OEM Blunder requires re-install of XP Pro

[Guest]

I am a VAR and recently purchased a new major OEM brand computer on behalf of
a customer. After prepping the system, closer examination revealed that the
OEM had placed two logical FAT32 partitions on the hard disk.

In the interest of protecting my own reputation, I performed a reinstall
using my trusty slipstream XP Pro install formatting a single partition to
NTFS. Low and behold, the OEM product key wasn't accepted. To expedite the
work I used another unused license key with the intention of running the
product key replacement script following the install. The product key
replacement script also did not work.

My customer owns a valid license purchased with the system complete with
documentation. An incorrect product key is in place. This product key is
from a purchased copy and it is not being used on any other computer at this
time (although I would like to make use of it some time in the future). I
wouldn't dare use the OEM restore for fear it will perform a sector copy and
I'll end up with FAT32 all over again.

What are your suggestions (other than to publicly humiliate the OEM, which I
may have to resort to). Interruption of the customer business needs to be
avoided.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You need to use the original PC manufacturer's suggested method of restoring
Windows XP.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

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

:

| I am a VAR and recently purchased a new major OEM brand computer on behalf of
| a customer. After prepping the system, closer examination revealed that the
| OEM had placed two logical FAT32 partitions on the hard disk.
|
| In the interest of protecting my own reputation, I performed a reinstall
| using my trusty slipstream XP Pro install formatting a single partition to
| NTFS. Low and behold, the OEM product key wasn't accepted. To expedite the
| work I used another unused license key with the intention of running the
| product key replacement script following the install. The product key
| replacement script also did not work.
|
| My customer owns a valid license purchased with the system complete with
| documentation. An incorrect product key is in place. This product key is
| from a purchased copy and it is not being used on any other computer at this
| time (although I would like to make use of it some time in the future). I
| wouldn't dare use the OEM restore for fear it will perform a sector copy and
| I'll end up with FAT32 all over again.
|
| What are your suggestions (other than to publicly humiliate the OEM, which I
| may have to resort to). Interruption of the customer business needs to be
| avoided.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I am a VAR and recently purchased a new major OEM brand computer on behalf of
a customer. After prepping the system, closer examination revealed that the
OEM had placed two logical FAT32 partitions on the hard disk.

In the interest of protecting my own reputation, I performed a reinstall
using my trusty slipstream XP Pro install formatting a single partition to
NTFS. Low and behold, the OEM product key wasn't accepted. To expedite the
work I used another unused license key with the intention of running the
product key replacement script following the install. The product key
replacement script also did not work.

My customer owns a valid license purchased with the system complete with
documentation. An incorrect product key is in place. This product key is
from a purchased copy and it is not being used on any other computer at this
time (although I would like to make use of it some time in the future). I
wouldn't dare use the OEM restore for fear it will perform a sector copy and
I'll end up with FAT32 all over again.

What are your suggestions (other than to publicly humiliate the OEM, which I
may have to resort to). Interruption of the customer business needs to be
avoided.

I would not necessarily call a split disk a blunder. I run all my systems
with split disks, and it makes life much, much easier when it comes
to creating backup images with Ghost or Acronis.

Your best course of action would have been to merge the two
partitions non-destructively, using a product such as Acronis.
This would have taken five minutes.

I suspect that the product key you use does not go with the
version of WinXP you're trying to install. Your best course of
action is to ask the OEM for a restoration CD (which he
should have supplied anyway). If he did not supply one then
this was his real blunder.

 

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

message


I would not necessarily call a split disk a blunder. I run all my systems
with split disks, and it makes life much, much easier when it comes
to creating backup images with Ghost or Acronis.

Your best course of action would have been to merge the two
partitions non-destructively, using a product such as Acronis.
This would have taken five minutes.

I suspect that the product key you use does not go with the
version of WinXP you're trying to install. Your best course of
action is to ask the OEM for a restoration CD (which he
should have supplied anyway). If he did not supply one then
this was his real blunder.

The OEM is NOT required to provide a restoration CD. They are only required
to provide a method of restoring the system to as shipped. That can include
a CD or a (hidden) partition on the system.


--

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

 

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

I am a VAR and recently purchased a new major OEM brand computer on behalf
of
a customer. After prepping the system, closer examination revealed that
the
OEM had placed two logical FAT32 partitions on the hard disk.

In the interest of protecting my own reputation, I performed a reinstall
using my trusty slipstream XP Pro install formatting a single partition to
NTFS. Low and behold, the OEM product key wasn't accepted. To expedite
the
work I used another unused license key with the intention of running the
product key replacement script following the install. The product key
replacement script also did not work.

My customer owns a valid license purchased with the system complete with
documentation. An incorrect product key is in place. This product key is
from a purchased copy and it is not being used on any other computer at
this
time (although I would like to make use of it some time in the future). I
wouldn't dare use the OEM restore for fear it will perform a sector copy
and
I'll end up with FAT32 all over again.

What are your suggestions (other than to publicly humiliate the OEM, which
I
may have to resort to). Interruption of the customer business needs to be
avoided.

There is nothing wrong with an OEM supplying a system with multiple
partitions in either NTFS or FAT32.
You can obviously just convert a partition to NTFS.
You have used a retail or none OEM CD to rebuild the machine. This is why
the OEM product activation key will not work.
You have also removed any support the OEM would have provided for the
machine by removing their preinstalled OS.

I would be less concerned about protecting your reputation and more about
delivering a supported system to you customer.
You should use the OEM provided method of restoring the system to as shipped
(yes this may wipe out the entire harddisk and restore it back to multiple
FAT32 partitions) - of course you may have actually removed the ability to
do this if the recovery system was to use a partition on the hard disk if
the OEM did not provide a recovery CD to do this operation. If you have
lost the recovery option then you may have to return the system at your
expense to the OEM for "repair" or you will be forced to purchase an OEM
Windows XP CD and install that for your customer and you will then be
responsible for all support fo the system as you will effectively be the
OEM.
(Or you can supply them with the retail product you used to rebuild the
system with - as long as it was Retail product and not an MSDN or VL copy -
they will then have no support from either you or the OEM for the system.)

--

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

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your prompt response. The manufacturer's included software
restores the machine to its "original factory state", which is unacceptable
(FAT32) for the application. I will attempt to contact the manufacturer,
unfortunately I'm short on time to satisfy my customer.

Solutions are appreciated!

 

[Guest]

Thanks Mike,

Guess I'm just irked because they used FAT32 and will watch for this in the
future.

 

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

Thanks for your prompt response. The manufacturer's included software
restores the machine to its "original factory state", which is
unacceptable
(FAT32) for the application. I will attempt to contact the manufacturer,
unfortunately I'm short on time to satisfy my customer.

Solutions are appreciated!

Do the restore using the OEM media.
Take the FAT32 and then use the Convert command line tool to safely convert
them to NTFS
Install and configure your app
Job Done.

--

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

 

[Simon Zerafa]

Hi,

Not all installed applications may work immediatly following the FAT32 to
NTFS conversion. I have experience of this.

Some of the permissions which are converted from FAT32 to NTFS may not allow
applications to run correctly.

One thing to watch out for is Read-Only folders on FAT32 which can get
converted strangely on occations.

Once converted, test everthing!

Kind Regards

Simon

 

[Ron Martell]

Do the restore using the OEM media.
Take the FAT32 and then use the Convert command line tool to safely convert
them to NTFS
Install and configure your app
Job Done.

Converting FAT32 partitions to NTFS in this way will normally result
in an inefficient 512 byte cluster size on the NTFS drive because of a
partition boundary alignment issue.

The partition boundary needs to be aligned for NTFS prior to
conversion with a utility such as Partition Magic (Symantec) or
BootItNg (http://www.bootitng.com)

See the article on converting NTFS to FAT32 by the late Alex Nichol
MVP at http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.htm


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm