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19 Oct 08 - 02:03 PM (#2470066) Subject: Tech: XP disc From: Richard Bridge A friend has kindly given me the XP disc from her old computer. Alas she took the computer (as a whole) to the skip before I could retrieve the sticker! (Doh!) Has anyone retrieved the text file from a WinXP disc that gives you the number? There are websites out there that tell you how. If anyone has done that has anyone then tried to validate their XP? It's a carrot to Lombard Street that since this will be going onto a computer that I built from scratch that validation will be necessary? What did you tell Microsnot? I ahve no COA, I have no numbers, I have no box - just the disc in a paper sleeve - but I know it is kosher (or el-halal, no religious discrimination here) and I know the original user's computer has been destroyed and no part of it is in use, so I think I am within the EULA. |
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19 Oct 08 - 03:02 PM (#2470113) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: treewind The sticker number isn't on the CD. All XP CDs of the same type (home/pro, OEM/retail etc.) are the same, but you get given a unique serial number on the sticker. The serial number contains check digits which are used to verify it when you enter it during system installation. The number is then stored in the system and later used when you register the software with Microsoft, which you have to do within 28 days of installing it. You could try using using the sticker number from any other scrapped PC that used to have XP on it. I expect someone will be along soon to tell you how to hack it. I don't have this problem with free software... Anahata |
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19 Oct 08 - 03:37 PM (#2470144) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Bernard OEM versions use a special code which doesn't permit transfer to different machine, or even upgrades to mainboards in many instances. I recently had to do a reinstall on a client's machine (hard drive failure), and the online validation failed. When I rang Micro$haft they asked me how many machines this code had been installed on, which made me wonder if the owner had given the code to someone else. I was able to convince the operator that I was looking at the original sticker and it that was the original machine, and fortunately the validation was allowed to go ahead. |
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19 Oct 08 - 04:27 PM (#2470182) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Richard Bridge Yep. looking bad, the key in the unattend.txt file is a very old one and will not activate the prog. And worse, the XP Pro CD I have is an OEM. I think I'm going to ahve to buy an XP Pro disc off ebay. |
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20 Oct 08 - 03:50 AM (#2470511) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: The Fooles Troupe Remember you saw here from me first! There's several links for this - "Hot-E PC" http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/technology/qld-budget-pc-takes-on-giants/2008/10/16/1223750218026.html http://www.theage.com.au/news/biztech/aussie-couple-take-on-computing-giants/2008/10/16/1223750210764.html It's to do with 'cloud computing'... "Cloud computing has become a hot topic this year as broadband connections improve and companies such as Google and Microsoft release software applications that live on the internet instead of locally on the user's PC." "Built around the "cloud computing" mantra that has surged in popularity in recent years, the $US100 computers contain the bare minimum horse power, with most processing and data storage handled by a remote server accessed over the internet." "Their target markets are cost- and power-conscious small and medium businesses, schools and developing countries where fully-fledged PCs are prohibitively expensive, impractical or draw too much power." "The developing world was the focus initially but this thing has got a practical use anywhere ... you could put 50 of them in a classroom and they're only using 3 watts each instead of 200 or 300 watts that normal PCs use." Note carefully where it says QUOTE In a telephone interview, Nicholls, a commercial pilot until the collapse of Ansett in 2001, said his company, ThinLinX, had just partnered with a "major, global company" that predominantly made software. He would not give further details or comment on whether the company in question was Microsoft, saying he was bound by a non-disclosure agreement. The company would be making its own announcement within the next month. UNQUOTE SO We now have the replacement for Vista! :-) |
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20 Oct 08 - 03:51 AM (#2470512) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: The Fooles Troupe Sorry - missed this one http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2008/oct/19/coast-couple-changes-way-we-compute/ |
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20 Oct 08 - 06:10 AM (#2470563) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Andrez Of course the replacement/s for Vista are Mac OSX or at least some of the Linux distro's! I dunno about the cloud concepts. Its not that I'm overly paranoid but when someone (not me) owns the servers on which my applications reside and I have exactly bugger all way of knowing if, let alone how, they might be snooping on my data, then I think I would be experiencing some modicum of discomfort and concern about the cloud. What happens if someone switches the cloud off in the middle of a job? Or doesnt like the "politics" of what I might be writing about? Recently, it was disclosed that the Qantas sponsored news that runs on the Nine network and on their internal flights excludes any stories seen to be "negative" about Qantas: even if they are factual. There would never be anyway to ensure that the "Org" that controls the cloud wouldnt "manage" content that they didnt like! At least when I "own" the "infrastructure" then I have some control over my situation and my data. No control over my data=stress worry and concern, and I really dont need anymore of that around me at the moment. Cheers, Yours in Paranoia Andrez PS Apologies for contributing to more off thread palaver but I couldnt resist. :-) |
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20 Oct 08 - 06:45 AM (#2470575) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Richard Bridge But I have found a way (maybe) to avoid activation - but even if I were otherwise within the EULA I think doing that would be a breach of it and make me illegal :( |
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20 Oct 08 - 02:11 PM (#2470956) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: JohnInKansas Foolestroupe - Anyone who follows Microsoft insanity has heard a lot about "cloud computing." They are pushing it very hard. So far as I can tell, their main interest is in the possibility that they can charge you by the month for the use of their programs "in the cloud," rather than getting only a one-time fee. It is obvious that they can hold the threat over users that if you don't pay the bill all your programs and in many cases all the work you've produced using them can be held for ransom. As Andrez comments, it's also obvious that the site(s) who handle all your stuff "in the cloud" have complete direct access to everything you do, but of course they promise ... ... ... John |
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20 Oct 08 - 02:37 PM (#2470983) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: JohnInKansas Richard - Continuing to use an unregistered copy of WinXP will result in disabling of some functions, but Microsoft isn't too specific about what goes away. Since the program is designed to permit you to continue to use the remaining functions, this might be interpreted as a "permission" to do so, from Microsoft; and I haven't heard of anyone being An unregistered (and crippled) WinXP might be about as good as some very old Win versions, although you'd have to push it past the point of injury to see what it will do. Note that I'd be "uninterested" in trying to work with less than a fully registered and fully functional OS, since the current (Vista) "fully functional" is still pretty marginal for my use - and Microsoft's real position on unregistered use might be other than what it seems. Of casual interest, perhaps: It seems that every Vista installation disk contains the program for all Vista versions. When you install using the "ID" that comes with the version you purchase, only that version's features are installed; but Microsoft offers an "instant update" that lets you them give you (for the appropriate fee) a new "ID" that you can use to install any upgrade, to any version, from any original Vista disk. (Sort of an interesting(?) concept, that at least seems to be what the Microsoft update site says.) John |
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20 Oct 08 - 07:37 PM (#2471267) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Richard Bridge I'm only reluctantly coming to XP for stability reasons. You would have to pay me a lot of money to make me install Vista and so throw away all my legacy programs and legacy hardware! |
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20 Oct 08 - 07:56 PM (#2471288) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Cluin Yep. Vista takes a long, hard, loving suck on dogshit. |
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21 Oct 08 - 05:47 AM (#2471568) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Andrez Good luck with your search Richard. I gave up and not having any "work XP backups" to hand, actually bought a boxed copy of XP. But getting it to Aust meant having it delivered to a US address and then reposted to me in Aust. You cant buy XP in Aust only Vista and you cant use an Aust postal address for delivery in buying XP from the US. Dunno what country you are in? The only trouble with the legacy program like Office 2003 is if/when Microsoft ceases support then they start getting problematic when new "patches" etc are released to the point where they are more trouble to support and use than they are worth. Mind you I'd be trying to stick it out until a replacement for Office 2007 comes out and skip that iteration of Office completely. Cheers, Andrez |
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21 Oct 08 - 09:32 AM (#2471724) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: JohnInKansas Vista presents some difficulties for those who learned how to actually use what Microsoft called "advanced features" in WinXP. It is irrationally "re-interfaced" with functions arbitrarily moved around to places that to me are "unintuitive." Although Microsoft doesn't admit it, and gives no guidance on what's been done, Vista has "evolved" some since it first hit the street; and updates have eliminated some of the more obnoxious behavior. I was forced to Vista Home Premium on a laptop when hardware failure forced replacement of the previous one. The laptop worked - mostly - until I spent a month "afield" with it, without an always-on internet connection; but since then multiple functions simply do not work, and Microsoft gives NO SUPPORT for the problems. From internet traffic, there are large numbers of others having the same problems who also are unable to find answers. In a happier time, Lin and I each each had WinXP on desktops. Her desktop was replaced pre-Vista, and we were able to get WinXP Pro and Office 2003 on her current one. Mine had WinXP Business with Office 2002. When Office 2002 went "obsolete," Microsoft apparently ceased to worry about whether patches were compatible with older Office versions, and various functions simply disappeared, especially in Word. My Word 2002 eventually became so "crippled" I was forced to update OFFICE, so for a while I had Office 2007 on WinXP Business. I was forced to replace my desktop a few months after switching to Office 2007, and the only thing reasonably available was Vista Business. I took delivery with the "basic" productivity programs that come with all(?) versions of Vista, which I found "ok for little kids, but completely hopeless for adult use." My Office 2007 was fairly soon moved to the new Vista Business machine. Although the interface is clumsy and obscure, with functions illogically arranged and with everything "too many clicks deep," I've had no real problems with Vista Business. After attempting to use Office 2007 on both WinXP and Vista computers, I can honestly state that in my opinion: Office 2007 is the STUPIDEST thing Microsoft has ever done. ... even giving full faith to all complaints about Vista. Microsoft continues to tout Vista, but they have fired (or at least demoted or transferred) everyone who participated in its development. At least they seem to have recognized (internally) that they screwed it up. They seem not yet to have recognized that lots of professional users only used Microsoft operating systems because OFFICE was a clean, useful, versatile, and powerful set of productivity software, and the MickeyMouse OS was needed to run OFFICE. Office 2007 is not a useful program suite (for adults). John |
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21 Oct 08 - 10:37 AM (#2471793) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Richard Bridge On my W95 machine and one of the W98SEs I run Office 97. On the ME machine, the rest of the 98SEs and the (one so far) XP, Office 2000. |
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21 Oct 08 - 10:52 AM (#2471811) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: EBarnacle If all else fails, consider Open Office. |
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22 Oct 08 - 05:59 AM (#2472563) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Andrez A workplace education "special" meant a copy of Vista Business and a copy of Office 2007 cost me the grand total of $10.00 per disc for home use so I didnt have to pay retail pricing as I had to for XP! I guess I can say that I finally got value for money from Microsoft! Cheers, Andrez |
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22 Oct 08 - 11:17 AM (#2472796) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: JohnInKansas It may be worth noting that my "shrink-wrapped" (i.e. retail purchase) copy of Office 2007 does permit use on two computers, so I can have it installed on my desktop and laptop, both from the same "license" and without paying twice. (There are some details as to what two machines the license covers, but in my case using it twice is fully legal.) That feature isn't clear from the package, but if you're sufficiently A-R to actually read the 30+ page EULA you might (or might not) find something useful in it. Note that I don't know if an OEM copy (that came installed on your new computer) allows the same "double-use," but most OEM packages include only the "home" version (Works) of "Office-like" programs. John |
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22 Oct 08 - 02:22 PM (#2472974) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: GUEST,Gene A technique that I have used in the past is to GHOST/CLONE the C:Drive once you have installed all of your favorite progras. Then, when a problem arises, RE-GHOST/CLONE the C:Drive with the spare... Hard Drive prices have dropped drastically in the past few years. I recently picked up a 500G HD and an EXT 500 HD for under $100 each, and a 320G for $60, and several 40/60/80 Giggers. I have 4 computers with XP on them, NO VISTA FOR ME! |
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22 Oct 08 - 04:41 PM (#2473083) Subject: RE: Tech: XP disc From: Bernard Only problem with Ghost cloning I've ever had was... VISTA!! I suppose I'll have to sort out a machine and install it, but I've managed without so far...! |