Replacement of motherboard and reinstallation of windows XP

[Guest]

Ive got a five year old emachines which came with windows preinstalled. I
gave it to an IT business to fix (as it wouldnt even switch on). They have
replaced the motherboard power pack and processor but they tell me it wont
work because I have an illegal copy of windows. This isnt true yet why would
they say this? I have the original booklets that came with it but no discs (I
didnt think I had any). Ive now been told in addition to the £100plus I owe
them, they will also now charge me £50 for a new windows licence plus labour.
Cant they just reinstall what it came with. Im not an expert on computers
myself but dont understand this. Can anyone help

 

[DL]

Your OEM version of Win is tied to the original hardware, i.e. motherboard &
unless it was replaced with an emachines replacement mobo it wont
work/install.
£50 for an new win cd is remarkably cheap!

Further a retail version of Win can be installed as often as you like on any
PC, with supported hardware, an OEM version of Win is tied to the PC it was
first installed on, and dies with that PC.

 

[Guest]

Thanks DL, so do you think it is reasonable that he should have known when he
replaced the motherboard etc that it wouldnt reinstall - he says not but from
what you have explained he should have. Also would this explain why it would
have appeared as an 'illegal copy'?

 

[Og]

1.) A BIOS-locked Operating System will _only_ install on Motherboards
with the same BIOS to which it is tied. It will NOT install on a non-OEM
replacement board.
2.) eMachines, as do most/all major PC builders such as Compaq/HP, Dell,
Sony, ship their PCs with Operating Systems that are BIOS-locked.
In the PC repair community, those two facts are as well-known as is the fact
that water is different from air.

As soon as the "IT business" determined that the Motherboard would have to
be replaced with a non-OEM board, they should have warned you that you would
have to purchase a new Operating System -- they should have warned you
BEFORE proceeding. If they did not do so, they were negligent. If they did
not know that the OS is Bios-locked, they are incompetent.

Their statement that you "have an illegal copy of windows" is apparently a
disingenuous attempt to escape blame for their own incompetence and
negligence.
Sadly, you are a victim of this shop's incompetence and negligence.
End your relationship with these morons while you still have money.
Take you PC to a _competent_ shop, buy Windows XP from them, and have them
install it.

In the U.S. we have what is called a "Small-Claims Court" for issues such as
these. Does your country have a similar institution?

Steve

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Thanks DL, so do you think it is reasonable that he should have known when he
replaced the motherboard etc that it wouldnt reinstall - he says not but from
what you have explained he should have. Also would this explain why it would
have appeared as an 'illegal copy'?

Yes, any competent technician should have known that the eMachines OEM
recovery method would not have worked with a new motherboard. That's on
the "elementary" knowlesdge level.

--

Bruce Chambers

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[DL]

As others have said, they should have known.
Having said that £50 for an xp installation is remarkably cheap, before you
get too adjitated with them, you might want to determin *exactly* what wincd
they are proposing to sell you. (winxp retails at an obscene price at PC
World)

 

[Guest]

Yes we do og its called the same thing, though interestingly he is now taking
me to court because I have refused to pay the invoice for the replacement of
the the motherboard!

 

[DL]

Then a counter claim for the cost of a new win disk might be appropriate