volume license keys?

[colemancb]

The problem that originally brought this up was my buddy had bought a laptop on eBay and Windows Professional became corrupted, (and he had no CDs, I don't even know if the copy on the laptop was legit, but I assumed it was, since I saw no signs of crackage, customization, etc...) so I decided I would just use my XP Pro CD that came packaged with my Dell and figured I wouldn't have to activate it (since I didn't on my Dell), but I did, and I wanted to know (since I'm almost positive he has a valid license) if I could get a key to let me not activate it.

Thanks for all the input though (-flames).

[Cartoonite]

The problem that originally brought this up was my buddy had bought a laptop on eBay and Windows Professional became corrupted, (and he had no CDs, I don't even know if the copy on the laptop was legit, but I assumed it was, since I saw no signs of crackage, customization, etc...)  so I decided I would just use my XP Pro CD that came packaged with my Dell and figured I wouldn't have to activate it (since I didn't on my Dell), but I did, and I wanted to know (since I'm almost positive he has a valid license) if I could get a key to let me not activate it.

Thanks for all the input though (-flames).

In this particular case, I suspect your best option would be to contact the laptop vendor, unless your friend still has the contact information for the person he bought it from. If that fails, you can try contacting Microsoft to see if there is anything your friend can do.

Unfortunately, since the laptop was purchased on eBay rather than via an authorized reseller, you may find that your friend is out of luck.

[FthrJACK]

Some of the rules here may seem like a pain to some of you. But they are, as rules often are, there for a reason.

Most of you wont know me, i originally built this site back when XP was in its beta stages. There where no rules on the board back then. Over MSFN's life it has been shut down several times, for various reasons. some of you may even remember some of those downtimes, one lasted over 2 months if i remember rightly. Its not fun, not for the thousands of members or the sites staff who put a lot of work into this place for nothing. Spending a LOT of their spare time helping out and keeping the place tidy and interesting, and free of the kinds of people who would soon turn it into the kind of place you dont want to visit. Often for no thanks and sometimes even just getting grief in response to what they do.

this site wouldnt be around today if it wasnt for Xper and the guys who keep it alive - the mods and other staff, and of course the dedicated member base (i dont have anything at all to do with the running of the site any more, and to be honest if it was down to me this site would have died in its first year of life)

Some of the rules are there not because we want them, but because they have to be. As xper mentioned you guys dont get the emails from Microsoft and other blue chip (read richer than everyone on this board put together) companies with hungry lawyers. If it where down to us you would have always been able to discuss what you like so long as it wasnt sick or offensive to people in general.

We are all geeks, nerds, hackers call it what you will - but interested in how to make things do what we want and how things work just like the rest of you, but you guys arent the ones facing a lawsuit, getting emails from lawyers and "subtle" suggestions from large companies, and - has has happened in the past - even having MS staff talk about "questionable" content to you over the phone.

Rules may suck, but lifes full of them, like computer code is, things dont always work if you mess with them too much.

Basically, what im saying is nobodys being hollier than thou, or whiter than white, or whatever, but just trying to do whats best for this site that many of you use and enjoy - FOR FREE, so that everyone can continue to do so. How much bandwidth do you think this site uses? its not small, and its not free - but thats how cool these guys are that your ranting off at.

This isnt aimed at anyone in particular, not just the OP, but the people with the same view, cause you arent alone, you just need to realise why things are the way they are.

Edited September 24, 2005 by FthrJACK