Refusing license in favour of XP

Wonder if any of you guys can shed any advice/experience of refusing
activation of a MS OS.

I've got my new lappy arriving with Vista basic OEM preinstalled
which I don't want to activate and use.

My old recently departed lappy has my XP home with License which I
wish to install and use on new lappy, I wish to refuse the license for
activating new Vista, return the documentation, sealed disk, license
etc to Microsoft and possibly receive a partial refund as I'm paying
for this somewhere in the new lappy purchase price.

I've heard of this being done before by a guy who took photographs of
each stage of the refusal before returning to MS and got a cheque for
£50 quid or so for his trouble, but I can't now locate this thread/
details.

It's grieving being forced to pay for something I don't want, and
wonder if there's any advice/experience of this.

TIA

"Burnout" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...

> My old recently departed lappy has my XP home with License which I
> wish to install and use on new lappy

This isn't possible, you would need to buy a copy of Windows XP, OEM
licenses like the one supplied on your own laptop can only be installed on a
single machine, and once installed cannot be transferred.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.dasmirnov.net/blog/
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*

On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 10:18:08 -0700, Burnout <>
wrote:

> Wonder if any of you guys can shed any advice/experience of refusing
> activation of a MS OS.
>
> I've got my new lappy arriving with Vista basic OEM preinstalled
> which I don't want to activate and use.


It very likely comes preactivated.


> My old recently departed lappy has my XP home with License which I
> wish to install and use on new lappy, I wish to refuse the license for
> activating new Vista, return the documentation, sealed disk, license
> etc to Microsoft and possibly receive a partial refund as I'm paying
> for this somewhere in the new lappy purchase price.


Nope, you have no option to do this. Microsoft doesn't deal with OEM
versions, doesn't want you OEM version, and will not refund you
anything for it.

The only possibility is that you might be able to order the laptop
without an operating system, and the vendor *might* give you something
off for it (but my guess is that the vendor won't give you anything at
all).

Also bear in mind that your plan to put your old copy of XP on the new
laptop will probably not work, for several reasons:

1. If the copy of XP came with the old laptop, it's an OEM copy and
the OEM license ties it permanently to the first computer it's
installed on. It can't legally be moved to your new laptop.

2. In many cases, OEM copies are BIOS-locked to the original
computer's motherboard, and will not work in a different computer.

3. Even if you could get it installed, you might have trouble finding
XP drivers for all the components in the new computer.

4. Some vendors consider that if you change the operating system that
came with the computer, you void their warranty.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Burnout wrote:
> Wonder if any of you guys can shed any advice/experience of refusing
> activation of a MS OS.
>
> I've got my new lappy arriving with Vista basic OEM preinstalled
> which I don't want to activate and use.
>


Then I'd have to ask why you ordered a "lappy" (What is that, by the
way? A laptop computer, perhaps?) with Vista. Why did you buy something
you don't want? That makes absolutely no sense to me. There are
several computer manufacturers who offer their products with the buyer's
choice of operating system.


> My old recently departed lappy has my XP home with License which I
> wish to install and use on new lappy,


If be "lappy" you do indeed mean "laptop computer," you cannot do this.
The WinXP Home license that came with the old computer would have been
an OEM license, and OEM licenses are, as we all know, _permanently_
bound to the first PC on which they are installed. An OEM license, once
installed, is not legally transferable to another computer under *any*
circumstances. This is the main reason some people avoid OEM versions;
if the PC dies or is otherwise disposed of (even stolen), you cannot
re-use your OEM license on a new PC.


> I wish to refuse the license for
> activating new Vista, return the documentation, sealed disk, license
> etc to Microsoft ....


Because this is an OEM license, you cannot return it to Microsoft.
You'd need to return it to the computer's manufacturer, provided your
purchase agreement with them allows it. You might also ask that
manufacturer if they're willing to exchange the OEM Vista license for an
OEM WinXP license; some will do so.


> and possibly receive a partial refund as I'm paying
> for this somewhere in the new lappy purchase price.
>
> I've heard of this being done before by a guy who took photographs of
> each stage of the refusal before returning to MS and got a cheque for
> £50 quid or so for his trouble, but I can't now locate this thread/
> details.
>

I've never heard of Microsoft doing this for OEM licenses, but the
policies may be different in different countries.


> It's grieving being forced to pay for something I don't want,...


Ah, but there's the rub! *Who*, precisely, held the gun to your head
and "forced" you to purchase Vista? Have you reported this malfactor to
your local law enforcement agencies? If there was third party using
coercive measures involved in the purchase decision, then you cannot
claim to have been "forced."




--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
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safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

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The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

"Bruce Chambers" <3t> wrote in message
news:%...

> I've never heard of Microsoft doing this for OEM licenses, but the
> policies may be different in different countries.

Just for everybody's benefit the case the OP is referring to had some chap
say he refused to accept the EULA, and complained to Dell, and they sent him
a cheque for £50.

You are right that it is nothing to do with Microsoft what-so-ever.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.dasmirnov.net/blog/
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*

Bruce Chambers wrote:
>
>
> Ah, but there's the rub! *Who*, precisely, held the gun to your
> head and "forced" you to purchase Vista? Have you reported this
> malfactor to your local law enforcement agencies? If there was third
> party using coercive measures involved in the purchase decision, then
> you cannot claim to have been "forced."
>
>
>
>


OOPS! That should have read:

...... If there was *NO* third party using coercive measures involved in
the purchase decision, then you cannot claim to have been "forced."


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

Burnout wrote:
> Wonder if any of you guys can shed any advice/experience of refusing
> activation of a MS OS.
>
> I've got my new lappy arriving with Vista basic OEM preinstalled
> which I don't want to activate and use.
>
> My old recently departed lappy has my XP home with License which I
> wish to install and use on new lappy, I wish to refuse the license for
> activating new Vista, return the documentation, sealed disk, license
> etc to Microsoft and possibly receive a partial refund as I'm paying
> for this somewhere in the new lappy purchase price.

There is no license, no documentation, and no disk, sealed or otherwise with
your new laptop. You are not paying for it anywhere. The laptop manufacturer
either paid a bulk license fee to MS or a per-machine manufactured fee. The
laptop seller is indifferent to what you do with the software. It costs him
no more than he's already paid no matter what you do.

>
> I've heard of this being done before by a guy who took photographs of
> each stage of the refusal before returning to MS and got a cheque for
> £50 quid or so for his trouble, but I can't now locate this thread/
> details.

It's quite likely you imagined the whole episode. MS is NOT going to pay you
even diddly for an OEM non-installation.

>
> It's grieving being forced to pay for something I don't want, and
> wonder if there's any advice/experience of this.

Ever get a parking ticket? Same thing.

The version of Windows Vista is more than likely already pre-activated and,
as the version is OEM it has nothing to do with Microsoft, it is an issue
you would need to take up with your laptop retailer.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

"Burnout" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
Wonder if any of you guys can shed any advice/experience of refusing
activation of a MS OS.

I've got my new lappy arriving with Vista basic OEM preinstalled
which I don't want to activate and use.

My old recently departed lappy has my XP home with License which I
wish to install and use on new lappy, I wish to refuse the license for
activating new Vista, return the documentation, sealed disk, license
etc to Microsoft and possibly receive a partial refund as I'm paying
for this somewhere in the new lappy purchase price.

I've heard of this being done before by a guy who took photographs of
each stage of the refusal before returning to MS and got a cheque for
£50 quid or so for his trouble, but I can't now locate this thread/
details.

It's grieving being forced to pay for something I don't want, and
wonder if there's any advice/experience of this.

TIA

In article <. com>,
says...
> My old recently departed lappy has my XP home with License which I
> wish to install and use on new lappy,

If your old version of XP was OEM, very common on most big box PC's, you
can not use the license on another computer.

--

Leythos
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
(remove 999 for proper email address)

Burnout wrote:
> Wonder if any of you guys can shed any advice/experience of refusing
> activation of a MS OS.
>
> I've got my new lappy arriving with Vista basic OEM preinstalled
> which I don't want to activate and use.
>
> My old recently departed lappy has my XP home with License which I
> wish to install and use on new lappy, I wish to refuse the license for
> activating new Vista, return the documentation, sealed disk, license
> etc to Microsoft and possibly receive a partial refund as I'm paying
> for this somewhere in the new lappy purchase price.
>
> I've heard of this being done before by a guy who took photographs of
> each stage of the refusal before returning to MS and got a cheque for
> £50 quid or so for his trouble, but I can't now locate this thread/
> details.
>
> It's grieving being forced to pay for something I don't want, and
> wonder if there's any advice/experience of this.
>
> TIA
>

If you want to do this, it may be possible, a few questions first:

Are the laptops from the same manufacturer?

If so, it will most likely work. Even if it doesn't, you have nothing
to lose by trying. So try it then when it prompts you to call for
activation, follow the directions below.

When you call for activation, being an educated consumer is beneficial.
Quoted from the MS website:

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation_facts.mspx

"Mandatory Product Activation Data

* The Installation ID is unique to each product and comprises two
components:

1. Product ID. Unique to the product key used during installation
2. Hardware hash. Non-unique representation of the PC

* The country in which the product is being installed (for Office
XP and Office XP family products only)"

You are never required to provide any other info in order to get
activated. The agent is required to activate you immediately if you
phone in and provide only the product ID, hardware hash, and
occasionally the country in which the product(s) is being installed! It
is none of their business if you made hardware changes, why you are
reinstalling, etc and you do not need to answer questions like that. If
they give you a hard time, politely remind them of this policy posted on
their company's website. If still they persist, request politely to
speak to a supervisor and escalate the issue until they give YOU the
paying customer the treatment you deserve! Best luck.

--
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http://protectfreedom.tripod.com/kick.html

"Fair use is not merely a nice concept--it is a federal law based on
free speech rights under the First Amendment and is a cornerstone of the
creativity and innovation that is a hallmark of this country. Consumer
rights in the digital age are not frivolous."
- Maura Corbett