Chances of MS giving me a new product key?

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bcjames

bcjames

bcjames

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Hey all,

I last week replaced the motherboard and gfx card in my pc. When I originally bought the PC, it came with OEM XP Home. I install it all as normal, it gives me 30 days to activate. When I try to activate, it says my Windows copy has maxed out its activations.

Im a bit lost on what to do. Clicking the link takes me to the website and asks me to pay more than retail for a new key. I emailed MS a week or so ago, but have not recieved a reply yet.

As it currently stands, my PC is unusable, as I cannot even log on now without activating (so much for 30 days :rolleyes: ).

If I pursue it further, do you think MS will unlock my key or give me a new one? Or should I just buy Vista?
 
Ring up the number when you are asked to activate and just asy your motherboard when tkaput and you require a new key.

Ive done that loads of tmes. Used an OEM copy of XP on about 3 different motherboards :)
 
Woo, after typing in a very long number, and getting a very long number back, im all sorted. Whole process was suprisingly painless! Thanks Gonzo for your post by the way.

Im not quite sure I understand the last post :confused:
 
I'll bite :D
What it means is your copy of XP OEM is licensed to the PC (motherboard) it was supplied with. Although it has activated you have broken the EULA and are no longer legally allowed to use that copy of XP
 
You should feel very proud! You have just got some money out of Microsoft!!

Well, now you know what an OEM copy of software is!!!
 
I thought OEM was just a version to be shipped with a complete pc, once you had it it was the same as retail. Something new I now know!

And strangely, I dont feel too concerned for MS :p Its still the same PC, just a different motherboard and gfx :o
 
swinnie said:
You should feel very proud! You have just got some money out of Microsoft!!

Well, now you know what an OEM copy of software is!!!
Click to expand...
What are you on about?

I repair systems every day with faulty components, upgrades etc and have to activate them again on the Internet or phone with no problems. OEM doesn't mean you get 1 activation and have to pay again.
 
bcjames said:
Woo, after typing in a very long number, and getting a very long number back, im all sorted. Whole process was suprisingly painless! Thanks Gonzo for your post by the way.

Im not quite sure I understand the last post :confused:
Click to expand...

looks like you're in the clear, the police must be on holiday or down the pub,

If they were here you would soon know ;)


glad it worked
 
Duke said:
What are you on about?

I repair systems every day with faulty components, upgrades etc and have to activate them again on the Internet or phone with no problems. OEM doesn't mean you get 1 activation and have to pay again.
Click to expand...
I was talking about the technicalities of the EULA Agreement.
 
After reading so many posts in this over the last year and after all of Burnsey's hard work I have do say....

Nobody cares about the EULA. I'm not trying to be difficult, but really. It's not like anyone's going to come after you.
 
I phoned them up once when i didn't even have a CD key, and just had to give them the serial number of my laptop or something they didn't even ask for an address and they just gave me a CD key.
 
OP.
Bottom line - you've broken the EULA, the license agreement that you agreed to when you first started using the OS in question.
Despite the "big, clever and keyboard warrior" posts in this thread you've effectively stolen Windows.
Now obviously this doesn't bother you - that is your call.
However your current installation of Windows is no more legal than a copy downloaded from the Internet.
If you want to install and use software without reading the license agreement then again that is your choice - however not knowing something because you failed to read the license is no defence.

Don't get any dillusions that you are running legally.
 
Duke said:
What are you on about?

I repair systems every day with faulty components, upgrades etc and have to activate them again on the Internet or phone with no problems. OEM doesn't mean you get 1 activation and have to pay again.
Click to expand...

You are quite correct.
If a motherboard does indeed develop a fault then you don't need to buy again.
Perform any upgrade to your PC (with the exception of the motherboard) and again there is no need to pay again.
However replace the motherboard via an upgrade (as the OP did) and you do need to pay again as the old licence died with the old motherboard.

If you didn't know this then you really shouldn't be working in a condition that forces you to break license agreements on a daily basis.
 
Lysander said:
After reading so many posts in this over the last year and after all of Burnsey's hard work I have do say....

Nobody cares about the EULA. I'm not trying to be difficult, but really. It's not like anyone's going to come after you.
Click to expand...

No - you are wrong, people do care about the EULA.
I for one am 100% license legal at home and that is the way I will remain because I hate software piracy, I hate software theft and to be blunt I hate theft in general.
There are plenty of people out there will also wish to be license legal.
There are those that are simply ill-informed or don't know how licenses work, however via education they find out and then get themselves legal.

Just because you don't care please don't give the impression nobody cares - far more people give a damn then you give credit for.
We aren't all thieves.
 
Okay if my copy is now deemed illegal, I'll get Vista anyway. I want to be able to update etc.

Why would MS facilitate me doing something they don't want me to do :confused:

Oh, and I don't read, I just click next a lot :p
 
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