legal product key - illegal xp?

A

Alias

DanS said:
All legal/ethical issues aside, I'm not sure if I've ever seen a pirate
version of XP that includes any spyware or adware.
Click to expand...

You've seen a lot them? :)

Alias
 
A

Alias

Beck said:
What I meant to say was how about I buy an oem? would save money.
Click to expand...

All three of my computers have a generic OEM XP on them. I'll be damned
if I will pay more for the same thing.

Alias
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

If you purchase a generic OEM version of Windows XP,
then you'll need to use the Product Key that comes with
it. The Acer Product Key is not valid when used with a
OEM version of Windows XP.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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

:

| Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
| > The OEM Product Key affixed to your Acer PC is only valid
| > with Acer's recommended restore method. It would not
| > be valid if you used any alternative Windows XP CD.
|
| How about oem? http://tinyurl.com/nsy8m
 
B

Beck

Carey said:
If you purchase a generic OEM version of Windows XP,
then you'll need to use the Product Key that comes with
it. The Acer Product Key is not valid when used with a
OEM version of Windows XP.
Click to expand...

Thats fine. I think an oem would be better than having that restore rubbish
that came with the system.
 
G

Guest

The hidden partition on most machines is where the backup OS and/or restore
points are stored. Not all partitions are bootable, some are there just as
extended partions and or another version of an OS (Linux, UNiX etc) or for
maint purposes (like back up).

Compaq used to have a very small partitioned D: drive which only had the
restore program loaded on it to prevent corruption of that file on theri
laptops.
 
B

Beck

Wally said:
The hidden partition on most machines is where the backup OS and/or
restore points are stored. Not all partitions are bootable, some are
there just as extended partions and or another version of an OS
(Linux, UNiX etc) or for maint purposes (like back up).

Compaq used to have a very small partitioned D: drive which only had
the restore program loaded on it to prevent corruption of that file
on theri laptops.
Click to expand...

According to the manual (and Acer support) I should be able to hold alt+F10
on boot at the acer logo to boot into the hidden partition to perform a
restore if the discs are not available. However, this is not working so I
am not sure what is going on.
 
A

Alias

Beck said:
According to the manual (and Acer support) I should be able to hold alt+F10
on boot at the acer logo to boot into the hidden partition to perform a
restore if the discs are not available. However, this is not working so I
am not sure what is going on.
Click to expand...

What's going on is that you've learned that hidden BS OS partitions suck.

Alias
 
B

Beck

Alias said:
What's going on is that you've learned that hidden BS OS partitions
suck.
Click to expand...

Yep definitely. I just wasted a DVD disc trying to backup another copy of
the partition. I thought perhaps I had messed up the previous burn, but
ended up with an error at the end of the burn about missing boot.ini or
something. Seems very familiar error message to what I had when I tried to
run the other disc - missing setbootini

I don't understand what companies get out of doing it this way. All it does
is cause grief for themselves and the customers.
 
S

Spikey

I would wait for the replacement disk before spending out. Its possible
the disc you have is faulty.

If the replacement does the same thing I'd be inclined to go back to the
supplier and try and negotiate a discount to cover the cost of the new OS if
you want to keep the laptop. After all you paid for it with OS installed.
If its not functioning you want the money back. ( Pick a busy day with a
load of customers in and speak calmly in a loud voice - my husband hides
outside the shop during this process!!).

I must admit I dont like the embedded versions much though. You do have
more options with even an OEM. I'd probably go with the XP pro if you go
down that route.
 
A

Alias

Spikey said:
If the replacement does the same thing I'd be inclined to go back to the
supplier and try and negotiate a discount to cover the cost of the new OS if
you want to keep the laptop. After all you paid for it with OS installed.
If its not functioning you want the money back. ( Pick a busy day with a
load of customers in and speak calmly in a loud voice - my husband hides
outside the shop during this process!!).
Click to expand...

ROTFLMAO!

Alias
 
B

Bob I

It's all about money. For building the boxes, they just dupe the
harddrive and plug it in and push it out the door, no messing about with
separate cds and what not. For tech support, when the customer calls
with a hosed operating system, they tell them to press F12 or whatever
and poof, back to factory install. The problem is the folks who want to
maintain their systems, and in that case it's buyer beware.
 
G

Ghostrider

Bob said:
It's all about money. For building the boxes, they just dupe the
harddrive and plug it in and push it out the door, no messing about with
separate cds and what not. For tech support, when the customer calls
with a hosed operating system, they tell them to press F12 or whatever
and poof, back to factory install. The problem is the folks who want to
maintain their systems, and in that case it's buyer beware.
Click to expand...

Most of the name, the users who buy from the brand names
do not usually mess around with their systems. All they are
interested in is having a working computer. The same might
apply even to busy experienced users who no longer have the
time to tinker around. Unless the work environment really
needs it, tech support has also been minimized to restoring
HD's to their factory conditions if not replacing the entire
box, stranding users who do not make backups.
 
K

kurttrail

Will said:
FAST is wrong - and you know they are
Click to expand...

You keep telling me I know things. How do you know I know these things
when you won't tell me what law makes it illegal and FAST wrong?

--
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'."
 
K

kurttrail

Will said:
Kurt, you're using the word 'law' in the wrong sense.
Click to expand...

In then sense of you claiming I know it is illegal.

Illegal - Prohibited by law.

--
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'."
 
K

kurttrail

RobertVA said:
The installation software on a generic OEM disk would probably not
recognize the product key from a COE that came with a BIOS locked OS.
Click to expand...

Just activated one today. So much for your probably.

Of course it wasn't without hassle. The first time I called, I was
hungup on without anyone ever answering. That's the kind crap that
happens with outsourcing.

--
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'."
 

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