Re: Windows XP Issue (Activation) II

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From: Leythos (void_at_nowhere.lan)
Date: 01/30/05 

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 19:38:22 GMT

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 14:19:31 -0500, daygo140 wrote:

>> So, tell us, if you want us off your back, what was wrong, what the BIOS
>> update fixed, and the Model/version of the emachine and the version of the
>> OS that it shipped with, unless you feel that you need to hide something
>> from the world.
>
>
> The PSU went. Capacitor blew and due to unstable voltages produced while it
> was failing, took out the integrated video card. The PC then wouldn't boot
> only but once every twenty or so tries. I tried everything, finally I used
> a cheapo test video card and it booted successfully. Bought a new the video
> card particularlly one which when installed the system couldn't boot.
> Ironically there was a BIOS update on the mobo manufacturers web site that
> specifically "fixed system can't boot with that video card installed" among
> other things which were beneficial. Among the fact that eMachines doesn't
> provide any BIOS let alone the latest one that the mobo manufacturer had to
> fix the issue.
>
> You satisfied?

Yes, and thanks for telling us about it. I understand it as follows -
installed a new video card and it worked, bought mom a different video
card and it didn't work. Found a BIOS from the component vendor that
addressed the issue and installed it. Wondered by the Branded-XP install
didn't work with a non-branded BIOS. Asked about the installation of a
second copy of another XP (already installed with an already activated
key) to see if it would cause any problems or if you would get in trouble
some way.

So, here is what I think:

1) I would have found another video card or left the "Cheap" on in the
machine - the one you said worked.

2) Like it or not, the EULA is clear on this - your install on her machine
with your key is in violation.

3) No one here can tell if if MS will invalidate the install, if they will
stop supporting updates for violators, or if there may be any other
problems ever.

4) Due to #3 above, nothing anyone tells you, other than you need to get
her a valid key, means anything. Sure, you can keep bootlegging a twice
activated key and hope that there are no problems, but you will not know
until you stop using XP if you are going to run into a problem later.

5) Unless your Mom is doing some high-end work, even a PCI video card
would meet her needs (and with an e-machine I would doubt that she's doing
much in the way of high-end work), put the old cheap card back in and
return the BIOS to it's old version (since it was stable with the cheap
card) and give her the validated install back like it's suppose to be.

Here's another option for you - unless she's running QuickBooks she could
just use Fedora Core 3 and have everything most users need - except for
the MS viruses and MS threats.

> I expect nothing less than getting questions and having to get analyzed on
> every little thing I just wrote. I have nothing to prove. My Mom is now
> happy along with me too.
>
> But I didn't feel like explaining something I had the fixed. Yes I could
> maybe could of done this or that, which I probably tried, I spend a ton of
> time on this PC before I realized it was the integrated vid card, instead of
> doing what a lot of techs (even good ones) would of done, toss the mobo.

And if you had just left the cheap video card in it- according to what you
posted - she could have had a working computer without all of this crap. 

-- 
spam999free@rrohio.com
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