How to deal with Windows licensing issues when reinstalling for other people???

[DPK99]

How do I deal with people who need a reinstall of Windows? I can use my cds and key numbers, but will that pose a problem for them? For example, if someone needs Windows XP reinstalled but they don’t have their CD, am I able to use mine? Won’t that pose a problem when it needs to be registered? How can I deal with this potential issue?

[trulad]

You can use your CD but you must use their key number. That's the only way it's legal.
trulad

[n8rand]

There's a program or rather a hack I guess but it will tell you the Windows XP product key that is currently being used on the computer...the program that i used to redo my friends is called ViewKeyXP. A search at google will show up a site with a download. Its only about 32KB so you should easily be able to put it on a floppy and run it on the computer you need to reinstall the OS on and write down the number. Hope that helps

[glc]

Well, if you are doing this as a business, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole if they don't have their CD and their COA.

[DPK99]

What does a place like CompUSA do about this if someone has a service agreement and lost their CD and license? I doubt CompUSA would make them purchase Windows again. What would a normal repair business do?

[glc]

A normal repair business should refuse to reload and require a new purchase. Microsoft can't take a joke when it comes to this issue, it can potentially be a $10,000 fine for the technician's company. If you lose the CD and COA, too bad, so sad, it's like losing anything else, it's gone and you have to replace it. In reality, I'll generally reload anything EXCEPT XP with a valid key out of the registry unless I have reason to suspect monkey business, but my XP CD will not touch anybody else's system except to use the repair console, I don't play games when product activation is involved.

[reboot]

Think of an OS as a toaster.
You take it home, use it, and one day it quits.
You can:
a) Buy a new one, or
b) Have it repaired.
I dont' care if the customer has a CD or not. There is NOTHING on any microsoft CD's that makes them unique from any other, however, they MUST provide me with a COA. Any COA from the corresponding OS.
I have many customers asking me to install XP with a 98 coa, sorry, not in this shop.
I don't care where you got the coa, I don't even need to see it, just phone me with the right key code to install the OS, and my ass is covered. I didn't knowingly do anything illegal, and MS understands that.
I also get customers that have the OS on the computer, you know the kind(s), with no CD. They have a sticker on the box, but no booklet or other proof, and all they want is a LEGAL copy of the OS.
In this case, I sell them a license, and burn them a copy. (gasp!)
Yes, this IS legal. I have been through this with MS on the phone more than once. As long as the customer has paid for the license, they are entitled to the OS, in any form, even a burned copy.

[DPK99]

Ok. What about 2000, ME, and 98?

[GhostRecon]

The Same!

[reboot]

All the same, 2k3server (all flavours), xp (all flavors), 2k, 98SE, 98(all flavours), 95 (all flavours), 3.1, and 3.0 as well as Longhorn Beta/Alpha releases.

[glc]

If I were set up to sell licenses, I would do the same, but I'm not.