legal product key - illegal xp?

[Beck]

Situation here is that I bought a new laptop last week. This comes with a
certificate of authenticity with a product key from Acer. The version of
windows comes with a restore disc on a hidden partition. When I first
switched on the laptop I was prompted to create a restore DVD.
I then went to use the restore disc to sort out partitions and it turns out
the disc had missing files. This rendered my laptop useless as it had
overwritten my install but failed to install so I had no OS. It is supposed
to be possible to hold down alt+f10 at boot to get to the hidden partition
to reinstall but that did not work.

As an emergency I downloaded XP pro on another pc and managed to reinstall
onto the laptop.
I have spoken to Acer and they are going to arrange for another restore disc
to be sent out but I am not sure I trust their restore disc setup anymore.

I am wondering if I download a copy of XP home can I use it legally with my
legal product key? I don't want to be running illegal software on my laptop
but for some reason I am under the impression that when you get XP you pay
for the license key, not the software. Is this correct?

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Ask Acer if they installed XP with a Volume License PK of their own. If so,
you can change the PK that they used if you purchase a full retail XP CD.

--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Beck]

Hi

Ask Acer if they installed XP with a Volume License PK of their own. If
so, you can change the PK that they used if you purchase a full
retail XP CD.

So I cannot download it and use my own key?
I don't mind buying it, just trying to save some money as its pricey but I
don't want to do it illegally. If I purchased a full retail version theres
no point in using my original key really as it will have one of its own.

 

[Alias]

So I cannot download it and use my own key?

Downloading XP is illegal, regardless of what you do with it later.

I don't mind buying it, just trying to save some money as its pricey but I
don't want to do it illegally. If I purchased a full retail version theres
no point in using my original key really as it will have one of its own.

If you want to save money, buy a generic OEM version.

Alias

 

[kurttrail]

So I cannot download it and use my own key?
I don't mind buying it, just trying to save some money as its pricey
but I don't want to do it illegally. If I purchased a full retail
version theres no point in using my original key really as it will
have one of its own.

Since, to my knowledge, MS has never sued and won a case where one had a
legal license, but used pirated software to repair, so unless someone
can quote you specific case law, then no one can truly tell you whether
it is legal or not.

It is a legal grey area, that is probably gonna stay a legally grey area
for a very, very long time, if not forever.

So I recommend that you do what you believe is the right thing to do.
If your intensions are pure, then whatever you do won't be illegal
according to your own beliefs.

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

 

[Beck]

Downloading XP is illegal, regardless of what you do with it later.

Even if you legally own a product key?

 

[Mac]

Send the thing back to Acer and get your mony back.. or a replacement

 

[Alias]

Even if you legally own a product key?

Yes, especially in the UK where I assume you reside.

Alias

 

[Will Denny]

Since, to my knowledge, MS has never sued and won a case where one had a
legal license, but used pirated software to repair, so unless someone can
quote you specific case law, then no one can truly tell you whether it is
legal or not.

It is a legal grey area, that is probably gonna stay a legally grey area
for a very, very long time, if not forever.

So I recommend that you do what you believe is the right thing to do. If
your intensions are pure, then whatever you do won't be illegal according
to your own beliefs.

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

Hi Kurt

I agree with you, it is legally grey area. However you know, as well as I
do, that it is illegal to try and use a PK with a 'downloaded' version of
XP.


--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Beck]

Since, to my knowledge, MS has never sued and won a case where one
had a legal license, but used pirated software to repair, so unless
someone can quote you specific case law, then no one can truly tell
you whether it is legal or not.

It is a legal grey area, that is probably gonna stay a legally grey
area for a very, very long time, if not forever.

So I recommend that you do what you believe is the right thing to do.
If your intensions are pure, then whatever you do won't be illegal
according to your own beliefs.

Thanks for the help. I tried searching on Google for some assistance on
this matter but there's not alot of help in that area.
I have the line of thinking that you pay for the license/product key when
you get XP so it should not matter where it is sourced providing you use the
key you are licensed for. But then it may be a different case for restore
sets.

 

[Beck]

Send the thing back to Acer and get your mony back.. or a replacement

And risk getting another broken restore set? The laptop is great, its well
built and apart from the bad software I like it. No point in sending it back
if I might end up with the same problem.
I hate restore cds, many companies use them now and I am sure they are
causing themselves and the customer more problems in the long run.

 

[Beck]

Yes, especially in the UK where I assume you reside.

Thanks, Yes I am in the UK. So whats all this business I hear often about
owning the license to the software and not actually the software itself?

 

[Leythos]

Since, to my knowledge, MS has never sued and won a case where one had a
legal license, but used pirated software to repair, so unless someone
can quote you specific case law, then no one can truly tell you whether
it is legal or not.

It is a legal grey area, that is probably gonna stay a legally grey area
for a very, very long time, if not forever.

So I recommend that you do what you believe is the right thing to do.
If your intensions are pure, then whatever you do won't be illegal
according to your own beliefs.

Wow Kurt - this is like the new, improved, more logical, better living
approach to it. I actually like the way you put it and even agree with
the above statement - I suppose the world will end now

 

[Richard Urban]

There is no way you can legally download Windows XP unless you have one of
the "paid" subscriptions to one of Microsoft's programs, such as MSDN. Get a
MSDN subscription, quite expensive. Then you can download Windows XP (which
cost, at most about $300.00). What you do with the other hundreds of dollars
of your MSDN subscription is up to you.


--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Beck]

Yes, especially in the UK where I assume you reside.

I just phoned FAST (Federation Against Software Theft) and they say that I
can download XP home and use it providing I have a legal license. MS only
care that you have permission to use the software according to the EULA and
it matters not how it was sourced.

 

[Beck]

There is no way you can legally download Windows XP unless you have
one of the "paid" subscriptions to one of Microsoft's programs, such
as MSDN. Get a MSDN subscription, quite expensive. Then you can
download Windows XP (which cost, at most about $300.00). What you do
with the other hundreds of dollars of your MSDN subscription is up to
you.

I just phoned FAST (Federation Against Software Theft) and they say that I
can download XP home and use it providing I have a legal license. MS only
care that you have permission to use the software according to the EULA and
it matters not how it was sourced.

 

[Richard Urban]

Situation here is that I bought a new laptop last week. This comes with a
certificate of authenticity with a product key from Acer. The version of
windows comes with a restore disc on a hidden partition. When I first
switched on the laptop I was prompted to create a restore DVD.
I then went to use the restore disc to sort out partitions and it turns
out
the disc had missing files. This rendered my laptop useless as it had
overwritten my install but failed to install so I had no OS.

The restore partition had the files that Acer intended you to have. It was
not likely the exact same as a Windows XP retail CD. Acer did not intend for
it to be so. If it was, in fact, incomplete (by Acer's standard - not
your's) I am sure they will make good on a replacement.

But why were you mucking around in the restore partition to begin with. YOU
likely screwed it up. You said you were moving "stuff" around). Now you
blame ACER? Look in the mirror to see the cause of the problem.

Now, if you actually meant to state something else, or I did not "precisely"
understand what you are trying to communicate, forgive me in advance.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[kurttrail]

Hi Kurt

I agree with you, it is legally grey area. However you know, as well
as I do, that it is illegal to try and use a PK with a 'downloaded'
version of XP.

What law are you referring to that is being broken?

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

 

[Will Denny]

I just phoned FAST (Federation Against Software Theft) and they say that I
can download XP home and use it providing I have a legal license. MS only
care that you have permission to use the software according to the EULA
and it matters not how it was sourced.

Hi

You can't legally download any OS - including XP. FAST is wrong.


--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Beck]

The restore partition had the files that Acer intended you to have.
It was not likely the exact same as a Windows XP retail CD. Acer did
not intend for it to be so. If it was, in fact, incomplete (by Acer's
standard - not your's) I am sure they will make good on a replacement.

But why were you mucking around in the restore partition to begin
with. YOU likely screwed it up. You said you were moving "stuff"
around). Now you blame ACER? Look in the mirror to see the cause of
the problem.
Now, if you actually meant to state something else, or I did not
"precisely" understand what you are trying to communicate, forgive me
in advance.

I didn't touch the restore partition. It is still there, just not accessible
by the boot up shortcuts(alt+f10).
The laptop partitions that Acer had create were in FAT32, I wanted them in
NTFS. I didn't do anything wrong. All I did was to put in the restore DVD
and rebooted. Acer screen came up saying copying files. I assume it was
copying files from disc to a partition ready for setup. About 5 minutes
from the end of copying files I got an error - missing string setbootini.
So I removed the disc and rebooted and it would not boot. Was giving me an
error something like NT**** missing (where * indicates series of numbers).
I had no OS at all. Now all I did was to boot from the restore disc thats
all. Its Acers fault. Although I do appreciate that disc errors do happen.