Your COA authenticating issue has nothing to do with this thread...
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "Ben Ruset" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "The Hardware List" <hardware@hardwaregroup.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 10:45 AM
Subject: Re: [H] MS gets nosy
So this information, collected involuntarily, causes you to lose sleep?
I am in the Microsoft OEM System Builder Program. I have had to call
Microsoft several times when I had problems authenticating Windows XP on
a name brand computer. In most situations, the computer manufacturer had
entered a Product Key (upon installation) which was different from the
Product Key on their COA. In other situations I had made massive
hardware changes. In one situation the only original hardware I used was
the CPU. I can say from experience, Microsoft is fair. In over 90% of
the situations, Microsoft allowed me to authenticate. I have never had
an authentication problem with a computer I built. I always made sure I
used the correct Product Key, the one on the COA stuck to the Windows
Kit and later, affixed to the computer.
#1. The information sent to Microsoft was not personal, I assume.
#2. I am glad that information was already on file for verification in
the "handshakes" required with Microsoft for authentication of future
reinstalls of Windows XP. This expedited the process and seldom I had to
call Microsoft. Simply put, that information on file at Microsoft is a
blessing to legitimate computer shops and a curse to pirates.
Chuck
--
Cheers,
joeuser (still looking for the 'any' key)
