OEM cd

[Guest]

I bought a computer that came with the liscence to use XP pro. I did not recieve a cd for XP Pro. Is this normal? My computer has crashed and now I need to re-install everything and I have a liscence but no cd for XP pro. Any thoughts?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Contact the manufacturer or check your manual.
Some manufacturers use a hidden partition to restore the computer
while most furnish CDs.
So yes it is normal for some computers.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

I bought a computer that came with the liscence to use XP pro. I

did not recieve a cd for XP Pro. Is this normal? My computer has
crashed and now I need to re-install everything and I have a liscence
but no cd for XP pro. Any thoughts?

 

[Guest]

Normal for most computers to come with a CD? So it is not wrong or "illeagle" for the place where i bought the computer to not give me a cd.

I get an error message that says windows could not start because the config32\sytem file is missing or corupt. what could cause this? i have Norton antivirus 2004.

 

[Kelly]

For the latter:

To fix the "windows\system32\config\system file is mising or corrupt" where
Xp wont boot:

Go to Recovery Console and type:

cd system32\config
ren system system.old
ren system.alt systemalt.old
copy c:\windows\repair\system
copy c:\windows\repair\regback\system
exit

Recover from a Corrupted Registry Preventing Win XP from Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307545

Normal for most computers to come with a CD? So it is not wrong or

"illeagle" for the place where i bought the computer to not give me a cd.

I get an error message that says windows could not start because the

config32\sytem file is missing or corupt. what could cause this? i have
Norton antivirus 2004.

 

[CWatters]

Normal for most computers to come with a CD? So it is not wrong or

"illeagle" for the place where i bought the computer to not give me a cd.

They don't have to give you the original Windows XP OEM CD (or a CD of any
kind) unless that's what you ordered or what they advertised.

If you want your PC supplied with these CDs it will usually cost more but
that's not unreasonable. What is unreasonable in my vies is the outrageous
price some vendors charge for their "Recovery CD" - and this sometimes only
allows you to restore the machine back to it's factory condition (eg it may
not keep you data or any programs you have installed).

I make a point of always specifying what I expect to recieve in writing when
I order a PC. If they won't supply the original Microsoft CDs used to
install the OS and any applications I want I go elsewhere.

 

[purplehaz]

"illeagle" for the place where i bought the computer to not give me a
cd.

They don't have to give you the original Windows XP OEM CD (or a CD
of any kind) unless that's what you ordered or what they advertised.

If you want your PC supplied with these CDs it will usually cost more
but that's not unreasonable. What is unreasonable in my vies is the
outrageous price some vendors charge for their "Recovery CD" - and
this sometimes only allows you to restore the machine back to it's
factory condition (eg it may not keep you data or any programs you
have installed).

I make a point of always specifying what I expect to recieve in
writing when I order a PC. If they won't supply the original
Microsoft CDs used to install the OS and any applications I want I go
elsewhere.

Even better yet is to not buy oem computers. Build your own or have one
built, get exactly what you want, install a retail version of xp. Why be
limited by oem junk.

 

[purplehaz]

Call the oem. They MUST provide you a way to return the computer to factory
condition. If they don't provide a way to restore to factory condition, they
call MS and report them, return the computer, get money back, and get a new
computer(or build your own and install retail xp)

 

[CWatters]

Even better yet is to not buy oem computers. Build your own or have one
built, get exactly what you want, install a retail version of xp. Why be
limited by oem junk.

I built the last two but it would have been cheaper to go to a small shop
and have them quote for _exactly_ the same package.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

PC manufacturers who sell PCs with an OEM version of any Windows
operating system are required by their licensing agreement with
Microsoft to provide a means for the consumer to restore the PC to the
condition it was in when it left the factory. The specific means by
which this "restoration" is to be accomplished is left _entirely_ to
the discretion of each OEM.

Some manufacturers, generally the same ones who use lower quality
components in their products, elect to provide no CDs at all, but
rather rely upon a hidden hard drive partition. HP and Compaq's
consumer products divisions (their business-class systems are a
different story) are well-known examples of this type manufacturer.
Other manufacturers provide a Restore or Recovery CD that contain a
proprietary image of the factory configured hard drive and that can be
used to return the PC to its ex-factory condition. A few respectable,
customer-service aware, consumer-class PC manufacturers, such as Dell
or Gateway, provide BIOS-locked, full installation CDs.

It all boils down to "You get what you pay for." If you're going
to shop at a volume discount chain like Best Buy or CompUSA (two of
the last places on Earth I'd shop for a computer), for example, you
should expect a lower quality product and little to no after sales
support.


Bruce Chambers

--
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