B
Bradley Walker
Hello all,
I did work for a client this past week who had an issue with her recently
purchased HP computer that came preinstalled with Windows XP media Center
Edition 2005. However intially there was a hardware failure causing the
hard drive to be replaced. When I went to reinstall XP MCE, she didn't have
her CD's. Actually she said when she purchased it from Circuit City, she
wasn't given any CD's except some burnt CD's from there in the store that
didn't work. I think it was a bad burn. Anyway, she even had HP send her
this restoration CD set which also didn't work. Just for a note, I tested
and checked ALL HARDWARE to ensure that all of the hardware was working just
fine. Which it is.
What I determined was that while all of the hardware was performing as it
should, HP has went out of their way to use the DRM technology with their
restore cd's, hdd's, and motherboards to prevent unauthorized copying of the
restore CD's. Not that I'm against that, but in this case, that solution is
NOT working. I advised the customer that some OEM makers include the
actualy Microsoft OEM XP cd's. She was curious as to why HP did not do this
and I told her that was an HP think.
Now she is wondering how to go about receiving a free or reduced copy of XP
MCE 2005 from Microsoft. She HAS the license and keycode for this copy of
Windows stuck on the side of her tower. She just needs the media to install
from.
What is the best way to advise her on possibly having MS send her a copy? I
have investigated prior, she does own the license and this is for legit
reasons.
Brad
I did work for a client this past week who had an issue with her recently
purchased HP computer that came preinstalled with Windows XP media Center
Edition 2005. However intially there was a hardware failure causing the
hard drive to be replaced. When I went to reinstall XP MCE, she didn't have
her CD's. Actually she said when she purchased it from Circuit City, she
wasn't given any CD's except some burnt CD's from there in the store that
didn't work. I think it was a bad burn. Anyway, she even had HP send her
this restoration CD set which also didn't work. Just for a note, I tested
and checked ALL HARDWARE to ensure that all of the hardware was working just
fine. Which it is.
What I determined was that while all of the hardware was performing as it
should, HP has went out of their way to use the DRM technology with their
restore cd's, hdd's, and motherboards to prevent unauthorized copying of the
restore CD's. Not that I'm against that, but in this case, that solution is
NOT working. I advised the customer that some OEM makers include the
actualy Microsoft OEM XP cd's. She was curious as to why HP did not do this
and I told her that was an HP think.
Now she is wondering how to go about receiving a free or reduced copy of XP
MCE 2005 from Microsoft. She HAS the license and keycode for this copy of
Windows stuck on the side of her tower. She just needs the media to install
from.
What is the best way to advise her on possibly having MS send her a copy? I
have investigated prior, she does own the license and this is for legit
reasons.
Brad