I am steaming Mad!!!

[Guest]

I bought a Dell computer last November 2006. Windows XP installed - ready
for Vista upgrade. I jumped thru all their hoops, payed for shipping, and
recieved Vista upgrade cd. One major reason I bought a computer then was the
"free"? upgrade. I had not tried to install it yet - Fear of a crash, XP
good, don't have the time with work, a newborn, etc... I tried to install
it this weekend because I had just backed up everything important after a
virus that halted my internet connection for a week. Spent two hours getting
computer back onkline & working - Dell tech tells me I should go ahead &
upgrade to Vista. I ran the Upgrade assistant then loaded Vista Upgrade
disk. Almost immediately it asks for the Product key. I enter the key, then
told its invalid. Call Dell & was told I had to Run Upgrade to Vista by
April - now he says the product key is useless, not able to register with
Microsoft, and I will probably have to buy Vista if I want it now!!!! Hung
up before I blew a gasket on the tech. Will never buy a Dell again. Can
microsoft help? Or should I just buy a Mac next?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You are not quite clear with your problem. Which version of
Windows Vista upgrade did you receive and did you receive
a Product Key for the that particular Vista version?

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

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

:

I bought a Dell computer last November 2006. Windows XP installed - ready
for Vista upgrade. I jumped thru all their hoops, payed for shipping, and
recieved Vista upgrade cd. One major reason I bought a computer then was the
"free"? upgrade. I had not tried to install it yet - Fear of a crash, XP
good, don't have the time with work, a newborn, etc... I tried to install
it this weekend because I had just backed up everything important after a
virus that halted my internet connection for a week. Spent two hours getting
computer back onkline & working - Dell tech tells me I should go ahead &
upgrade to Vista. I ran the Upgrade assistant then loaded Vista Upgrade
disk. Almost immediately it asks for the Product key. I enter the key, then
told its invalid. Call Dell & was told I had to Run Upgrade to Vista by
April - now he says the product key is useless, not able to register with
Microsoft, and I will probably have to buy Vista if I want it now!!!! Hung
up before I blew a gasket on the tech. Will never buy a Dell again. Can
microsoft help? Or should I just buy a Mac next?

 

[JW]

When I finally received my HP Express Upgrade in May I had absolutely no
problem upgrading to Vista with the key supplied with the upgrade DVD. I
did, however, make sure that I followed the instructions from HP that came
with upgrade to the letter.

 

[David Morgan \(MAMS\)]

"andy_mw1393" <[email protected]>


Reinstall XP on your computer and get back to business.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

"was told I had to Run Upgrade to Vista by April"
Either a misunderstanding or a misinformed tech.
Whatever the reason, you were given wrong information by the tech.
Call back and you will probably get the correct answer as I doubt many
will share that wrong information.

Did you use the correct Product Key?
Do not use the key affixed to the computer case as that is for Windows
XP.
Use the key affixed to the package for the upgrade DVD.

Also make sure you type it correctly.
O-0, B-8, S-5 and others look alike.
Have someone else try, sometimes another set of eyes and fingers can
get it right.

 

[Neil Harley]

I bought a Dell computer last November 2006. Windows XP installed - ready
for Vista upgrade. I jumped thru all their hoops, payed for shipping, and
recieved Vista upgrade cd. One major reason I bought a computer then was the
"free"? upgrade. I had not tried to install it yet - Fear of a crash, XP
good, don't have the time with work, a newborn, etc... I tried to install
it this weekend because I had just backed up everything important after a
virus that halted my internet connection for a week. Spent two hours getting
computer back onkline & working - Dell tech tells me I should go ahead &
upgrade to Vista. I ran the Upgrade assistant then loaded Vista Upgrade
disk. Almost immediately it asks for the Product key. I enter the key, then
told its invalid. Call Dell & was told I had to Run Upgrade to Vista by
April - now he says the product key is useless, not able to register with
Microsoft, and I will probably have to buy Vista if I want it now!!!! Hung
up before I blew a gasket on the tech. Will never buy a Dell again. Can
microsoft help? Or should I just buy a Mac next?

Phone Dell and get to speak to someone else.

 

[Roedy Green]

Hung

up before I blew a gasket on the tech. Will never buy a Dell again.

I would like to sue Microsoft and Acer for a similar fraud. See
http://mindprod.com/jgloss/vista.html#LAWSUIT
However, you are actually blessed. Vista is not ready for prime time.
Stick to XP for now.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

"...refused to provided the promised DVD"
who promised a DVD.
Your complaint is with that person/organization.

It is unlikely Acer made such a promise.
If they did, was Acer contacted within appropriate timeframe?

Microsoft gives several options to the OEMs a few not requiring any
media be provided.
Since the OEM makes the decision, Microsoft will not make such a
promise.

Some OEMs provide the media.
Others have an option to purchase media similar as you suggest.
While others have options to make the media which is recommended to do
immediately on a new machine.
Others may not have a media option but depend 100% on the hard drive
hidden partition.
Are you sure there is no way to make the media on that computer?
Whatever option the OEM has selected they did so on behalf of their
customers who should take that decision into account before
purchasing.

Perhaps, was it a store representative that was misunderstood or gave
wrong information?

As for the lawsuit, what has a lawyer said when contacted?