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Repair Computer, Repurchase OS?

Posted by Cliff on from the doesn't-sound-fair-does-it dept.

An anonymous reader asks: "Recently, I have been bit by a computer repair on an e-Machines computer that involved a system board replacement. Though this was strictly a repair, not an upgrade, neither MS or e-Machines will provide for activation of the system. Why should a user have to purchase another copy of XP after repairing a computer? The system board is listed on the e-Machines website, but costs 4x what an off-the-shelf board with the same chip-set/capabilities costs, and furthermore is not actually available. The e-Machines rep even said repurchasing XP was my only option. This seems to me patently unfair and of questionable legality. Is it possible that there are enough disgruntled consumers bit by this problem to generate a class-action lawsuit?"

9 of 453 comments (clear)

  1. Ask to talk to their manager by halivar · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's amazing what you can get if you just bitch enough. Sometimes it's easier just to add another activation to a license to shut someone up.

  2. Read your license agreement. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You should do whatever your license agreement says you should do.

    If you can't understand your license agreement, get a lawyer to help you read it.

    If you don't like what it says, get a different OS vendor.

    And please don't mod me down for trolling - it really is important for people to understand the licenses for the stuff they buy - otherwise groups like the RIAA can walk all over everyone. If people started taking EULAs seriously and tried to understand them, more companies would start using reasonable EULAs.

  3. Just pirate it by Rix · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's less work.

  4. Re:Have you actually talked to Microsoft? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I deal with this frequently.

    Try to activate online
    When it rejects and gives you the phone number, call it
    Enter the confirmation ID

    When you finally get someone from Bangladesh on the phone, they will ask if this is the first time it's been activated, and how many computers it's been installed on.

    REGARDLESS of what work you've done, tell them "It's a reinstall after a virus infection.. This is the only machine it's installed on"

    They'll give you a long ass number to punch in, and you're done.

  5. Easy compared to what? by babbling · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When you say it's "easy", are you aware that previous versions of Windows didn't even need a special key that depended on hardware, and that you didn't need to call Microsoft to ask "can I please install the copy of Windows I purchased from you a couple of years ago?" only to be interrogated about why you need a new key.

    I'm sure it's easy relative to what they could put you through, but can we please be absolute when using the word "easy"? Especially when Microsoft have gone out of their way to make it more complicated than it needs to be.

    1. Re:Easy compared to what? by Buran · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not only that but what about hearing-impaired people like me who find the phone an aggravation and want to be able to do it all online because it's a lot easier to read than it is to listen? Why can't we use the OS' automated activation tools? Why are we in some cases forced to call?

      Seems to me like someone might have a good ADA case here -- why should I not be allowed to use something legally purchased because I am forced to jump through hoops that I can't jump through because of a physical disability? To me, this is as bad as a failure to install a wheelchair ramp.

      --
      i am a soviet space shuttle
    2. Re:Easy compared to what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Isn't it great that the dishonest people with the pirated copies never have to worry about their activation keys? It's just the folks that do things the right way that get hosed.

    3. Re:Easy compared to what? by Gr8Apes · · Score: 4, Insightful

      >>but can we please be absolute when using the word "easy"?

      Actually, speaking absolutely, it *is* easy. Relatively speaking (in relation to how we think it should be) is when it becomes difficult. Actually, it's unbelievably complicated. Why do I need to call anyone when installing software? Needless complications imposed by the manufacturer is why.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
  6. It's like I said by tkrotchko · · Score: 4, Insightful

    For all intents and purposes, there is no pirating of Windows XP. Yeah, sure, there is a handful of people who build their own and of those, a handful pirate Windows XP.

    But if you have a Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo, eMachines, regardless of what MS says about activation, that machine is licensed forever. It has to be, since none of those machines offers machines to the U.S. public without Windows. And yes, I'm aware of the Dell "N" series. I don't think it makes any difference.

    That's the lie of the statement that 25% of all Windows installs are illegal. How can that be when almost every computer already comes with the license.

    --
    You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you