If you can do updates, Windows Update sees your install as
legal. Did the guy give you the product key (25
letter/number combination) with the copy of the CD?
Having updates repeat is a common problem, it has nothing to
do with your legality question.
MS says it is legal to make a backup copy of Windows, many
people make more than one and put them in different places,
the original CDs go in a bank safe deposit box, a working
copy stays with the computer and a backup may go to the
parents house. As long as you have a valid license (product
key) and you are not locked out of Windows Update (and
Windows Update doesn't shut your computer down) you probably
have a legal installation.
message | Thanks to all. My copy is definately not legal in it's
| present form. The deal is that the guy who sold me the
| computer gave me a cd copy of install disk, promising the
| original in the future (said he couldn't find it at the
| moment). Price on the computer was too good to pass up
| even though I smelled a rat.
| It has been updating itself via the web but sometimes does
| the same update over an over for a few days in a row.
| In any case, has anyone had experience with
|
http://www.9software.com ?
|
| It was mentioned earlier in the thread and offers this for
| $156.00 :
|
| Windows XP Professional Full Version Retail
|
| Retail Pak, not Box. Full Version, not Upgrade. Windows XP
| Pro integrates the strengths of Windows 2000 Pro, such as
| standards-based security, manageability, and reliability,
| with the best business features of Win 98 and Win ME Edit.
| Retail sleeve with key. ****PRODUCT CANNOT BE RETURNED DUE
| TO ACTIVATION PROCESS ****
|
| Does it sound legit?
| Thanks again to all.
|
|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >If Windows Update accepts the OS and will update it, it
| >would appear that it is legal. Did you get a Windows XP
| CD
| >with the laser logo hologram and the product key?
| >
| >If you look
|
| px
| >article on how to identify a legal copy.
| >
| >
| >message
| >| runf wrote:
| >|
| >| >I have come to believe that I probably have an illegal
| >| >copy of XP Pro. (It's a long story
| >|
| >| As a check: (A lot of copies have been put out by
| >unscrupulous parties -
| >| often selling to innocent people). Check in Control
| >Panel - System for
| >| the Product ID number under your name - if it fits
| >|
| >| XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX
| >| or
| >| XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX
| >|
| >| Where X represents any digit, you have one of these
| keys.
| >These are
| >| much the most likely kind of illegal copy for you to
| >have, and with
| >| those you will be shut out of SP1, and may be shut out
| of
| >Updates
| >| altogether. See Michael's post on how to deal with it.
| >|
| >| --
| >| Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
| >| Bournemouth, U.K. (e-mail address removed)8E8L.org (remove the D8
| >bit)
| >
| >
| >.
| >
