Unable tio make use of Email Support

As a new Vista user, I am eligible for email support/answer to questions for
90 days. The procedure calls for entering the Product ID. But all my
efforts to type in the exact 20-character product code as required results in
a message saying I have entered a not valid code or a not correct format and
to try again. There is only one obvious way to type in the ID code, so I am
stuck trying to get an answer to a question because I cannot get to the point
of being able to write the question. What could cause the Microsoft help
site to not recognize the product ID of my copy of Vista Home Premium, and
can anyone offer a solution for ow to get in touch with Microsoft if they
will not let you? (The product ID, by their directions, is located under
System and Maintenance in the Control Panel; here is no doubt I am using the
correct ID.)

"PeterCovLA" <> wrote
> As a new Vista user, I am eligible for email support/answer to questions
> for
> 90 days. The procedure calls for entering the Product ID. But all my
> efforts to type in the exact 20-character product code as required results
> in
> a message saying I have entered a not valid code or a not correct format
> and
> to try again. There is only one obvious way to type in the ID code, so I
> am
> stuck trying to get an answer to a question because I cannot get to the
> point
> of being able to write the question. What could cause the Microsoft help
> site to not recognize the product ID of my copy of Vista Home Premium, and
> can anyone offer a solution for ow to get in touch with Microsoft if they
> will not let you? (The product ID, by their directions, is located
> under
> System and Maintenance in the Control Panel; here is no doubt I am using
> the
> correct ID.)


Is your Vista copy OEM or retail? OEM copies are not eligible for MS
support and that is the error message it gives when you enter an OEM product
ID. If your copy is retail then sorry, I don't know why you're getting this
message.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

If the product key looks like this

XXXXX-OEM-XXXXXXX-XXXXX
Then you dont qualify for technical support from MS, as its OEM software,
and support is the responcibility of the System manufactuer, and good luck
getting vista support from them,
Dell are useless, HP are worse, Compaq - Hmm Whats Vista?
IBM Managed for us somehow, after a 2hour call to fix a stupid WMplayer
error that updates didnt fix.
You only qualify for 90days IF you phisicly went to a shop, and handed over
cash for it.
if you purchased you PC with it on then well good luck

"PeterCovLA" <> wrote in message
news:4A14B783-3BF4-4E91-BAB2-...
> As a new Vista user, I am eligible for email support/answer to questions
> for
> 90 days. The procedure calls for entering the Product ID. But all my
> efforts to type in the exact 20-character product code as required results
> in
> a message saying I have entered a not valid code or a not correct format
> and
> to try again. There is only one obvious way to type in the ID code, so I
> am
> stuck trying to get an answer to a question because I cannot get to the
> point
> of being able to write the question. What could cause the Microsoft help
> site to not recognize the product ID of my copy of Vista Home Premium, and
> can anyone offer a solution for ow to get in touch with Microsoft if they
> will not let you? (The product ID, by their directions, is located
> under
> System and Maintenance in the Control Panel; here is no doubt I am using
> the
> correct ID.)

"Mark Shirley" wrote:

> If the product key looks like this
>
> XXXXX-OEM-XXXXXXX-XXXXX
> Then you dont qualify for technical support from MS, as its OEM software,
> and support is the responcibility of the System manufactuer, and good luck
> getting vista support from them,
> Dell are useless, HP are worse, Compaq - Hmm Whats Vista?
> IBM Managed for us somehow, after a 2hour call to fix a stupid WMplayer
> error that updates didnt fix.
> You only qualify for 90days IF you phisicly went to a shop, and handed over
> cash for it.
> if you purchased you PC with it on then well good luck
>
> "PeterCovLA" <> wrote in message
> news:4A14B783-3BF4-4E91-BAB2-...
> > As a new Vista user, I am eligible for email support/answer to questions
> > for
> > 90 days. The procedure calls for entering the Product ID. But all my
> > efforts to type in the exact 20-character product code as required results
> > in
> > a message saying I have entered a not valid code or a not correct format
> > and
> > to try again. There is only one obvious way to type in the ID code, so I
> > am
> > stuck trying to get an answer to a question because I cannot get to the
> > point
> > of being able to write the question. What could cause the Microsoft help
> > site to not recognize the product ID of my copy of Vista Home Premium, and
> > can anyone offer a solution for ow to get in touch with Microsoft if they
> > will not let you? (The product ID, by their directions, is located
> > under
> > System and Maintenance in the Control Panel; here is no doubt I am using
> > the
> > correct ID.)
>

Thanks for the new information. Yes, it is "OEM" -- I had no idea such a
designation put me into a different class of Windows user.

"PeterCovLA" <> wrote
> "Mark Shirley" wrote:
>
>> If the product key looks like this
>>
>> XXXXX-OEM-XXXXXXX-XXXXX
>> Then you dont qualify for technical support from MS, as its OEM software,
>> and support is the responcibility of the System manufactuer, and good
>> luck
>> getting vista support from them,
>> Dell are useless, HP are worse, Compaq - Hmm Whats Vista?
>> IBM Managed for us somehow, after a 2hour call to fix a stupid WMplayer
>> error that updates didnt fix.
>> You only qualify for 90days IF you phisicly went to a shop, and handed
>> over
>> cash for it.
>> if you purchased you PC with it on then well good luck
>>
>> "PeterCovLA" <> wrote in message
>> news:4A14B783-3BF4-4E91-BAB2-...
>> > As a new Vista user, I am eligible for email support/answer to
>> > questions
>> > for
>> > 90 days. The procedure calls for entering the Product ID. But all my
>> > efforts to type in the exact 20-character product code as required
>> > results
>> > in
>> > a message saying I have entered a not valid code or a not correct
>> > format
>> > and
>> > to try again. There is only one obvious way to type in the ID code, so
>> > I
>> > am
>> > stuck trying to get an answer to a question because I cannot get to the
>> > point
>> > of being able to write the question. What could cause the Microsoft
>> > help
>> > site to not recognize the product ID of my copy of Vista Home Premium,
>> > and
>> > can anyone offer a solution for ow to get in touch with Microsoft if
>> > they
>> > will not let you? (The product ID, by their directions, is located
>> > under
>> > System and Maintenance in the Control Panel; here is no doubt I am
>> > using
>> > the
>> > correct ID.)

> Thanks for the new information. Yes, it is "OEM" -- I had no idea such a
> designation put me into a different class of Windows user.

With an OEM copy you go to the computer vendor or the 3rd party who
installed it for tech support. If it's an OEM copy you installed yourself,
then you're responsible for the tech support.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]