Re: activation problem

From: Bruce Chambers (bruce_a_chambers_at_h0tmail.com)
Date: 08/20/04 

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 14:38:34 -0600

Greetings --

    Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of
CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are
purchased. For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for
any retail version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and
vice versa. An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full
version CD, and vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to
install a retail product. An Italian Product Key will not work with
an English CD.

    Bottom line: Product Keys and CDs cannot be mixed & matched. You
have to have the specific type of installation CD for which that
license and Product Key was designed.

    You'll need to contact Compaq for assistance in this matter.

    Legally, the OEM has met it's contractual obligation to Microsoft
by providing a means of returning the PC to its ex-factory state,
whether it's a Recovery CD or a Recovery Partition. They are not
legally obliged to provide a true installation CD as part of the sale.
Reputable, customer-service aware OEMs, like Dell and Gateway, do
provide a full OEM installation CD, that does permit custom
installations and repairs. Many uncaring OEMs, such as Compaq, HP,
and Sony, however, in an effort to save pennies and reduce their
support costs by having to hire support people that can only say "Boot
from the Recovery CD to return your PC to its original condition,"
provide only a CD bearing a disk image of the hard drive as it left
the factory. These Recovery/Restore CDs cannot perform normal
installations, nor can they be used to do any sort of customizations.

    Essentially, it boils down to "You get what you pay for."

Bruce Chambers 

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"Wout Dillen" <Wout Dillen@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:E413F530-B743-4192-81A7-1DDC32DC787A@microsoft.com...
>I have bought a compaq computer with windows XP home edition on it. 
>But after
> a while I needed to reinstall windows because there were some 
> problems with
> spyware etc. But afterwards I noticed I never received a windows XP 
> cd, only
> a certificate of authenticity of windows XP home edition. So I tried
> installing windows XP with another persons cd using my authenticity
> certificate, but that didn't work. Is there any way I can receive a 
> windows
> XP home edition cd with my certificate of authenticity or any way I 
> can
> activate windows with another cd using my certificate?

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