Help with purchase

Aruffell · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:17

Mate of mine bought a computer off of a website as he was too impatient for me to get some time to build him one.

Turns out that it's worse that the one he had before and in turn he wants to return it. He has spoke to the guy who said he can have a full refund apart from Windows XP home edition because it has now been activated. It was an OEM version and came pre-installed on the computer.

Where does he stand with this?

Thanks,

Andy

The_TailGunner · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:19

afaik, he is entitled to a full refund under the distance selling laws

however, what o/s was he on before? if he was on 98, then xp might seem to be slower, even on improved hardware...

Aruffell · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:21

He was on XP before, but he went from an AMD Athlon to an Intel Celery with onboard everything.

Andy

Bitchplz · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:42

Aruffell said:
He was on XP before, but he went from an AMD Athlon to an Intel Celery with onboard everything.

Andy

So He Downgraded?

Gandalf501 · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:51

Not really the OEM version of windows belongs to the computer and not the person. Its the machine that owns it and not your friend (that would be the retail version)....

(of course ms still owns it, we and the machine just license it.... yawn...)

Aruffell · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:52

So if i build him a computer would he be able to use the OEM software on the other computer?

Andy

Gandalf501 · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:55

No.

An OEM version of XP lives and dies with that machine.

With the retail you can uninstall it from one machine, and reinstall it on another.
You cannot install on more than 1 computer. But you are allowed to transfer it.

OEM versions are locked to that motherboard.

Quantic · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:57

WS_TailGunner said:
afaik, he is entitled to a full refund under the distance selling laws

however, what o/s was he on before? if he was on 98, then xp might seem to be slower, even on improved hardware...

I love how people think the Distance Selling Regulations are the dog's dangly's. Did you know that if your DVD/Game/CD is not sealed, i.e you have played it - you can't send it back under those regulations? The DSRs would unfortunatly not cover OEM software.

Burnsy2023 · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:59

Aruffell said:
So if i build him a computer would he be able to use the OEM software on the other computer?

Andy

No.

Burnsy

Aruffell · 8 Aug 2006 at 12:59

So what can he do with this OEM version of windows as he cant install it onto another computer and they are saying that they will not take it back due to it being activated.

Any ideas?

Andy

Gandalf501 · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:01

I think OEM versions already come preactivated.. They have on all the computer I have seen?

Did he connect the machine to the internet at all?

Just tell them how has he activated it, he hasnt connected to the internet and he hasnt phoned ms....

Bluff em, like they are bluffing you...

Burnsy2023 · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:03

Gandalf501 said:
Not really the OEM version of windows belongs to the computer and not the person. Its the machine that owns it and not your friend (that would be the retail version)....

(of course ms still owns it, we and the machine just license it.... yawn...)

To say the machine 'owns' it isn't quite correct.

The person who owns the machine has the right to use the licensed software under the terms of the license.

Burnsy

calnen · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:05

As has been said a thousand times, if you buy something online then you can return it within a week under the distance selling laws. I dont see why software licensing would make any difference tbh.

Gandalf501 · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:05

Yes, your right... But i feel your splitting hairs

OEM - Locked to the machine
Retail - Locked to the buyer

Aruffell · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:07

So if i phone the company now, what should i say.

Not very good with all this stuff

lol

Andy

Quantic · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:08

calnen said:
As has been said a thousand times, if you buy something online then you can return it within a week under the distance selling laws. I dont see why software licensing would make any difference tbh.

What if you have opened a DVD - and then decided you don't want it?

Gandalf501 · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:09

And I still say bluff em.

Tell you have never connected to the internet and you have never phoned ms so your copy of OEM windows can not be activated unless it was activated already.

However, it appears that they are being fair with you really. After all your friend bought something and then later changed his mind because he didnt like it.
He should have done a bit more research first to what he was buying, and put it down to experience... Send it back and pay for an OEM copy of windows...

With regards to windows if you havent activated it (that it is, it wasnt already preactivated) I cant see how MS will know what machine it was originally installed on!!

Aruffell · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:10

Gandalf501 said:
And I still say bluff em.

Tell you have never connected to the internet and you have never phoned ms so your copy of OEM windows can not be activated unless it was activated already.

However, it appears that they are being fair with you really. After all your friend bought something and then later changed his mind because he didnt like it.
He should have done a bit more research first to what he was buying, and put it down to experience... Send it back and pay for an OEM copy of windows...

With regards to windows if you havent activated it (that it is, it wasnt already preactivated) I cant see how MS will know what machine it was originally installed on!!

Can't bluff them, as he is dumb and told them he has been on the net etc....

Andy

Gandalf501 · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:12

Can your friend remember what it did when he went on the net??

Dont forget you can still bluff em. Say they must have been mistaken, and you never said you went on the internet. Unless they recorded your call, how they going to prove what you said?

Gandalf501 · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:26

However, after thinking about it...

Your friend should consider cutting his losses. It was his mistake after all. The company sent a working computer with no faults. He wouldnt have this chance if he bought it from the high street would he.