Good buy on XP pro

[Steve]

Just wanted to pass on a good deal. Direct Deals (http://www.directdeals.com/product.asp?id=1815) is selling OEM disks of XP pro for $143.00. Prompt delivery. They work real good. :)

[rond36]

You can buy it at newegg for $139.00 (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=37-102-009&DEPA=6)

[classicsoftware]

When you but OEM software, you are supposed to buy it only with a NEW system. If you are just purchasing the OS w/o a computer, you are using an unlicensed program. Since XP requires activation, at some point MS could pull the plug on you......

[rond36]

When I bought my OEM version I did buy a whole new system but I didn't buy it all from the same vendor, along with XP PRO OEM I bought $1500.00 worth of hardware from this vendor. I bought the other $1500.00 from other vendors. When you build your own system I feel you should be considered an OEM.

[Budfred]

According to a number of things I have read, you don't have to buy a complete system to qualify for OEM software. You do have to buy some hardware that is considered to be an integral part of a system, such are RAM, a mobo, or similar. I suspect it is set up this way because of people who build their own.

Budfred

[classicsoftware]

It's not what YOU consider is an integral part of a system it's whatM$ considers is an integral part of a system...

Just cause you build your own system doesn't qualify you as a manufacturer in the eyes of Redmond Washington. I personally think you are correct, I just offer these thoughts as a warning. Someone should find out what M$ thinks.

[Steve]

Boy...sometimes you guys give me the heebeegeebees...:eek:

I contacted the almighty M$. The party line is that the seller of oem disks is reguired to sell you hardware in addition to the oem disk. What hardware? "Any hardware".

I did not buy any hardware in addition to my oem disk. Am I gonna get the hammer from Uncle Bill? "NO". It's not MY responsibility to buy hardware with my disc. It is the vendors responsibility. But seeing as they are selling hundreds of these discs. Making M$ thousands of dollars, the mother company isn't complaining.

You get NO, NONE, ZERO, IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN, support from M$ if you buy one of these disks. What you get is... a good deal. :)

[Rick]

And what support do you get If you buy the Retail Upgrade to XP Pro?

I’ll tell you.
2 that is (TWO) free Phone support calls.
NOT a toll free number. ( You foot the Bill for the 20 to 30 Minutes )
Just the tech at the other end will give you their answer to the bug in XP that is Bugging you
Not a guaranteed solution . Not a positive cure


Just the Phone call is free.. Retail upgrade disk is $199.00 or at least it was


FYI.

The original OEM statement was you were required to Buy a Large capacity Hard Drive Or a Mother Board to qualify for the OEM purchase
A few retailers are sticking to the requirements

[Budfred]

Yep, I just got a copy of Win2000Pro with a harddrive, about 6gigs, which is large capacity compared to some. It is almost certainly DOA, but it meets the standard.

Someone sent me a mobo with an earlier version, a real pain to get rid of that piece of junk. I prefer the HD.

I would prefer my support from here or the Knowledge Base. I have never gotten decent support from MS, starting with DOS up to WinME. I haven't tried for a long time though and not because there aren't problems.

Budfred

[Steve]

Rick is right.

If you buy the retail version you get two "instances" where you can call M$ on the telephone and talk to a tech. OR you can ask your question through e-mail and get a "within 24hr" response.

The retail version is somewhere around $250/$300.

There is so much info about winxp on the net, in the bookstores and through person to person, that I can't justify the added money. For those who feel safer with the full retail version, peace be with you. From my recent interaction with M$ tech support, I must say they were fast and helpful. It cost me $35 to get this info and I was impressed with the service. Just not $100/$150 worth.

Sooo... if you are of the geeky kind, don't hesitate to get a good deal on xp for $139! ;)

[Paul Komski]

"No Sir, I can't let you have this OEM version of XP". "Well, not unless I sell you this old/2nd-hand mobo from a Sinclair Spectrum for 1 cent along with it".

Or is it stipulated that the hardware must be XP compatible AND be brand new? HeHe; it certainly qualifies as ANY hardware; what about a pound of nails? :D

[Budfred]

A pound of nails wouldn't work unless they were somehow integral to the operation of a PC. I have never seen anything about it having to be compatible and it certainly doesn't have to be working. It is really a formality that Windows places on people beacause only the computer obsessed usually even know about OEM software and they don't lose enough business to fight that battle. MS has so much profit in their business, I don't think it hurts them to have a few thousand geeks getting a better deal on their software, especially since many of us own multiple versions...:)

Budfred

[Steve]

As per my conversation with M$... It's NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY! If a company chooses to sell you a disk without any hardware, it's between them and M$. Big Bill isn't gonna come and shut off your OS.

Budfred is right. M$ doesn't mind cutting those of the geeky kind a deal as long as they don't come asking for support...:cool:

I'm ok with that...:)

[Budfred]

Paul,

You know, I was thinking about it and that old mobo from a Sinclair Spectrum might be worth some bucks as a collector's item!!

Budfred:D :D

[Paul Komski]

My Speckie went to the third world when I upgraded to a QL, that's up in the attic somewhere; and was working the last time I used it - though some of the keys weren't working. It had an interface to an electric typewriter so I could impress my friends, when they could hear me typing away at about 100 wpm! :D

BTW does anyone know of a way to get the data off QL microdrives and onto a modern drive?

[Whyzman]

Hmmmmm.....
A pound of nails wouldn't work unless they were somehow integral to the operation of a PC.

Well.....A pound of nails holds up the drywall in the room where my PC operates. If I didn't buy the nails the drywall would fall off the wall and crush my PC rendering it useless with no need to purchase XP Pro....Bill would be out the money...So, I say a "Pound of Nails" qualifies! :cool:

[deddard]

Didn't think it was possible to buy OEMs of microsoft stuff, but now I'll ask around. Mind you, I bet it'll still cost an arm and a leg here in the UK!
I picked up a half dozen copies of Norton Utilities 2001 for 99p each - OEM versions, with full documentation. Now not only does every machine on the LAN have a legal copy, (This machine is on 2002), but I've got a few spares for when I start doing techie things like repairing people's systems (I'm doing my A+)

[Budfred]

deddard,

You might want to check out eBay. There are usually lots of copies of various versions of Windows OEM on sale and some of the sellers will ship internationally. I think a few may even be over there (from here).:)

Budfred

[deddard]

Thanks for the info - off there right now!!!
:D