Please help an idiot............

Energize · 14 Apr 2007 at 03:11

Very stupid of microsoft not to put the key on the cd, an obvious attempt to get people to throw away the packaging and have to buy a new o$.

Inquisitor · 14 Apr 2007 at 03:15

Energize said:
Very stupid of microsoft not to put the key on the cd, an obvious attempt to get people to throw away the packaging and have to buy a new o$.

Or just common sense... keys are not bound to specific CDs, so why put it on the CD? Also, it'd be a bit of a pain in in the arse when you actually come to install it.

Energize · 14 Apr 2007 at 03:35

Inquisitor said:
Or just common sense... keys are not bound to specific CDs, so why put it on the CD? Also, it'd be a bit of a pain in in the arse when you actually come to install it.

Because it's 10x less likely to get lost by the user.

Inquisitor · 14 Apr 2007 at 03:52

True, but that's the user's responsibility really, not the vendor's.

Participant · 14 Apr 2007 at 08:51

Nic, the way I see it you have two choices.

I would email Microsoft and attach a scanned copy of the receipt (don't think you mention the receipt in this thread). Explain as someone suggests that you had the PC repaired and they accidentally formatted the hard drive. There's a chance Microsoft will issue you a free product key if you can prove purchase.

Choice two is - find a key from "somewhere else" [legitimate source of course

]

People saying stupid this stupid that - pointless obvious waste of bandwidth :rolleyes:

.

Nic Miller · 14 Apr 2007 at 11:24

cheers robbbie

Jonny L · 14 Apr 2007 at 12:42

Lol phone microsoft, my physics teacher runs an illegal copy but he got the key from microsoft themselves lol, he rang em up and acted dumb and said he was really sorry and it wouldn't ever happen again and they gave him a free key.

IAmATeaf · 14 Apr 2007 at 14:41

I thought the key was a sticker inside the packaging and not attached to the packaging as the instructions say to stick the key on your hardware.

Anyway giving MS a call is the only real option, so give them a call, act pleaful and see what happens, you might be pleasantly surprised.

PhillyDee · 14 Apr 2007 at 14:54

The license key is on a sticker on the outside of the packaging. I know because i have the same. Its done better on the vista ones as the sticker is stuck to the dvd case and peels off to put it on the case.

IceShock · 14 Apr 2007 at 15:16

you bin'd your licence key :eek:

nothing you can do i dont think matey

SidewinderINC · 14 Apr 2007 at 15:23

Robbie G said:
People saying stupid this stupid that - pointless obvious waste of bandwidth .

no, i'll not waste my bandwidth by calling it stupid, i'll just call it stupid straight up!

i bought my copy of XP as an OEM from OcUK a while ago..

it does state VERY CLEARLY that you should keep the sticker that has the key written on it. so i did. the one thing i know i wouldnt be replacing in a while was my monitor so i stuck it to the rear of my monitor. they suggest sticking it to your case to keep it close to the specific pc.

you threw that vital sticker away, your problem. would you be saying the same if you somehow lost the CD?

only things you can really do are, 1. try and reason with microsoft. 2. buy a new copy and call it lesson learned. 3. get a key from illegal sources, which you wouldnt do would you.

michael baxter · 14 Apr 2007 at 18:52

Why are people having ago at Nic?

I'm sure it's obvious to him he has made a mistake, check the title of his post.

vincent1989 · 14 Apr 2007 at 19:21

michael baxter said:
Why are people having ago at Nic?

I'm sure it's obvious to him he has made a mistake, check the title of his post.

would like to point out i haven't had a go, and advised him his best possible course of action as to phone Microsoft, and explain his situation