Counterfeit Windows Xp

[TBWG]

Hi

After installing a windows update on my Thai purchased PC it advised me that I had a counterfeit copy installed. I tried to purchase a legit copy on the windows site but gave up as it was so complicated!

I thought that I could bring back my UK copy (legit) on my next trip and install that. But on checking I find that it is on 3 Dell licensed CD's for Operating system, Drivers & Utilities and dell monitor.

So my questions are

1) Will they work on my Thai locally built PC?

2) Presumably I would only need to reinstall the operating system one?

3) If not would a UK purchased Legit Windows XP CD work on a Thai based PC? ( I say UK purchased as I would not like to buy one in Thailand for fear of getting another copy)

TBWG

Apologies if these questions are naive but I am challenged trying to operate the DVD player

[cophen]

As long as you have a CD/DVD with the drivers for your Thai PC hardware a legit copy of XP bought in the UK will be ok. The current cost of an OEM XP Home is about 55 quid.

[Veazer]

Hi

After installing a windows update on my Thai purchased PC it advised me that I had a counterfeit copy installed. I tried to purchase a legit copy on the windows site but gave up as it was so complicated!

I thought that I could bring back my UK copy (legit) on my next trip and install that. But on checking I find that it is on 3 Dell licensed CD's for Operating system, Drivers & Utilities and dell monitor.

So my questions are

1) Will they work on my Thai locally built PC?

2) Presumably I would only need to reinstall the operating system one?

3) If not would a UK purchased Legit Windows XP CD work on a Thai based PC? ( I say UK purchased as I would not like to buy one in Thailand for fear of getting another copy)

TBWG

Apologies if these questions are naive but I am challenged trying to operate the DVD player

1 & 2) No, the Dell Windows disks will check for a Dell BIOS and not install on other machines, at least that has always been my experience.

3) Yes, it would work fine, but you could also buy a legit version here from a reputable company like thanni.com

[cophen]

If you're in Chiang Mai you can buy legit OEM sealed copies of XP in the computer store (Computer City?) on the 4th floor of Kad Suan Kaew.

[CosmicSurfer]

3) If not would a UK purchased Legit Windows XP CD work on a Thai based PC? ( I say UK purchased as I would not like to buy one in Thailand for fear of getting another copy)

I have a completely Thai built desktop PC, buit to my specs... Came with Copy WinXP that keep crashing.. So I got a 'Legit' OEM version from the USA.. Installed and now everything is running like a Dream.... Just be sure that you have all the driver disks you need for installing SoundCards, etc. You may not use one, as most MBs now come with On-Board Sound... Pretty much all other drivers come with Legit O/S.

Good luck

CS

[Gumballl]

Hi

After installing a windows update on my Thai purchased PC it advised me that I had a counterfeit copy installed. I tried to purchase a legit copy on the windows site but gave up as it was so complicated!

I thought that I could bring back my UK copy (legit) on my next trip and install that. But on checking I find that it is on 3 Dell licensed CD's for Operating system, Drivers & Utilities and dell monitor.

So my questions are

1) Will they work on my Thai locally built PC?

2) Presumably I would only need to reinstall the operating system one?

3) If not would a UK purchased Legit Windows XP CD work on a Thai based PC? ( I say UK purchased as I would not like to buy one in Thailand for fear of getting another copy)

TBWG

Apologies if these questions are naive but I am challenged trying to operate the DVD player

Why purchase anything? Are you not aware of Linux? There are many varieties of it, the most popular being Ubuntu, Mandriva and Fedora. Why would pay money for something when these operating systems are free, and undoubtedly offer everything you need? If you go with Windows, then next thing you know you will probably be paying for an anti-virus application.

I'm sorry if I was terse... I've been to "rehab" and have been Windoze free for over a year and half.

[Guest Reimar]

I think it's not a question free or not but unfortunate to use Linux to it's full you need to learn quite a lot news and a lot software which works in Windows will not works in Linux.

Linux has very good systems but again, there a lot differences between the different systems and you also need to know some Basics of the Language.

Think about most who starting linux are novices except those which know a bit of Unix.

Cheers.

[sgtpeppers]

Hi

After installing a windows update on my Thai purchased PC it advised me that I had a counterfeit copy installed. I tried to purchase a legit copy on the windows site but gave up as it was so complicated!

I thought that I could bring back my UK copy (legit) on my next trip and install that. But on checking I find that it is on 3 Dell licensed CD's for Operating system, Drivers & Utilities and dell monitor.

So my questions are

1) Will they work on my Thai locally built PC?

2) Presumably I would only need to reinstall the operating system one?

3) If not would a UK purchased Legit Windows XP CD work on a Thai based PC? ( I say UK purchased as I would not like to buy one in Thailand for fear of getting another copy)

TBWG

Apologies if these questions are naive but I am challenged trying to operate the DVD player

1 & 2) No, the Dell Windows disks will check for a Dell BIOS and not install on other machines, at least that has always been my experience.

3) Yes, it would work fine, but you could also buy a legit version here from a reputable company like thanni.com

thanni.com ? can someone please confirm this as reputable, I checked on cleanshop and it wasn't listed.

http://www.microsoft.com/thailand/cleanshop/

Edited May 27, 2008 by sgtpeppers

[Gumballl]

Linux has very good systems but again, there a lot differences between the different systems and you also need to know some Basics of the Language.

Well, rather than write about generalities, let's try to discuss specifics.

1) Linux is free.

2) Linux is supported on more distinct hardware configurations than Windows/Mac OS.

3) Linux (including the Mac) is regarded as being immune to viruses/trojans/malware.

4) Linux offers Firefox, Open Office (which is compatible with M$ Office products), MP3 music and MPEG (DVD) playback applications, graphics editors, digital camera support, software development support... and did I mention it is all FREE.

If a system has hardware that is incompatible with Linux, then it is quite probable that the hardware device was cheaply designed and that its functionality is driven by software written exclusively for Windows. Should one feel proud or ashamed of owning such decrepit equipment? Imagine if when one required servicing for their vehicle, and that they had no choice but to return it to the dealer who sold them the vehicle. I think that most people would resent that. Why is it so different with computer equipment and software? Open source software is much more preferable than s/w written by shady companies that only care about making money.

Anyhow, to suggest that Linux is only for brainiacs and that Windows is for "dummies" is really a cheap shot. For those who read this post... are you a dummy? Can you not evolve to use a different operating system? Or is it beyond your capabilities?

Edited May 27, 2008 by Gumballl

[Rice_King]

For those who read this post... are you a dummy? Can you not evolve to use a different operating system? Or is it beyond your capabilities?

Can you answer the OP's question?

[TBWG]

For those who read this post... are you a dummy? Can you not evolve to use a different operating system? Or is it beyond your capabilities?

Can you answer the OP's question?

Hi all

Thanks for all the prompt responses, much appreciated.

From my OP you will gather that I am not at the cutting edge of IT but fall into the dummy category out of choice.

So for me it is not so much the cost but the convenience and ease of use that is most important, so it looks as if buying a new original XP CD in Thailand at one of the Microsoft recommended partner outlets is the way to go.

Thanks again for the input.

TBWG

[damole]

Your Dell XP license is only legal on the machine it came with as with all OEM licences, so if you really want it to be legal you have to buy a new copy. If you buy an OEM CD it is supposed to come with some hardware as it's not legal to sell them by themselves, OEM license are for systems builders.

There are rules on how much of your hardware you can change and the whether the license is still valid as it is tied to the machine it was first installed on which is not the case with the retail version.

So to summarise there's a difference between having a legitimate windows XP cd and installing and using it within the term of the license.

http://www.tek-tips.com/faqs.cfm?fid=4004

http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php

I have a Thai built PC without legal license and I'm trying to decide whether to try and buy a 2nd hand copy of a retail license when I'm back in the UK next week or go with the online Windows Genuine Advantage license process.

[damole]

If you buy an OEM CD it is supposed to come with some hardware as it's not legal to sell them by themselves, OEM license are for systems builders.

I just read further and it seems the rules have changed, so to buy an OEM is OK without hardware, great news!

http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000757.html

[A_Traveller]

Suggestion, as an experiment try this LINK and see if the Dell registration key solves the problem.

Regards

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello

Very likely the "Dell" version will not work on anything but a Dell machine. But why not just get a legit "OEM" copy here? In Panthip, XP Home cost around 3.000 Baht for the legit one. It's an OEM which means whoever installs it has to be the manufacturer of that computer, and all service requests have to be pointed at the manufacturer. So, if you buy one such, it is 100% legit if you built that computer yourself, and if Windows screws up, you may not call Microsoft and ask for their help

Also, as far as i know (but i *could* be wrong on that, an OEM copy can only be installed on that one computer, i.e. if you build a new one next year you can NOT install the same Windows on that one, even if you wipe it from the first one.

Regarding Linux, it truly has the aforementioned advantages, however there are a whole bunch of disadvantages as well which are mostly omitted from posts by fanboys (and this comes from a Linux user!):

1) Hardware installation, specially graphics, can still be very tricky.

2) There is a very steep learning curve for one who has used Windows for a while.

3) While lots of Windows software can be made to work (Wine), lots of it will NOT.

4) If a Linux system screws up and the user has no extended knowledge or a second computer, he is likely screwed - a botched Linux will mostly not have graphics! There is no "safe mode" option with point-and-click troubleshooting, only the command line (imagine DOS).

While current Linuxes are quite user friendly (i'm using Ubuntu myself) results still vary greatly from computer to computer - i run it on two of them and the installation experience was like day and night between them.

But if OP has time on hand and a spare hard drive (or available space) i also recommend a "test drive" of Linux - after all it really doesn't cost a penny apart from download time and the earlier one learns it the better he will become on it

Best regards.....

Thanh

[Gary A]

Maybe I am stupid? I have been playing with many distros of Linux and I am still using Windows XP Pro.

Things you take for granted when using Windows simply don't work with Linux without jumping through a lot of hoops. I have had very little luck with WINE. I use Garmin Map Source and Autocad and have never gotten either one of them to work. Trying to get even Linux written programs to work is usually a chore. Maybe if the thousand different distros were standardized and everyone worked on a single version, things would be much better. Unfortunately that is NOT going to happen.

The only distro that works with my cell phone to connect to the Internet is Mandriva and that's only with Bluetooth.

If someone is buying their first computer and bought it with Linux installed, that would be a different story. They would likely soon learn the quirks. They would not have learned that plug and play works great.

Linux fans are a lot like Apple and Toyota lovers. You are NOT going to change their minds. I often said that if Toyota put wheels on a turd, Toyota lovers would tell you what a great turd it is.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

A turd with wheels, and from Toyota on top of it all? That's sure a great turd! I believe they actually did that already..... and called it "Fortuner"

Hey, in Germany i drove nothing but Volkswagen Polo (3 of them) and here it's a Volvo (and the next one is gonna be a Toyota pickup truck). Motorbike-wise in Germany mainly Zundapp, but also lots of others. here only a Yamaha. You see, with vehicles i am just as open minded as with operating systems - i been thru Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP and Vista and now i use Ubuntu Linux. Just because i wanted to, no other reason, no problems with Windows.

The Linux-experience can vary by extremes - one such you can find within my 25 square meters i call "home". Two computers, similar hardware. Difference: The graphics card - one is Nvidia, the other ATI. Both have Asus mainboards and AMD CPU's.

On one of them, Linux installed without a hitch, everything just works as it should be.

On the other? For the life of it i can't get the graphics driver installed. It works, too, but 3D performance is horrible, something as simple as Google Earth stutters and blinks like on a 286 machine. And the "correct" driver just won't work, no matter how and what i try. Installed it thru Synaptic - got white screen of death (i.e. no graphics). Installed it thru Envy - works, but max. resolution 800x600 @60Hz. Installed it manually - system crash after configuration. Also XFCE Desktop just simply doesn't work, that bug is known and will probably get fixed soon (Ubuntu 8.04 is still new).

If i come with such a problem on Ubuntu's web forum, people suggest that i just change the graphics card to one that is truly Linux-compatible (read: Nvidia). But those same people then complain about Vista not supporting all (older) hardware! Funny, isn't it?

But that's how fanboys are, everywhere in the world, regardless if their fan subject is a car make, an operating system or a certain football club.

Oh, and about "phones" - Ubuntu is the first operating system i have seen that can access the PHONE memory of my Sony-Ericsson K750i! VISTA or XP only access the memory card when i connect it by cable, but Ubuntu gets all. Therefor, my other phone (Samsung SCH-F679) isn't detected at all in Ubuntu..... in Vista it was detected but could not be used ("Memory not formatted"), only in XP it works flawlessly.

Best regards......

Thanh