Windows Validation Error.

[stallyon]

I have the same thing on my laptop, mainly because my laptop has an illegal copy of windowns on it......the same is true of your pc version i imagine

i cant believe you posted this on a public forum

[stallyon]

A lot of smaller shops who build units themselves will sometimes provide a "demonstration" version of the software as a favour, as it saves at least £60 on the overall cost. But if they have done this they should spell it out to the customer to avoid any misunderstanding.  If you have a genuine licence there should be a sticker somewhere on the unit (we used to put them inside the case to stop people pulling them off). You would also have product materials like a booklet and a set-up or recovery CD.  Any paid for software should also be itemised on the receipt.

Aye, this would be an OEM version...but even so the windows software should not show up as being illegal unless it is a pirated copy. If it is a pirated copy and the shop sold oyu it then you can sue them. Check it is pirated then go see the CAB

[Bongo]

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick there mate (about "demonstration" = OEM)

[jbsc7769]

Im curious about something here.. In general I only buy original software (in fact only had one "fake" item fo software which was 'nero' a while back, no longer on my system as I have a newer computer) although am very aware that most items can be downloaded for free. But, it is clear that many people (alledgedly) do on here.  I would guess that this is pretty representative of society. Now, as most people on here are poker players, what are the risks involved that someone *may* have hacked in to the "copy" software and put key loggers etc within it. I mean it was only a week or so ago that the "rake calculator" was found to have this sort of thing in it? High risk? Low risk?...
The next thing is this: I said that I used to have an illegal version of Nero that I downlaoded. So, I went to the Nero site and was curious if it would let me pay to updgrade. It connected to the interent, told me that the copy that I had was not original however, what it would do is let me have a highly discounted version if I now purchased it. Now, fast forward six months... I want the new Nero 7 now. I would be stupid to NOT download this illegally, go to the website and regsiter, get the same message and buy it for half the price. Legally....... discuss....

[Bongo]

Can you not upgrade legally for less than the cost of the illegal job? Most people get nero free with their CD writer anyway...

You don't have to download it to get an illegal copy of windows - you could borrow a mates (official) CD and then use a dodgy key. You're right that people could hack them, but it would be a lot harder to do, a lot more visible (more AV companies checking it routinely, checks in windows itself). You're right to consider it a risk though.

I think in the not so distant future we're going to have more choice in the OS field and less of a lock in to windows (OSX on intel and linux improvements, virtualization), maybe then we'll see less people using/pirating windows?

[AceofWands]

A lot of smaller shops who build units themselves will sometimes provide a "demonstration" version of the software as a favour, as it saves at least £60 on the overall cost. But if they have done this they should spell it out to the customer to avoid any misunderstanding.  If you have a genuine licence there should be a sticker somewhere on the unit (we used to put them inside the case to stop people pulling them off). You would also have product materials like a booklet and a set-up or recovery CD.  Any paid for software should also be itemised on the receipt.

Aye, this would be an OEM version...but even so the windows software should not show up as being illegal unless it is a pirated copy. If it is a pirated copy and the shop sold oyu it then you can sue them. Check it is pirated then go see the CAB

The OS software most commonly used in this senario is the Volume Licence Key version of Windows XP Professional  using a leaked or manufactured number as this does not require any product activation. But these numbers are now detected as such by the Windows Genuine Advantage procedure though.  These usually fall in the range xxxxx-640 to xxxxx-650

The point I was making was that a lot of small system builders do this as favour to the customer to try and keep the price down, ie the unit is sold officially without software but happens to have a working version of Windows XP (and other software) for test purposes that they forgot to remove.

If however you were sold the unit as having properly licenced software that turns out to be bogus you would have case for legal redress.  I think you need to first contact the vendor and clarify the situation with them.

The Microsoft website provides advice: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/piracy/report/faq/default.mspx