XP disc with new computer

[Guest]

I just read that one can get a real XP cd if they bought a new computer with
the "restore" cd. What is the proceedure to do this. I find the restore cd
to be not very useful and I did pay for the XP product, right? Thanks for
any help given.

 

[Guest]

NO, you did NOT pay for the "xp product." You paid for a license to use xp
on that particular system.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Whatever you read, it was incorrect. You paid for the PC
manufacturer's restore method only. If you want a conventional
Windows XP CD, you'll have to purchase it.

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

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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

:

| I just read that one can get a real XP cd if they bought a new computer with
| the "restore" cd. What is the proceedure to do this. I find the restore cd
| to be not very useful and I did pay for the XP product, right? Thanks for
| any help given.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Bruce;
You read wrong.
What is the source of what you read?
You did not "pay for the XP product".
You paid less and saved $ with Windows OEM provided with the computer.
If you want a retail Windows XP CD, you will need to buy it.

 

[Guest]

I read it in PC Magazine, February 8, 2005, page 76, article Build an XP-SP2
Recovery Disc by David A. Karp.

Here is an exerpt:

The first ingredient, the Windows XP CD, may prove the most troublesome,
simply because many manufacturers omit it in lieu of some sort of customized
"express install" recovery disc. If Windows came pre-installed on your PC but
the manufacturer didn't provide a full Windows XP CD, contact Microsoft and
ask for one (you did pay for it, after all). In most cases, the company will
provide it for free, no questions asked.

This must be untrue, right? Do I need to pay the full price for a CD then?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The PC Magazine article is incorrect. Very poor journalism!
Microsoft will only replace a conventional "Retail Version" of
Windows XP if the original CD is damaged or lost.

You did not pay for a "Retail Version". You paid for the PC
manufacturer's OEM version which was customized by the
PC manufacturer to restore your system to its original factory
settings.

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

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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

:

| I read it in PC Magazine, February 8, 2005, page 76, article Build an XP-SP2
| Recovery Disc by David A. Karp.
|
| Here is an exerpt:
|
| The first ingredient, the Windows XP CD, may prove the most troublesome,
| simply because many manufacturers omit it in lieu of some sort of customized
| "express install" recovery disc. If Windows came pre-installed on your PC but
| the manufacturer didn't provide a full Windows XP CD, contact Microsoft and
| ask for one (you did pay for it, after all). In most cases, the company will
| provide it for free, no questions asked.
|
| This must be untrue, right? Do I need to pay the full price for a CD then?
| Thanks for your help.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Bruce;
The writer has no clue since he does not seem to understand the basic
difference between OEM and retail..

Microsoft will not provide a CD for free, certainly not with no questions.
Retail CDs can be replaced, perhaps that is what the author read and
misunderstood:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=326246

Magazines often have Email addresses for their authors or at least their
editorial staff.
Contact them for their source or clarification.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The article you quoted differs from the online article.
The online article states:

"If Windows came preinstalled on your PC but the manufacturer
didn't provide a full Windows XP CD, contact the company and
ask for one (you did pay for it, after all). In most cases, you'll get
one for free, no questions asked."

The article states to contact the PC company, not Microsoft.
So give your PC company a call and see what they have to say.

Ref: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1750661,00.asp

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

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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

| "Bruce" wrote:
|
|| I read it in PC Magazine, February 8, 2005, page 76, article Build an XP-SP2
|| Recovery Disc by David A. Karp.
||
|| Here is an exerpt:
||
|| The first ingredient, the Windows XP CD, may prove the most troublesome,
|| simply because many manufacturers omit it in lieu of some sort of customized
|| "express install" recovery disc. If Windows came pre-installed on your PC but
|| the manufacturer didn't provide a full Windows XP CD, contact Microsoft and
|| ask for one (you did pay for it, after all). In most cases, the company will
|| provide it for free, no questions asked.
||
|| This must be untrue, right? Do I need to pay the full price for a CD then?
|| Thanks for your help.

 

[Tom]

I have talked to the OEM for my laptops last year and this year. Last year
I suggested they change their rcovery disk to allow just the XP system to be
installed. This year I bought another laptop from them and they don't give
a shit. same format as last restore disk no repair or install XP only
option. Ya get a fresh image loaded with abunch of useless shit to sort out
if u use it. So much for customer focus. Guess its the price ya pay for a
decent price on the system it sucks but what can u do?

The OEM was Toshiba

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I just read that one can get a real XP cd if they bought a new computer with
the "restore" cd.What is the proceedure to do this.

Presumably, the very document that told you that this could be done
would also tell you how to do so. We have no idea what you may have
read, so we can't help much. Have you contacted the computer's
manufacturer? After all, they are the *only* entity who could possibly
provide you with an OEM CD for their computer.

I find the restore cd
to be not very useful and I did pay for the XP product, right?

What you paid for was exactly what you got. Legally, the OEM has met
it's contractual obligation to Microsoft by providing a means of
returning the PC to its ex-factory state, whether it's a Recovery CD or
a Recovery Partition. They are not legally obliged to provide a true
installation CD as part of the sale. Reputable, customer-service aware
OEMs, like Dell, MPC, and Gateway, do provide a full OEM installation
CD, that does permit custom installations and repairs. Many uncaring
OEMs, especially those who sell their computers through department
stores and chain outlets, such as Compaq, HP, eMachines, and Sony,
however, in an effort to save pennies and reduce their support costs by
having to hire support people that can only say "Boot from the Recovery
CD to return your PC to its original condition," provide only a CD
bearing a disk image of the hard drive as it left the factory. These
Recovery/Restore CDs cannot perform normal installations, nor can they
be used to do any sort of customizations.

Essentially, it boils down to "You get what you pay for."





--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I read it in PC Magazine, February 8, 2005, page 76, article Build an XP-SP2
Recovery Disc by David A. Karp.

Here is an exerpt:

The first ingredient, the Windows XP CD, may prove the most troublesome,
simply because many manufacturers omit it in lieu of some sort of customized
"express install" recovery disc. If Windows came pre-installed on your PC but
the manufacturer didn't provide a full Windows XP CD, contact Microsoft and
ask for one (you did pay for it, after all). In most cases, the company will
provide it for free, no questions asked.

This must be untrue, right?

Definitely untrue.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[DevilsPGD]

What you paid for was exactly what you got. Legally, the OEM has met
it's contractual obligation to Microsoft by providing a means of
returning the PC to its ex-factory state, whether it's a Recovery CD or
a Recovery Partition. They are not legally obliged to provide a true
installation CD as part of the sale. Reputable, customer-service aware
OEMs, like Dell, MPC, and Gateway, do provide a full OEM installation
CD, that does permit custom installations and repairs. Many uncaring
OEMs, especially those who sell their computers through department
stores and chain outlets, such as Compaq, HP, eMachines, and Sony,
however, in an effort to save pennies and reduce their support costs by
having to hire support people that can only say "Boot from the Recovery
CD to return your PC to its original condition," provide only a CD
bearing a disk image of the hard drive as it left the factory. These
Recovery/Restore CDs cannot perform normal installations, nor can they
be used to do any sort of customizations.

Sadly, my brand spanking new Gateway laptop (high-end 17" desktop
replacement class, not a cheapo eMachine class laptop) did not come with
anything other then a few blanks and instructions to burn my own backup
of the system before doing anything important.

Not a big deal as I have a few spare XP licenses kicking around anyway
from an Action Pack, but it was still rather annoying.

 

[Guest]

The magazine is as I have presented it.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Bruce;
It sounds like the editors found their error and corrected the on-line
version, something impossible to do with the printed magazine after
deadline.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Sadly, my brand spanking new Gateway laptop (high-end 17" desktop
replacement class, not a cheapo eMachine class laptop) did not come with
anything other then a few blanks and instructions to burn my own backup
of the system before doing anything important.

Must be a new development, and not one for the better. I've never yet
seen a new Gateway that didn't come with a true installation CD.

But, wait.... Didn't Gateway buy eMachines? Perhaps they're picking
up some bad habits from them?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

AGGGGGHHHH!
Same happened to me, although the sale rep told me the system would come
with a separate XP Pro disc, but lo and behold, I get 5 CDs to make the
recovery disc.
My BTX 3.2Mhz HT from Gateway has been a myriad of lies.
My question is; although this is an OEM version of XP Pro, if I have any
problems and need to repair or reinstall, can I use my own copy of the OS
using the OEM s/n (can't you find it using Everest) ?
Also, I've found that the 2 bays open for adding another HD, the power
supply doesn't have more plugs to accept this.
Think I been had !!

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

The Product Key provided with the computer will probably not work with your
other Windows XP CD.
The Product Key Everest will display is probably worthless.
The important Product Key should be on a sticker affixed to your computer.
The sales rep may not have lied.
The sales staff at the major OEMs do not always have available the latest
information about changes like this.
The failure is most likely in the company not keeping the sales staff
informed, very common with the major OEMs.
Call and see if you can get actual CDs.
It may or may not be possible but if you try a few times, your chances are
better assuming it is possible.
But those CDs will likely be an image similar to what you can make with the
5 CDs provided.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Jupiter for you response )
I'll keep calling, maybe they're get tired of hearing from me.
But I am enjoying this computer...it's so quiet.
Dlyn