I had before looked for an OEM sticker and found
: none, but it could
: | : > be a legitimate transferable version and for all I
: know, the owner might
: | : > have given the CD to Goodwill and they might have lost
: it.
: | : > IOW, it could well be a legitimate and transferable
: | : > copy of XP on there. I'd hate to see this guy lose it
: because I blew it
: | : and
: | : > took the wrong approach to getting his system back up
: and running.
: | : >
: | : > Too bad more people don't know about the importance
: of retaining the
: | : > paperwork. Only, this seems a bit odd to me. After
: all, that's one thing
: | : > computers are good for,,, storing data and eliminating
: a lot of paperwork.
: | : > Surely MS could utilize this ability and save the
: title information on the
: | : HD
: | : > so that it is always with the computer and not so
: easily lost.
: | : > (providing the HD don't die of course
: | : >
: | : > Wish list;
: | : >
: | : > 1. MS saves the keys in a non upgrade destroying
: history file
: | : > on the HD somewhere. ( hidden file perhaps)
: | : > 2. Or, MS modifies the repair or install code to
: warn that
: | : > the old key will be overwritten if user proceeds
: with repair
: | : > or install, and then offers an option to exit the
: repair or install
: | : > before this happens. Or, why not have repair
: just access the key
: | : > from the hidden history file.
: | : > 3. MS spends as much time thinking about all of the
: scenarios and
: | : > situations legitimate users migh encounter as
: they do thinking
: | : > about how to stop piracy.
: | :
: | :
: | : Dave,
: | :
: | : If the machine came with Win98 and has had the OS
: changed at some time in
: | : the past, but your friend has not paperwork, CDs ,
: Certificates of
: | : Authenticity or anything else to prove the correct
: ownership of a valid
: | : license the to all intents and purposes he bought a PC
: but did not buy a
: | : copy of Windows XP.
: | : (You should also consider all the other software on the
: PC - if any - may
: | : also not be legally transferred).
: | : In light of this your friend should go out and purchase
: a copy of Windows XP
: | : and install it.
: | :
: | : As regards your suggestions. They are actually not
: valid if the user is
: | : properly licensed as they will have the key and media.
: |
: | Not if they lost it, or someone stole it.
: |
: | : The requirements for legal transfer of license are
: covered in he End User
: | : License Agreement (that you see and Agree to during
: install) that is
: | : available at any tine as a link on winver.
: |
: | Another suggestion,, MS change the EULA
: |
: | :
: | : > 1. MS saves the keys in a non upgrade destroying
: history file
: | : > on the HD somewhere. ( hidden file perhaps)
: | :
: | : This would increase the ease of key copying and piracy.
: |
: |
: | The ease of key copying ?,,, how hard is it get a key
: from someone
: | that has one. Piracy? even with a key, you would still
: have to activate.
: |
: | In this guys case, had I been able to retrieve the key,
: then he could proceed
: | to re-activate,, at that point in time he could be refused
: activation if the key
: | isn't legit. I mean
: |
: | My gripe is that is that under the circumstances, the guy
: won't even get
: | chance to find out.
: |
: |
: | : > 2. Or, MS modifies the repair or install code to
: warn that
: | : > the old key will be overwritten if user proceeds
: with repair
: | : > or install, and then offers an option to exit the
: repair or install
: | : > before this happens. Or, why not have repair
: just access the key
: | : > from the hidden history file.
: | :
: | : Not necessary as you would be repairing with your
: properly licensed media
: | : and have a valid activation key to do the repair or
: install.
: |
: | Another gripe,, why should someone even need a key to do
: a repair?
: |
: | :
: | : > 3. MS spends as much time thinking about all of the
: scenarios and
: | : > situations legitimate users migh encounter as
: they do thinking
: | : > about how to stop piracy.
: | :
: | : We did. Legitimate users have the media and the key.
: |
: | Well, this guy bought a computer that someone may have
: well paid
: | for a legitimate transferable license for.
: | What in essence you're saying is,
: | if someone loses the paperwork, then to frikken bad.
: | MS has better things to do than be bothered with
: considering
: | how users might become the victims of unfortunate
: circumstances.
: | After all, doing this and
: | rewriting the EULA to accomidate these exceptions might
: take a
: | few man hours away from devising *redundant* methods to
: stop
: | piracy. Besides, the computers themselves
: | aren't as easily lost, so certainly we can't store the
: value there.
: | ( debateable with viruses and bad Chinese capacitors and
: such)
: |
: | I certainly don't run my company like that.
: |
: | I realize that it's all in the EULA, only I guess you're
: missing the
: | point of what I'm getting at which is: the EULA sucks.
: |
: | I mean, think about it,, someone could have well paid for
: it,
: | but just because of some technicalities,, a possibly "paid
: for"
: | item is going to be trashed.
: |
: | Yeah I know, if you don't like the EULA, you don't have
: to
: | click I accept. Well that's exactly what he's going to
: do,
: | not click. He's asked for the pooter back with some form
: of
: | Linux on it. He paid for the computer once, and he's not
: about to
: | pay for it again just because the OS got virused.
: |
: | yeah yeah yeah, right, he should have never bought it
: without
: | the disk and papers. Poor Schmuck, too bad nobody ever
: told him.
: | Maybe he should do the right think and report Goodwill to
: the
: | police so MS can prosecute them for software piracy.
: |
: | I guess I'm perhaps a bit pissy as I just paid full price
: for XP Pro,
: | and it can't even manage the taskbar items properly, and
: it
: | can't even properly pass the settings from Explorer to
: | Internet Explorer,,, *#%^#,,, apart from that XP's pretty
: cool
: |
: |
: | Thanks for the advice.
: | Even if it does piss me off
: | --Dave Moore---
: |
: |
: | :
: | : --
: | :
: | : Regards,
: | :
: | : Mike
: | : --
: | : Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
: | :
: | : This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
: confers no
: | : rights
: | :
: | : Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions,
: please use these
: | : newsgroups
: | :
: message
: | : : | : > Hi Mike,
: | : > The Computer is a Compaq and most likely came from
: | : > Compaq with Win 98 as there is a Win 98 sticker on the
: front.
: | : >
: | : > I really suspect that the computer might have had a
: bootlegged copy of
: | : > XP put on it by someone, only I don't know that for
: sure. There's
: | : > absolutely no way of knowing what the original owner
: did before they
: | : > donated the Computer to the Goodwill ( charity store)
: | : >
: | : > I had before looked for an OEM sticker and found
: none, but it could
: | : > be a legitimate transferable version and for all I
: know, the owner might
: | : > have given the CD to Goodwill and they might have lost
: it.
: | : > IOW, it could well be a legitimate and transferable
: | : > copy of XP on there. I'd hate to see this guy lose it
: because I blew it
: | : and
: | : > took the wrong approach to getting his system back up
: and running.
: | : >
: | : > Too bad more people don't know about the importance
: of retaining the
: | : > paperwork. Only, this seems a bit odd to me. After
: all, that's one thing
: | : > computers are good for,,, storing data and eliminating
: a lot of paperwork.
: | : > Surely MS could utilize this ability and save the
: title information on the
: | : HD
: | : > so that it is always with the computer and not so
: easily lost.
: | : > (providing the HD don't die of course
: | : >
: | : > Wish list;
: | : >
: | : > 1. MS saves the keys in a non upgrade destroying
: history file
: | : > on the HD somewhere. ( hidden file perhaps)
: | : > 2. Or, MS modifies the repair or install code to
: warn that
: | : > the old key will be overwritten if user proceeds
: with repair
: | : > or install, and then offers an option to exit the
: repair or install
: | : > before this happens. Or, why not have repair
: just access the key
: | : > from the hidden history file.
: | : > 3. MS spends as much time thinking about all of the
: scenarios and
: | : > situations legitimate users migh encounter as
: they do thinking
: | : > about how to stop piracy.
: | : >
: | : >
: | : > I have no problem with MS deploying anti-piracy
: strategies, after all
: | : > I'm part owner of a software development company and
: we do the same.
: | : >
: | : > Only, I think they need to take a good look at their
: system and take
: | : > precautions that the anti-piracy doesn't snare a few
: innocents along the
: | : way.
: | : >
: | : > I feel like this guy who's pooter I worked on might
: possibly have
: | : > been innocently snared, and I'm only taking 50% of
: the blame
: | : >
: | : > Thanks
: | : > -- Dave Moore---
: | : >
: | : >
: | : >
: | : > "Mike Brannigan [MSFT]"
: | : : | : > : Dave - there should be no need to find the original
: key.
: | : > : The license to use the copy of Windows XP on that PC
: is transferred to
: | : the
: | : > : new user by giving them the CD and all associated
: documentation
: | : (including
: | : > : the CD Key).
: | : > : If this machine came with a preinstalled copy of XP
: then it was an OEM
: | : > : install and the license just moves with the physical
: PC, but you are
: | : also
: | : > : still required to transfer/have the certificate of
: authenticity. ( and
: | : the
: | : > : OEM provide method of restoring the PC to as shipped
: from the factory.
: | : > :
: | : > : You friend will need to establish if he actually has
: a legitimate
: | : license to
: | : > : use Windows XP on that PC. If the copy of Windows
: XP was a retail copy
: | : then
: | : > : he must have the CD and key - if not then the
: license has not been
: | : > : transferred correctly.
: | : > : If it was an OEM then the key should be affixed to
: the case somewhere
: | : > : (internally or externally with the key on it) and a
: COA
: | : > :
: | : > : see
: | : > :
:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/ww/windows.mspx
: | : > : for details of how to tell you are licensed
: correctly.
: | : > :
: | : > :
: | : > : As regards your question about getting the previous
: key from your
: | : partial
: | : > : repair on the original disk - I am not aware of
: their being anyway to do
: | : > : this.
: | : > :
: | : > :
: | : > : --
: | : > :
: | : > : Regards,
: | : > :
: | : > : Mike
: | : > : --
: | : > : Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
: | : > :
: | : > : This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,
: and confers no
: | : > : rights
: | : > :
: | : > : Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions,
: please use these
: | : > : newsgroups
: | : > :
: in message
: | : > : : | : > : > Well, not exactly a previous installation,
: | : > : > here's what happened.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > An acquaintance had a computer he got from
: Goodwill
: | : > : > some time ago, and he calld me up because it
: wouldn't boot.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > You couldn't run any of the F8 options either.
: | : > : > So he begged me to make it work any way possible
: and
: | : > : > quick since he desperately needed some files.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > So, being he didn't have a CD for it, I used my
: XP Pro CD to
: | : > : > run a a repair on his now defunct XP Pro. I was
: thinking that
: | : > : > if the repair asked me for a key, I'd simply exit
: the routine.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > It was worth a shot in a pinch I thought.
: | : > : > Well, lo and behold, I was never presented with an
: option to
: | : > : > "quit" the repair, so when it got to the
: | : > : > point where repair asked me for the key, I shut
: her down and
: | : > : > decided to look for a keyfinder and try to
: retrieve the origional key.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > I never did find a keyfinder that would run out
: of DOS, but I did
: | : > : > find an article that mentioned where I might find
: the old key.
: | : > : > When I looked there, there was nothing there to
: find. I'm afraid that
: | : > : > repair might have already wiped out the old key.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > So,, my question is,, anyway I can find out what
: the original key
: | : > : > was for his system? To make matters worse he
: begged me to finish
: | : > : > the repair just so he could boot up and retrieve
: his files.
: | : > : > I warned him that it would only run for 30 days
: after that, but he
: | : > : > was willing to live with that.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > However, after the repair, all was well, until
: the next boot,, no
: | : boot.
: | : > : > Well, at least he got the data he wanted. After
: that I put the HD in
: | : > : > another pooter, and did a virus scan. Over 255
: files infected with
: | : > : > the Vallah virus and also a couple of Trojans
: thriving.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > After cleaning up the infections, it's running
: well, only with my key
: | : > : > and due to expire soon unless activated.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > So, again,, is there anyway to retrieve his old
: key from the HD ???
: | : > : > ( keeping fingers crossed it's legit)
: | : > : >
: | : > : > Or any way else I can possibly rescue his
: original installation?
: | : > : >
: | : > : > Of course Goodwill gave him the pooter as is, no
: CD or info
: | : > : > on paper about the key.
: | : > : >
: | : > : > Thanks
: | : > : > --Dave Moore--
: | : > : >
: | : > : >
: | : > :
: | : > :
: | : >
: | : >
: | :
: | :
: |
: |
:
:
