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wow certainly another surprise! My account has been converted to retail and still lists keys and downloads as available.

Quite happy to continue evaluating their software in my vmware!
 
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HEADRAT
 
It's not odd, it's a year after you signed up (American date format). Most people are finding that you are more likely to have your account reinstated if you a) Live in Europe and/or b) used real address info and contact details.
A) Peopel speculate that this is due to EU law protecting the "purchases" made by people for £0.
B) This seems hit and miss and again speculative at best.

It maybe that they still suspend the accounts, or are looking into if they have to "abide" by EU law etc, but a lot of people in the US are finding that their accounts are gone with no access now. They are not protected by similar laws like when an accidental pricing error purchase goes ahead it seems.


EDIT: Additionally people are suggesting that if the accounts do remain, then the people who requested mutiple keys might be put under investigation. It's all just expectations and pure guesswork though. It's another waiting game really and nobody knows if the keys requested are blacklisted, but if the account is reinstated with that above date and goes "Retail" then you should find you can generate new keys anyway and download. If it stays till next June 2010 as stated, then surely Windows 7 Retail is going to appear on technet at some point so I can't see how people would not get it for free > for evalutaion purposes of course.
 
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Mine's back up with the same expiry date as others.

Quite pleased, as its handy for Win 7 RC downloads, was considering installing Vista with SP 2 on a spare machine for actual evaluation.
But it's not showing any downloads available for Windows XP - want the iso for that :(
 
jaybee said:
It's not odd, it's a year after you signed up (American date format). Most people are finding that you are more likely to have your account reinstated if you a) Live in Europe and/or b) used real address info and contact details.
A) Peopel speculate that this is due to EU law protecting the "purchases" made by people for £0.
B) This seems hit and miss and again speculative at best.

It maybe that they still suspend the accounts, or are looking into if they have to "abide" by EU law etc, but a lot of people in the US are finding that their accounts are gone with no access now. They are not protected by similar laws like when an accidental pricing error purchase goes ahead it seems.
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I used a real address, used real contact details, live in the UK. I have not had my reinstated. Microsoft probably have to trawl through millions of accounts.
 
optitech-uk said:
I used a real address, used real contact details, live in the UK. I have not had my reinstated. Microsoft probably have to trawl through millions of accounts.
Click to expand...

What time did you sign up? I think I was "one of the first batch" so to speak. Only in as much that I was online early on the morning this happened, and saw it probably around 08:00 GMT and got straight in there. Apparently by that time, it had been live for a good day or so anyway I think i read though?
 
philjohn said:
Indeed, and if it isn't a mistake, for heavens sake don't abuse the system and get 300 keys you'll never use (or worse still, leak). Use it for the intended purpose - evaluating Microsoft Solutions.
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I don't think you can? With my MSDN account I think I get either 3 or 5 before I have to contact Microsoft to explain why I need more.
 
jaybee said:
What time did you sign up? I think I was "one of the first batch" so to speak. Only in as much that I was online early on the morning this happened, and saw it probably around 08:00 GMT and got straight in there. Apparently by that time, it had been live for a good day or so anyway I think i read though?
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Order Date: 03.June.2009 12:49:46 I never abused any keys or downloads.
 
With regard to keys, a lot of people have found (myslef included) that during the high loads experienced during key requests when this happened, they kept getting errors, only to go in later on and see lots of keys that had become available, i.e. it suddenly lists say 8 keys. I only wanted one to test an ISO and it says I've requested loads. I'm not sure if this would be taken into consideration, but clearly the people that have requested 300 are a different kettle of fish I would assume.
 
I used valid details, but all greyed out now. I downloaded a nice image of Vista with SP2 integrated, as it's of use to me since I bought vista online from them. I also tried to get some product keys, as many people did, haven't tried to activate any of them though. It was more out of curiosity as to whether they'd actually issue them to me, most of the time it showed an error though. I guess they'll all be blacklisted.
 
My account is still there but cannot download or view keys at this time. I signed up with my own address ad already had the other MS accounts anyway. If MS did make a big mistake then under EU law they will have to honour this as the last thing they want is another EU fine!!!

It's a similar situation to if you went to a shop and they gave something valuable away for nothing would the shop then have the right to charge you or ask for it back and if they did what legal obligation would you have if they made it freely available in the first place & you accepted in good faith.

I'm no lawyer but none I would guess! I will still wait for MS confirmation before using any of the keys but it's looking good if you did not abuse the system and ask for 300 keys.
 
jaybee said:
With regard to keys, a lot of people have found (myslef included) that during the high loads experienced during key requests when this happened, they kept getting errors, only to go in later on and see lots of keys that had become available, i.e. it suddenly lists say 8 keys. I only wanted one to test an ISO and it says I've requested loads. I'm not sure if this would be taken into consideration, but clearly the people that have requested 300 are a different kettle of fish I would assume.
Click to expand...

Same as above ^^ I a just wondering if I would send them a support ticket telling them that when I tried it gave me an error and it wasn't until later I realised that they were showing in the "Product Keys" list that I got more then one and ask them if they could delete all except 1 key sine I not used any of them yet?

You think they would agree to do that, especially since it was a mistake from my side since it told me it was an error and thats why I tried again..

Edit: My account is reinstated as others until 06/02/2010 and I can download and request keys also.
 
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