How do people that fix computers...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eric's collar
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Eric's collar

Eric's collar

give people clean installs of windows 7? I genuinely have no idea how they do it? Don't be smart and say they put the cd into dvd drive etc:p Windows 7 costs £50 at the cheapest yet they can give windows 7 out to about 20 people. Do the people that install windows 7 on numerous machines use a pirated copy?

Installing windows 7 seems to be the only thing that's holding me back from fixing peoples computers but I can't imagine its good practice to use pirated software.
 
Who in particular are you referring to?

If someone has a pre-built system with a valid OEM license of windows then it is perfectly legal to bring along your own OEM or retail windows disk and do a re-install of windows (so long as it's the same version). Just use the product key that is stuck to the computer when installing and call up Microsoft for activation if there are any issues.
 
They use one of the following;
  1. A pirated copy (most likely in my honest opinion).
  2. VLK.
  3. They get the customer to pay for it in the charges they incur for the repairs.

It depends on if they are a business or not if they are then the last option is the most likely out of all of them, if not then the first is most likely.

Stoner81.
 
A part time computer repair man but not the variety that rips people off. I would say it's most likely that he is using pirated software as whenever my dad went to him to fix his laptop, he reinstalled windows7, word and other software. The cost was lower than it would be to buy windows7.
 
You can do a clean install of what's already on there by using the license key stuck to the case. If they want a newer version of Windows then they have to pay for it.
 
It's not that hard to do.

Theroteically, I can use my windows installtion dvd and reinstall on whichever pc I want.

Obtaining the product key from the oem sticker on said pc or laptop, or there is a way to also obtain it from the registry using a utility from microsoft.

EDIT:

^ Beat me to it.
 
Eric's collar said:
he reinstalled windows7
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What's hard to understand?

If it's a re-install then he'd have used the existing product key - either from the sticker affixed to the machine or extracting it from the existing install.

the only thing that's holding me back from fixing peoples computers
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I'd suggest there is something more fundamental holding you back.
 
If he reinstalled the software then he may just have his own (presumably) legal copies of the software and when reinstalling them on your dad's laptop he would use the license keys that are tied to the software previously used on that laptop. Nothing wrong with that (the only issue comes about if he installed any software your dad didn't pay for and have a license for).

So long as all the key data is backed up and the key software can be reinstalled then doing a clean install is one of the fastest ways of resolving difficult software issues (especially user facilitated ones).
 
What if said person is on windows xp? He installed windows 7 and fixed other problems for £20 which is less than the price for win7.
 
Eric's collar said:
What if said person is on windows xp? He installed windows 7 and fixed other problems for £20 which is less than the price for win7.
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Probably pirated then, if he's doing it as a business he could end up in a lot of trouble if he's reported.

Bear in mind that it's quasi-legal to download Microsoft software now as they say that you pay for the licence to use the software, not the physical data. In fact they used to offer the ISOs direct from their website; not sure if they still do.
 
Eric's collar said:
What if said person is on windows xp? He installed windows 7 and fixed other problems for £20 which is less than the price for win7.
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Yea, that's not a re-install - that's an upgrade using pirated software (unless the guy is being very generous and letting your dad have Win7 below cost price + free labour).
 
Who would honestly report someone though? This guy is honestly the most helpful person I have ever known when it comes to computers ( sorry ocuk:p) and above all he is not a crook like many others in my area.
 
Eric's collar said:
Not selling directly, but offering it free along with labour etc but I see your viewpoint. All it would take is one bitter competitor and a phone call to take him out?;)





One of the things holding me back to be specific.
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I'd expect all reasonable computer engineers to know the answer to your question. I dont mean to be disrespectful or anything but when you suggested it's the only thing holding you back - imho your should already know this answer.
 
If I'm being honest I knew all along but how can someone compete with someone offering an upgrade to windows 7 and office 2010 etc for free other than use pirated software yourself? There is no 'legal' way so to speak.

But I'm not looking to compete with him directly, just fix friends' and family computers and build them etc.
 
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Get a name for yourself as someone who does things properly. While Dodgy Dave may be able to get you a pirated copy of Windows, he's breaking the law and there's no guarantee he won't give you viruses or do something else dodgy. If you obey the law, charge a fair price and don't pirate, you're the sensible one, and that'll get you custom. Particularly if he screws up.
 
so you pay to use the software and not the actual data? like you pay for the key not the disk? so downloading a pirated version of a windows OS is not actually fraudulent, using a crack/fake key is fraud?
 
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