alex666
07-12-2003, 12:12 AM
For the second time in a week, I booted into WinXP Home and got the message that I needed to get XP reauthorized in the next 3 days because of significant configuration changes in my computer.
Note my system below. I built it a little over a year ago. The case, mobo, psu, memory, floppy, keyboard, 40 gig hdd, 17” monitor, dvd, and cdrw are all from the initial build. I’ve upgraded the video card, modem, and cpu. I’ve added the santa cruz sound card. I also added a pci video card and 15” IBM monitor, both of which were parts from prior computers that basically were laying around my office. Adding these has allowed me to have a dual-monitor setup, which I love.
When I originally purchased the parts for this computer, I bought OEM versions of Win98se and WinXP Home for a dual-boot system on the 40gig Maxtor. I later did a clean install of XP on a new 80gig Maxtor. I swap the hdds back and forth, the latter intended to be a pure gaming hdd. I mostly use the 40gig.
The first time I got the reauthorization message, I had just uninstalled some Via IDE miniport drivers on the 80gig hdd. Today, with the 40 gig Maxtor in place, I got the “message” after reinstalling the geforce4. I had replaced the fan on the geforce4's heatsink. While the card was down, I put in the geforce2 GTS that originally was in the build.
As I type this, I have the 80 gig in place. I have not yet connected to Microsoft to get XP reauthorized on the 40 gig. I sure hope the tech to whom I speak believes me when I explain the situation. I hope he lets me continue using the XP OS that I paid for.
I also am going to tell him that I plan to do a clean reinstall of XP on the 80 gig and then follow a procedure outlined in Maximum PC magazine on how to create personalized recovery discs that allow for fresh reinstalls of WinXP with all my own OS preferences and updates. I hope Microsoft allows me to do this.
In a nutshell, this situation sucks. I guess one could argue that I purchased a license to use these OSes according to certain stipulations. But when does this start to curtail and otherwise impinge on my freedom to choose what components and drivers (and other software?) that I put in my computer? How do I know that Microsoft is not requiring this authorization because I recently happened to install the Opera browser, and maybe MS is threatened by other browsers? I mean, the bottom line here is the question of what criteria Microsoft uses to set in motion this reauthorization process. What line has to be crossed? Who determines that line? On what basis? I mean, really, uninstalling Via IDE Miniport drivers? Reinstalling a video card that I’ve used for one year? Give me a break. This is not a good situation.
So, for what it’s worth, I thought I’d pass this on. When will this extend to other programs? I mean, I’ll really be in trouble if my word processor stops working in the middle of a report, or testing software that I use in my practice (I’m a psychologist) suddenly decides to shut down and requires me to contact the company for continued use of their product. Digital rights management. I’m not sure whose rights we are talking about.
Marty
soltek SL-75DRV5, HEC 350 watt psu, t-bred revision b 2100 at 2170MHz, Vantec aeroflow hsf, 256mg Samsung 2700 ddr (5-2-2-2), geforce4 4400 agp and voodoo3 2000 pci, pioneer dvd, tdk cdrw, 40g and 80g maxtor 133, santa cruz sound, compaq 17" and ibm 15", dual-boot 98se-winxp home
Note my system below. I built it a little over a year ago. The case, mobo, psu, memory, floppy, keyboard, 40 gig hdd, 17” monitor, dvd, and cdrw are all from the initial build. I’ve upgraded the video card, modem, and cpu. I’ve added the santa cruz sound card. I also added a pci video card and 15” IBM monitor, both of which were parts from prior computers that basically were laying around my office. Adding these has allowed me to have a dual-monitor setup, which I love.
When I originally purchased the parts for this computer, I bought OEM versions of Win98se and WinXP Home for a dual-boot system on the 40gig Maxtor. I later did a clean install of XP on a new 80gig Maxtor. I swap the hdds back and forth, the latter intended to be a pure gaming hdd. I mostly use the 40gig.
The first time I got the reauthorization message, I had just uninstalled some Via IDE miniport drivers on the 80gig hdd. Today, with the 40 gig Maxtor in place, I got the “message” after reinstalling the geforce4. I had replaced the fan on the geforce4's heatsink. While the card was down, I put in the geforce2 GTS that originally was in the build.
As I type this, I have the 80 gig in place. I have not yet connected to Microsoft to get XP reauthorized on the 40 gig. I sure hope the tech to whom I speak believes me when I explain the situation. I hope he lets me continue using the XP OS that I paid for.
I also am going to tell him that I plan to do a clean reinstall of XP on the 80 gig and then follow a procedure outlined in Maximum PC magazine on how to create personalized recovery discs that allow for fresh reinstalls of WinXP with all my own OS preferences and updates. I hope Microsoft allows me to do this.
In a nutshell, this situation sucks. I guess one could argue that I purchased a license to use these OSes according to certain stipulations. But when does this start to curtail and otherwise impinge on my freedom to choose what components and drivers (and other software?) that I put in my computer? How do I know that Microsoft is not requiring this authorization because I recently happened to install the Opera browser, and maybe MS is threatened by other browsers? I mean, the bottom line here is the question of what criteria Microsoft uses to set in motion this reauthorization process. What line has to be crossed? Who determines that line? On what basis? I mean, really, uninstalling Via IDE Miniport drivers? Reinstalling a video card that I’ve used for one year? Give me a break. This is not a good situation.
So, for what it’s worth, I thought I’d pass this on. When will this extend to other programs? I mean, I’ll really be in trouble if my word processor stops working in the middle of a report, or testing software that I use in my practice (I’m a psychologist) suddenly decides to shut down and requires me to contact the company for continued use of their product. Digital rights management. I’m not sure whose rights we are talking about.
Marty
soltek SL-75DRV5, HEC 350 watt psu, t-bred revision b 2100 at 2170MHz, Vantec aeroflow hsf, 256mg Samsung 2700 ddr (5-2-2-2), geforce4 4400 agp and voodoo3 2000 pci, pioneer dvd, tdk cdrw, 40g and 80g maxtor 133, santa cruz sound, compaq 17" and ibm 15", dual-boot 98se-winxp home