How does a computer know what model it is????

I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in the
information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time may
still be 4 - 6 weeks.

In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed operating
system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical - the
motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.

I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so I'm
trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is does
my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me to
reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my parents
computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the required
drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may be a
better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
upgrading XP.

Thanks.

you might be able to do it, but you cannot authenticate with microsoft as the key would be in use on your parents computer.







"Bonnie." <> wrote in message news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in the
information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time may
still be 4 - 6 weeks.

In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed operating
system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical - the
motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.

I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so I'm
trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is does
my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me to
reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my parents
computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the required
drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may be a
better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
upgrading XP.

Thanks.

First, almost every HP computer comes with a hidden recovery partition on
the hard drive. This is used in conjunction with the recovery CD to bring
the system back to as it was when shipped. Your recovery partition is
different than your parents.

Second, if you have 2 different model numbers the computers are NOT
identical.


--


Regards,

Richard Urban MVP
Microsoft Windows Shell/User


"Bonnie." <> wrote in message
news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
>I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in the
> information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time
> may
> still be 4 - 6 weeks.
>
> In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
> after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
> computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed
> operating
> system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical - the
> motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.
>
> I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so
> I'm
> trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is
> does
> my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me
> to
> reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my parents
> computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the required
> drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may be
> a
> better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
> upgrading XP.
>
> Thanks.

Sure, it should work. You would need a separate Vista product key for yours
(which it sounds like you don't).

Also, as the models are different, there may be small variences in the
hardware that may make it not work correctly. But, Vista should install
fine, after that it's a different story.

It's going to be a gamble, but if you are set on it: make a good backup!

--
Dustin Harper

http://www.vistarip.com

--
"Bonnie." <> wrote in message
news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
>I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in the
> information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time
> may
> still be 4 - 6 weeks.
>
> In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
> after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
> computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed
> operating
> system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical - the
> motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.
>
> I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so
> I'm
> trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is
> does
> my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me
> to
> reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my parents
> computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the required
> drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may be
> a
> better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
> upgrading XP.
>
> Thanks.

Hi Bonnie--

You can't use an HP or any other OEM recovery CD to make Vista via the
upgrade mechanism.

It's also important to realize the limitations of a recovery CD for XP or
DVD for Vista.. It almost nevrer works to recover Vista or XP.

I am guessing that your program is this one or one very similar from HP:

HP Express Upgrade to Windows Vistaâ„¢
http://h20219.www2.hp.com/services/c...0-225-121.html

There's no excuse for this long delay, but it's an accurate index of MSFT
and HP's total disregard and non concern for their customers.

In the future, I hope you will realize that a recovery CD oftendoes not
work. I wouldn't use it as a frisbee for a dog and most of them are
unsuccessful.

HP and almost every other of the 300 OEM named partners succumb to MSFT's
forcing them to sign a contract they will not ship a genuine OS CD or DVD in
the case of Vista because of pure, unadulterated greed that is only equalled
by the total disdain for their end user customer base.

The man responsible for this is Scott Di Valerio an accountant that they
have made the Head of their OEM program who has no background in computer
science and it shows.

I would love to debate this with anyone from MSFT like Darrell Gorter or
Jill Zoeller or Vinny Flint, but these people are afraid enough of the MSFT
business arm to remain mum--but they realize precisely how MSFT screws the
major end users purchasers of Vista, the OEM customers because they don't
have the panoply of repair tools on a Vista DVD in Win RE.

Good luck,

CH


"Bonnie." <> wrote in message
news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
>I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in the
> information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time
> may
> still be 4 - 6 weeks.
>
> In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
> after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
> computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed
> operating
> system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical - the
> motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.
>
> I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so
> I'm
> trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is
> does
> my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me
> to
> reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my parents
> computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the required
> drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may be
> a
> better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
> upgrading XP.
>
> Thanks.

Bonnie--

Dell is one example among 300 huge multibillion dollar and multimillion
dollar companies who have had the courage to defy their platinum partner
MSFT. Dell has acutioned space for advertising on their preinstall desktops
and setups to Google to MSFT's shagrin, but of course all of those icons can
be eliminated by a mouse click.

What's important though, is that Dell has said no to MSFT's extreme greed.
MSFT wants end users to not only buy their pre-installed Vista for which
MSFT is paid somewhere between one and two hundred dollars for every
preinstalled Vista sold. However, when the OEM computer seller and MSFT
sell a PC with pre-installed Vista, they rip the customer off because they
deny the customer the recovery tools to repair a Vista that is broken and
won't boot--the panoply of tools MSFT Calls Win RE.

The Win RE team blog is here:

Win RE Notes
http://blogs.msdn.com/winre/default.aspx

The PC you have and your parents have don't have these tools available.

Let me make an analogy here:

Would you want to check a family member into a hospital who was critically
ill when you were told that life support services are limited, and if your
family member had a cardiac or respiratory arrest that no CPR efforts or
meds would be availalbe to that patient?

Do you think the Gates family or Ballmer family or Allchin family will be
checking their relative into a hospital under such circumstances? The
Darrell Gorter family or Jill Zoeller family? You can bet your start button
they will not.

You need a Vista DVD to be able to have the full panoply of tools to repair
Vista. You can use Win RE's tools that I've outlined in detail for months
on this group and Vista general to fix Vista. You may be able to fix a No
Boot Vista with F8 Windows Advanced Options, including 4 shots at system
restore, and Last Known Good as your fifth option, but you may not.

It is totally irresponsible of MSFT to leave their millions of end user
customers who buy Vista via pre-installed PCs (to date with better sales
than XP for the time period). They are completely aware they do this. They
never offer any defense. The shills for MSFT on this group are quick to
tout recovery discs and recovery partitons but in hundreds of trials with
their customers, I have proved the recovery discs and partitions almost
never work, and the genuine OS CDs (XP) and DVDs (Vista) do and the MSFT
shills know this or else are too inexperienced with actual repairs of no
boots to understand it.

Here is Dell's response to MSFT's contractural arm twisting to prevent a new
PC customer to prevent that customer (far and away the most common way Vista
gets into a home or small business) from receiving the Vista DVD or XP CD
during the era of XP:

Operating System Disks and Customer Support
http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archi...0/17/3132.aspx

"Update: Thanks to Direct2Dell reader Steven and a couple of Dell employees
for pointing out a mistake I made in my original post. When I wrote this,
the OS media was listed as an option in the configurator for $0. I mis-read
the number, and for that mistake, I apologize. Also, though this been in
the works for some time before now, it's now official. For U.S. consumer
and small business customers, all systems will now ship with an operating
system disc. This change will take effect in Europe by later next month. In
Asia, things are unchanged—we've always shipped OS discs with systems
there."

Dell is promising their customers that despite MSFT's deliberate
indifference toward their biggest slice of subenterprise customers receiving
the means to recover or CPR
Vista (Win RE on a Vista DVD) that they will ship an OS DVD with every new
Dell PC. I applaud them for it. I condemn MSFT's deliberate and cynical
denial of a Vista DVD to new PC purchasers of PCs that aren't Dell, and I
challenge anyone from MSFT to come on here and explain this nasty policy.

What's up Darell Gorter [MSFT]? Why didn't you and your team members try
to stop this slight to your customers when this is the very area you work
on? Weren't Eduardo Lareano (System Restore etc. at MSFT) or Dan Stevenson
(lead Program Manager for Storage Management Solutions at MSFT) or Jill
Zoeller (Community Program Manager for the Windows File and Storage Services
Team) concerned about the loss of these valuable tools for their
customers--that could cause their non-backed up customers to have to format
and loose all their documents and settings?

This dirty little secret of MSFT marketing was simply irresponsible and
displays low regard for MSFT's millions of end users who depend on PC
purchaces to receive Vista for their families and small businesses.

CH
__________
"Bonnie." <> wrote in message
news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
>I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in the
> information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time
> may
> still be 4 - 6 weeks.
>
> In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
> after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
> computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed
> operating
> system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical - the
> motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.
>
> I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so
> I'm
> trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is
> does
> my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me
> to
> reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my parents
> computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the required
> drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may be
> a
> better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
> upgrading XP.
>
> Thanks.

Where on earth did you get the notion that "MSFT is paid somewhere between
one and two hundred dollars for every preinstalled Vista sold."?

Even a one-mam shop could get a better break. You're an order of magnitude
out.

"Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
news:u%...
> Bonnie--
>
> Dell is one example among 300 huge multibillion dollar and multimillion
> dollar companies who have had the courage to defy their platinum partner
> MSFT. Dell has acutioned space for advertising on their preinstall
> desktops and setups to Google to MSFT's shagrin, but of course all of
> those icons can be eliminated by a mouse click.
>
> What's important though, is that Dell has said no to MSFT's extreme greed.
> MSFT wants end users to not only buy their pre-installed Vista for which
> MSFT is paid somewhere between one and two hundred dollars for every
> preinstalled Vista sold. However, when the OEM computer seller and MSFT
> sell a PC with pre-installed Vista, they rip the customer off because they
> deny the customer the recovery tools to repair a Vista that is broken and
> won't boot--the panoply of tools MSFT Calls Win RE.
>
> The Win RE team blog is here:
>
> Win RE Notes
> http://blogs.msdn.com/winre/default.aspx
>
> The PC you have and your parents have don't have these tools available.
>
> Let me make an analogy here:
>
> Would you want to check a family member into a hospital who was critically
> ill when you were told that life support services are limited, and if your
> family member had a cardiac or respiratory arrest that no CPR efforts or
> meds would be availalbe to that patient?
>
> Do you think the Gates family or Ballmer family or Allchin family will be
> checking their relative into a hospital under such circumstances? The
> Darrell Gorter family or Jill Zoeller family? You can bet your start
> button they will not.
>
> You need a Vista DVD to be able to have the full panoply of tools to
> repair Vista. You can use Win RE's tools that I've outlined in detail for
> months on this group and Vista general to fix Vista. You may be able to
> fix a No Boot Vista with F8 Windows Advanced Options, including 4 shots at
> system restore, and Last Known Good as your fifth option, but you may
> not.
>
> It is totally irresponsible of MSFT to leave their millions of end user
> customers who buy Vista via pre-installed PCs (to date with better sales
> than XP for the time period). They are completely aware they do this.
> They never offer any defense. The shills for MSFT on this group are quick
> to tout recovery discs and recovery partitons but in hundreds of trials
> with their customers, I have proved the recovery discs and partitions
> almost never work, and the genuine OS CDs (XP) and DVDs (Vista) do and the
> MSFT shills know this or else are too inexperienced with actual repairs of
> no boots to understand it.
>
> Here is Dell's response to MSFT's contractural arm twisting to prevent a
> new PC customer to prevent that customer (far and away the most common way
> Vista gets into a home or small business) from receiving the Vista DVD or
> XP CD during the era of XP:
>
> Operating System Disks and Customer Support
> http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archi...0/17/3132.aspx
>
> "Update: Thanks to Direct2Dell reader Steven and a couple of Dell
> employees
> for pointing out a mistake I made in my original post. When I wrote this,
> the OS media was listed as an option in the configurator for $0. I
> mis-read
> the number, and for that mistake, I apologize. Also, though this been in
> the works for some time before now, it's now official. For U.S. consumer
> and small business customers, all systems will now ship with an operating
> system disc. This change will take effect in Europe by later next month.
> In
> Asia, things are unchanged—we've always shipped OS discs with systems
> there."
>
> Dell is promising their customers that despite MSFT's deliberate
> indifference toward their biggest slice of subenterprise customers
> receiving the means to recover or CPR
> Vista (Win RE on a Vista DVD) that they will ship an OS DVD with every new
> Dell PC. I applaud them for it. I condemn MSFT's deliberate and cynical
> denial of a Vista DVD to new PC purchasers of PCs that aren't Dell, and I
> challenge anyone from MSFT to come on here and explain this nasty policy.
>
> What's up Darell Gorter [MSFT]? Why didn't you and your team members
> try to stop this slight to your customers when this is the very area you
> work on? Weren't Eduardo Lareano (System Restore etc. at MSFT) or Dan
> Stevenson (lead Program Manager for Storage Management Solutions at MSFT)
> or Jill Zoeller (Community Program Manager for the Windows File and
> Storage Services Team) concerned about the loss of these valuable tools
> for their customers--that could cause their non-backed up customers to
> have to format and loose all their documents and settings?
>
> This dirty little secret of MSFT marketing was simply irresponsible and
> displays low regard for MSFT's millions of end users who depend on PC
> purchaces to receive Vista for their families and small businesses.
>
> CH
> __________
> "Bonnie." <> wrote in message
> news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
>>I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in
>>the
>> information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time
>> may
>> still be 4 - 6 weeks.
>>
>> In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
>> after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
>> computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed
>> operating
>> system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical -
>> the
>> motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.
>>
>> I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so
>> I'm
>> trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is
>> does
>> my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me
>> to
>> reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my
>> parents
>> computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the
>> required
>> drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may be
>> a
>> better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
>> upgrading XP.
>>
>> Thanks.
>

It should have read to "MSFT" chagrin not shagrin. Sorry for the spelling
error. But for all the propaganda and hundreds of millions spent promoting
Vista with Wagner Edstrom and McCann Ericson Worldwide ad agencies on media
buys on TV and full page adds in major newspapers, a fraction of this money
could have gone to insure that every end user customer got a Vista DVD and
became "empowered" to use a hackneyed overused '90's word to fix Vista.
MSFT has left their customers high and dry, up a creek, and in a lurch in
respect to fixing Vista because they have denied them the Repair Environment
that can only be found on the DVD unless you are part of an entperprise and
MSFT has given you a way to install Win RE.

MSFT knows well that their hundreds of millions of end users have no
enterprise access because they do not work for an enterprise. Not everyone
works for an enterprise or large company. Not everyone works for a mid-sized
company. Many Vista users like the children of Jim Allchin and Bill Gates
and millions of others are kids.

MSFT refuses to discuss their denial of Vista DVDs or XP DVDs to their
customers the last several years.

One thing is clear. Retail sales of XP CDs and Vista DVDs have been down
20% for several quaters of the last couple fiscal years, but OEM preinstall
sales have been up 20% for that same period according to MSFT's quaterly
financial reports that are always delivered in meetings where Ballmer
invites investment house analysts. This is one incentive that drives MSFT's
greed that hoses their customers and prevents them from fixing XP and Vista.

CH






"Bonnie." <> wrote in message
news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
>I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in the
> information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time
> may
> still be 4 - 6 weeks.
>
> In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
> after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
> computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed
> operating
> system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical - the
> motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.
>
> I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so
> I'm
> trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is
> does
> my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me
> to
> reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my parents
> computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the required
> drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may be
> a
> better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
> upgrading XP.
>
> Thanks.

I got the "notion" from published reports and I can find a letter from one
of the people at the top at MSFT years ago (Eric Rudder who is currently
Senior VP Technical Strategy) that touted this figure when he wrote Warren
Buffet years ago to try to get him to invest in MSFT. Maybe it's more
now. It ain't less. I didn't see you offer a figure since you were
questioning mine--and what an oversight since you brought it up. My point
remains they are losing 20% on retail sales every quarter and gaining 20% on
OEM preinstalled sales and I know that's dead on from their financial
reports.

Do you have anything substantive to say about why and how MSFT screws their
customers out of the Vista DVD (Win RE) or XP CD (repair install) that both
contain the most powerful tools to repair a no boot XP or Vista?

CH

"cvp" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Where on earth did you get the notion that "MSFT is paid somewhere between
> one and two hundred dollars for every preinstalled Vista sold."?
>
> Even a one-mam shop could get a better break. You're an order of magnitude
> out.
>
> "Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
> news:u%...
>> Bonnie--
>>
>> Dell is one example among 300 huge multibillion dollar and multimillion
>> dollar companies who have had the courage to defy their platinum partner
>> MSFT. Dell has acutioned space for advertising on their preinstall
>> desktops and setups to Google to MSFT's shagrin, but of course all of
>> those icons can be eliminated by a mouse click.
>>
>> What's important though, is that Dell has said no to MSFT's extreme
>> greed. MSFT wants end users to not only buy their pre-installed Vista for
>> which MSFT is paid somewhere between one and two hundred dollars for
>> every preinstalled Vista sold. However, when the OEM computer seller
>> and MSFT sell a PC with pre-installed Vista, they rip the customer off
>> because they deny the customer the recovery tools to repair a Vista that
>> is broken and won't boot--the panoply of tools MSFT Calls Win RE.
>>
>> The Win RE team blog is here:
>>
>> Win RE Notes
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/winre/default.aspx
>>
>> The PC you have and your parents have don't have these tools available.
>>
>> Let me make an analogy here:
>>
>> Would you want to check a family member into a hospital who was
>> critically ill when you were told that life support services are limited,
>> and if your family member had a cardiac or respiratory arrest that no CPR
>> efforts or meds would be availalbe to that patient?
>>
>> Do you think the Gates family or Ballmer family or Allchin family will be
>> checking their relative into a hospital under such circumstances? The
>> Darrell Gorter family or Jill Zoeller family? You can bet your start
>> button they will not.
>>
>> You need a Vista DVD to be able to have the full panoply of tools to
>> repair Vista. You can use Win RE's tools that I've outlined in detail
>> for months on this group and Vista general to fix Vista. You may be able
>> to fix a No Boot Vista with F8 Windows Advanced Options, including 4
>> shots at system restore, and Last Known Good as your fifth option, but
>> you may not.
>>
>> It is totally irresponsible of MSFT to leave their millions of end user
>> customers who buy Vista via pre-installed PCs (to date with better sales
>> than XP for the time period). They are completely aware they do this.
>> They never offer any defense. The shills for MSFT on this group are
>> quick to tout recovery discs and recovery partitons but in hundreds of
>> trials with their customers, I have proved the recovery discs and
>> partitions almost never work, and the genuine OS CDs (XP) and DVDs
>> (Vista) do and the MSFT shills know this or else are too inexperienced
>> with actual repairs of no boots to understand it.
>>
>> Here is Dell's response to MSFT's contractural arm twisting to prevent a
>> new PC customer to prevent that customer (far and away the most common
>> way Vista gets into a home or small business) from receiving the Vista
>> DVD or XP CD during the era of XP:
>>
>> Operating System Disks and Customer Support
>> http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archi...0/17/3132.aspx
>>
>> "Update: Thanks to Direct2Dell reader Steven and a couple of Dell
>> employees
>> for pointing out a mistake I made in my original post. When I wrote this,
>> the OS media was listed as an option in the configurator for $0. I
>> mis-read
>> the number, and for that mistake, I apologize. Also, though this been in
>> the works for some time before now, it's now official. For U.S. consumer
>> and small business customers, all systems will now ship with an operating
>> system disc. This change will take effect in Europe by later next month.
>> In
>> Asia, things are unchanged—we've always shipped OS discs with systems
>> there."
>>
>> Dell is promising their customers that despite MSFT's deliberate
>> indifference toward their biggest slice of subenterprise customers
>> receiving the means to recover or CPR
>> Vista (Win RE on a Vista DVD) that they will ship an OS DVD with every
>> new Dell PC. I applaud them for it. I condemn MSFT's deliberate and
>> cynical denial of a Vista DVD to new PC purchasers of PCs that aren't
>> Dell, and I challenge anyone from MSFT to come on here and explain this
>> nasty policy.
>>
>> What's up Darell Gorter [MSFT]? Why didn't you and your team members
>> try to stop this slight to your customers when this is the very area you
>> work on? Weren't Eduardo Lareano (System Restore etc. at MSFT) or Dan
>> Stevenson (lead Program Manager for Storage Management Solutions at MSFT)
>> or Jill Zoeller (Community Program Manager for the Windows File and
>> Storage Services Team) concerned about the loss of these valuable tools
>> for their customers--that could cause their non-backed up customers to
>> have to format and loose all their documents and settings?
>>
>> This dirty little secret of MSFT marketing was simply irresponsible and
>> displays low regard for MSFT's millions of end users who depend on PC
>> purchaces to receive Vista for their families and small businesses.
>>
>> CH
>> __________
>> "Bonnie." <> wrote in message
>> news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
>>>I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in
>>>the
>>> information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait time
>>> may
>>> still be 4 - 6 weeks.
>>>
>>> In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were purchasing
>>> after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
>>> computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed
>>> operating
>>> system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical -
>>> the
>>> motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.
>>>
>>> I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't so
>>> I'm
>>> trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is
>>> does
>>> my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for me
>>> to
>>> reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my
>>> parents
>>> computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the
>>> required
>>> drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may
>>> be a
>>> better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install vs.
>>> upgrading XP.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>
>

First I'll state that I do not know a figure for Vista. I do know the figure
for XP but since it is company confidential info I am not permitted to
reveal it. I do not expectVista to be out of line. I'll leave it at "an
order of magnitude out". Microsoft has a different business model for retail
boxes.

On the issue of providing recovery tools, it's each OEM's decision how to
provide those: simple recovery partition, advanced recovery partition or
CD/DVD. I don't see this as "MSFT screws their customers".

"Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
news:...
>I got the "notion" from published reports and I can find a letter from one
>of the people at the top at MSFT years ago (Eric Rudder who is currently
>Senior VP Technical Strategy) that touted this figure when he wrote Warren
>Buffet years ago to try to get him to invest in MSFT. Maybe it's more
>now. It ain't less. I didn't see you offer a figure since you were
>questioning mine--and what an oversight since you brought it up. My point
>remains they are losing 20% on retail sales every quarter and gaining 20%
>on OEM preinstalled sales and I know that's dead on from their financial
>reports.
>
> Do you have anything substantive to say about why and how MSFT screws
> their customers out of the Vista DVD (Win RE) or XP CD (repair install)
> that both contain the most powerful tools to repair a no boot XP or Vista?
>
> CH
>
> "cvp" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Where on earth did you get the notion that "MSFT is paid somewhere
>> between one and two hundred dollars for every preinstalled Vista sold."?
>>
>> Even a one-mam shop could get a better break. You're an order of
>> magnitude out.
>>
>> "Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
>> news:u%...
>>> Bonnie--
>>>
>>> Dell is one example among 300 huge multibillion dollar and multimillion
>>> dollar companies who have had the courage to defy their platinum partner
>>> MSFT. Dell has acutioned space for advertising on their preinstall
>>> desktops and setups to Google to MSFT's shagrin, but of course all of
>>> those icons can be eliminated by a mouse click.
>>>
>>> What's important though, is that Dell has said no to MSFT's extreme
>>> greed. MSFT wants end users to not only buy their pre-installed Vista
>>> for which MSFT is paid somewhere between one and two hundred dollars for
>>> every preinstalled Vista sold. However, when the OEM computer seller
>>> and MSFT sell a PC with pre-installed Vista, they rip the customer off
>>> because they deny the customer the recovery tools to repair a Vista that
>>> is broken and won't boot--the panoply of tools MSFT Calls Win RE.
>>>
>>> The Win RE team blog is here:
>>>
>>> Win RE Notes
>>> http://blogs.msdn.com/winre/default.aspx
>>>
>>> The PC you have and your parents have don't have these tools available.
>>>
>>> Let me make an analogy here:
>>>
>>> Would you want to check a family member into a hospital who was
>>> critically ill when you were told that life support services are
>>> limited, and if your family member had a cardiac or respiratory arrest
>>> that no CPR efforts or meds would be availalbe to that patient?
>>>
>>> Do you think the Gates family or Ballmer family or Allchin family will
>>> be checking their relative into a hospital under such circumstances?
>>> The Darrell Gorter family or Jill Zoeller family? You can bet your
>>> start button they will not.
>>>
>>> You need a Vista DVD to be able to have the full panoply of tools to
>>> repair Vista. You can use Win RE's tools that I've outlined in detail
>>> for months on this group and Vista general to fix Vista. You may be
>>> able to fix a No Boot Vista with F8 Windows Advanced Options, including
>>> 4 shots at system restore, and Last Known Good as your fifth option,
>>> but you may not.
>>>
>>> It is totally irresponsible of MSFT to leave their millions of end user
>>> customers who buy Vista via pre-installed PCs (to date with better sales
>>> than XP for the time period). They are completely aware they do this.
>>> They never offer any defense. The shills for MSFT on this group are
>>> quick to tout recovery discs and recovery partitons but in hundreds of
>>> trials with their customers, I have proved the recovery discs and
>>> partitions almost never work, and the genuine OS CDs (XP) and DVDs
>>> (Vista) do and the MSFT shills know this or else are too inexperienced
>>> with actual repairs of no boots to understand it.
>>>
>>> Here is Dell's response to MSFT's contractural arm twisting to prevent a
>>> new PC customer to prevent that customer (far and away the most common
>>> way Vista gets into a home or small business) from receiving the Vista
>>> DVD or XP CD during the era of XP:
>>>
>>> Operating System Disks and Customer Support
>>> http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archi...0/17/3132.aspx
>>>
>>> "Update: Thanks to Direct2Dell reader Steven and a couple of Dell
>>> employees
>>> for pointing out a mistake I made in my original post. When I wrote
>>> this,
>>> the OS media was listed as an option in the configurator for $0. I
>>> mis-read
>>> the number, and for that mistake, I apologize. Also, though this been
>>> in
>>> the works for some time before now, it's now official. For U.S.
>>> consumer
>>> and small business customers, all systems will now ship with an
>>> operating
>>> system disc. This change will take effect in Europe by later next month.
>>> In
>>> Asia, things are unchanged—we've always shipped OS discs with systems
>>> there."
>>>
>>> Dell is promising their customers that despite MSFT's deliberate
>>> indifference toward their biggest slice of subenterprise customers
>>> receiving the means to recover or CPR
>>> Vista (Win RE on a Vista DVD) that they will ship an OS DVD with every
>>> new Dell PC. I applaud them for it. I condemn MSFT's deliberate and
>>> cynical denial of a Vista DVD to new PC purchasers of PCs that aren't
>>> Dell, and I challenge anyone from MSFT to come on here and explain this
>>> nasty policy.
>>>
>>> What's up Darell Gorter [MSFT]? Why didn't you and your team members
>>> try to stop this slight to your customers when this is the very area you
>>> work on? Weren't Eduardo Lareano (System Restore etc. at MSFT) or Dan
>>> Stevenson (lead Program Manager for Storage Management Solutions at
>>> MSFT) or Jill Zoeller (Community Program Manager for the Windows File
>>> and Storage Services Team) concerned about the loss of these valuable
>>> tools for their customers--that could cause their non-backed up
>>> customers to have to format and loose all their documents and settings?
>>>
>>> This dirty little secret of MSFT marketing was simply irresponsible and
>>> displays low regard for MSFT's millions of end users who depend on PC
>>> purchaces to receive Vista for their families and small businesses.
>>>
>>> CH
>>> __________
>>> "Bonnie." <> wrote in message
>>> news:FE8D7744-11D6-4E8E-A2FB-...
>>>>I purchased a HP computer in January therefore came with XP. I sent in
>>>>the
>>>> information for the Vista upgrade, but I have been advised the wait
>>>> time may
>>>> still be 4 - 6 weeks.
>>>>
>>>> In the mean time, my parents needed a new computer. The were
>>>> purchasing
>>>> after Feb 1, so their computer came preinstalled with Vista. Our two
>>>> computer are identical with the exception of the factory installed
>>>> operating
>>>> system. The hardware & software specs of both systems are identical -
>>>> the
>>>> motherboard, processor, chipset, drives, cards, are all identical.
>>>>
>>>> I was really hoping I would have my Vista upgrade by now, but I don't
>>>> so I'm
>>>> trying to be a bit creative in options to upgrade. So, my question is
>>>> does
>>>> my computer really know it is a 7680, not a 7780? Is it possible for
>>>> me to
>>>> reformat my hard drive, then use the recovery CDs supplied with my
>>>> parents
>>>> computer to 'rebuild mine' which would intern install Vista & the
>>>> required
>>>> drivers software on to my system? If this is possible, this route may
>>>> be a
>>>> better option anyways because Vista & drivers would be clean install
>>>> vs.
>>>> upgrading XP.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>
>