Software needed

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

When I bought mu computer I was given a liscence and product key to use XP Pro. My system has crashed twice since I bought my computer last month. The first time i was told a virus corrupted the boot sector and I had to get the software re-loaded, Luckily no charge. I put Norton 2004 on right after that. Now, all of a sudden I get the message " windows could not start because the config32\system file is corupt or missing. To make a long story short, the place I bought my computer won't give me a copy of xp pro to reboot my computer with. They say that I can use a friends copy to load it and use my product key to activate it. So what are my options? Pay to have them re-install it or get a copy from a friend? And what could have caused this? Another virus? I had my old computer for 4 years and I never once got a virus and I never used virus protection.
 
Where the @#%# did you buy this computer from???
If it's a legitimate company they have to atleast give you an OEM disk or it
has to be on a partition (Like HP does) to tell you to use a friends is
about as shady as you can get and probably illegal!
Push them harder, threaten to call MS or the better business bureau or
something to that effect because there is something strange going on here.
Anyone disagree?
 
I have called them several times and asked for the cd, but they keep saying that all i get is the liscence to use the software, not the actuall cd to install it. This sounded wrong to me but they are very convincing. Thanks for your input.
 
They are convincing, but they are still wrong. Contact (e-mail address removed)
with the dealer's name and contact information. Give a brief summation of
their refusal to supply recovery media. Be aware that an OEM dealer is not
usually required to supply a full version disk, but *is* required to supply
some means of reinstalling the system. This could be a generic OEM CD, or
simply a recovery partition - it may not be exactly what you need at this
point in time to recover the system.

In the meantime, you will need to locate a disk if they are uncooperative.
Your key may not work with a retail disk if it is an OEM key, and vice
versa, you will need to know which type your key is. Incidentally, your
problem is a corrupt registry, this article can help fix it without
reinstalling (however, you will still need a CD to boot the recovery
console):

How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry [Q307545]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone



dmac said:
I have called them several times and asked for the cd, but they keep
Click to expand...
saying that all i get is the liscence to use the software, not the actuall
cd to install it. This sounded wrong to me but they are very convincing.
Thanks for your input.
 
On top of what Rick said I wouldn't be surprised if the key is useless. This
company sounds like a bunch of hackers making money. There are hacks out
there to get around XP activation you may very well have a bootleg copy of
XP on your box.

Rick "Nutcase" Rogers said:
They are convincing, but they are still wrong. Contact
(e-mail address removed)
with the dealer's name and contact information. Give a brief summation of
their refusal to supply recovery media. Be aware that an OEM dealer is not
usually required to supply a full version disk, but *is* required to
supply
some means of reinstalling the system. This could be a generic OEM CD, or
simply a recovery partition - it may not be exactly what you need at this
point in time to recover the system.

In the meantime, you will need to locate a disk if they are uncooperative.
Your key may not work with a retail disk if it is an OEM key, and vice
versa, you will need to know which type your key is. Incidentally, your
problem is a corrupt registry, this article can help fix it without
reinstalling (however, you will still need a CD to boot the recovery
console):

How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry [Q307545]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone



dmac said:
I have called them several times and asked for the cd, but they keep
Click to expand...
saying that all i get is the liscence to use the software, not the actuall
cd to install it. This sounded wrong to me but they are very convincing.
Thanks for your input.
Click to expand...
 
I'm sorry to read about your troubles with that crooked dealer. If you
actually paid them for a computer, then they at least owe you some sort of
Windows CD. What kind of license did they give you? Was it an official
Microsoft document or was it a photocopy of one? Of course, if the computer
was not new and they told you in advance that they would not give you a CD,
then that might alter the circumstances.

But, my main comment is about the fact that you went 4 years without virus
protection! WHAT???????? In this day and age, that is ..... I'm just at a
loss for words. Let me just say that NO ONE is immune from the threats of
the sophisticated viruses that prowl the internet these days. Keep that
Norton 2004 up to date and NEVER turn the computer on or receive email or
connect to the internet without protection.

Good luck,

Tom





Dmac said:
When I bought mu computer I was given a liscence and product key to use XP
Click to expand...
Pro. My system has crashed twice since I bought my computer last month.
The first time i was told a virus corrupted the boot sector and I had to get
the software re-loaded, Luckily no charge. I put Norton 2004 on right after
that. Now, all of a sudden I get the message " windows could not start
because the config32\system file is corupt or missing. To make a long story
short, the place I bought my computer won't give me a copy of xp pro to
reboot my computer with. They say that I can use a friends copy to load it
and use my product key to activate it. So what are my options? Pay to
have them re-install it or get a copy from a friend? And what could have
caused this? Another virus? I had my old computer for 4 years and I never
once got a virus and I never used virus protection.
 
They never gave me any actual "liscence" just a MS certificate of Authenticity sticker on the box with the product activation code. I did buy the computer new and they did say that it came with XP Pro Liscence. I assumed that this just meant that I could legally use the Software and that I would reviece the disks for it.
 
In addition to the 4 year virus free, I wasn't actually hooked up to the internet the whole time, just about half the time.
 
Not being connected to the internet is always effective. ;>)

Dmac said:
In addition to the 4 year virus free, I wasn't actually hooked up to the
Click to expand...
internet the whole time, just about half the time.
 
LOL yeah we (people) can get viruses from the air but computers have a
difficult time doing that.
 
Back
Top