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Date:	Thu, 21 Sep 2006 06:14:16 -0700
From:	"Harry Motin" <hmotin@sbcglobal.net >
Reply-To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
To:	< "scoug-help@scoug.com" > scoug-help@scoug.com >
Subject:	SCOUG-Help: peer and WinXP

Content Type: text/plain

On Wed, 20 Sep 2006 16:23:59 -0700, Bob wrote:

>No I was talking about a preloaded system. When a system is preloaded and
>there are no CDs they still need to give you all of the software you may need.

Unfortunately, that's not really true. These days you do NOT get a Windows installation
CD with any new computer with Windows preloaded. Instead, you get a PC
manufacturer proprietary "Restore CD". It's not equivalent to a Window installation CD,
and worse, you can only use it on the exact model PC that you have (it's proprietary to
the manufacturer (Dell, Gateway, HP, etc.) and to the PC model. If you try to use it to
install Windows on another machine, it will not work. As me, I know.

Several months ago I upgraded my daughter's system, which was an E-Machine, by
installing a new motherboard, CPU, hard drive and some other things. I had previously
backed it up to a second hard drive. I then tried to restore the system to the new
hardware, using an Acronis True Image rescue CD (it allows full "metal-to-metal
restores from a CD). After I completed the CD restore, however, the new hardware
would not complete the boot cycle (kept cycling back to the beginning).

Next, I tried my daughter's "Restore CD" from E-Machines. The CD did not recognize
the hardware as being correct (same E-Machine model) and it refused to install.

Finally, I rumaged around and found a "Restore CD" that I kept from my father's
computer (we previously sold it with nothing on the hard drive; I kept all of the software). I
bought that PC for my father about 5 years ago and I hoped that the "Restore CD" would
work (was made before Microsoft tighted up on everything). Fortunally, the "Restore
CD" installed Windows on my daughter's new system. But then, when I booted up, I was
confronted with the "Windows Activation" procedure. Apparently, the system had
changed sufficiently for Windows to recognize that the hardware was different. I finally
had to call Microsoft, explain what I had done and explain that I was only transferring the
software to new hardware and that I was junking the old hardware. Microsoft gave me
an activation code, which I typed in and the system accepted.

All of the above is to say the following:

1. The "Restore CD" that you get with new machines are not equivalent to
"all the software you need" or to a "Windows installation CD"

2. I believe that Microsoft changes the PC manufacturer less, if it uses and
packages "Rescue CD's" with their products rather than the full Windows installation
products

3. The "Rescue CD" route helps Microsoft combat piracy

4. The Microsoft and PC manufacturer policies make it very difficult for the
ordinary person to move or upgrade his system
HCM

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