Stained Windows! Microsoft to mark illegal copies

[gore]

labnol.********.com /test

[tin.roof.rabbit]

I should have been more specific in the question. I am used to dealing with a Corporate EULA and was just wondering if the honest OEM's generally build the OS from scratch (which to me is installing the OS from the CD and installing drivers) or if they use a syspreped image and wipe the product key out of the installation (which would prompted you to re-enter a valid key during setup). I am always curious to see how other people roll out their desktops and I have limited exposure into OEM agreements.

Thanks.

[Triad]

morning all
tin.roof.rabbit, at the school i work at we have a enterprise key (although all the machines we buy, come packaged with either pro or home and the key is on a sticker on the side) that we use to make up an image with, then deploy it out, so that they all have the same programs and drivers.
the key isn't wiped out at all, but instead al the computers use the same enterprise key.

[nihil]

Hi,

Out of curriosity; Are you building the OS from scratch or do you image with the authentication key blanked?

tin.roof.rabbit I know where you are coming from In my "private" business world I build everything individually from genuine OEM CDs and load the drivers for the specific components/peripherals that make up that build. The MS labels are duly attached to the case. The CDs/DVDs are carefully annotated as to what they are and what they contain.

In a corporate environment it is an image pertinent to the enterprise. The kit comes from OEMs like Dell, HP, IBM or whatever. You wipe the HDD and load your own corporate image, which includes your security policy settings etc.

There may be several "images" for a single enterprise, that are "department" specific. At the same time you set up machines/virtual machines that are specific to departments, in your laboratory. We call these "reference machines" and use them to test new software and upgrades before rolling them out into the production environment.

The images contain the enterprise authentication key, as you need that these days. Microsoft have figured that they get stolen and traded

[tin.roof.rabbit]

As an enterprise we are moving away from our current desktop deployment methodolgoy (all 20 something sites doing what ever they can get budget for, or in most cases what the staff has the knowledge and skill set to do) to a standard imaging methodology using RIS and OSD. We are splitting our Images by HAL and if it is XP Pro or Tablet (which is really the same image with the enterprise tablet key and the tablet edition i386 folder in sysprep). Hopefully we have defined all of our SMS collections and client roles correctly making the bulk of our application deployment automated.

Again I'm always curious about the way other people deploy. Thanks again

[nihil]

CORRECTION

My earlier posts were somewhat misleading. Microsoft only came out with the MoBo definition quite recently (2006).

I don't actually know if they have any mechanism to check it, but they have tried to bully their OEMs
into enforcing the policy.

http://www.aviransplace.com/index.ph...d-new-licence/

[IKnowNot]

I think that thinking would have killed my wallet years ago.

I have a box that started as a x286 with DOS and an EGA monitor, upgraded to DOS 6.0 ( then as I recall eventually to DOS 6.2 ), then to a x386 and Windows for Workgroups ( 3.1 ), then a x486, then a Pentium, then to an AMD K6III with ‘98, .... its now running Fedora III, but still have ‘98 on a second drive for when I need to refer back for any reason, ( and it is the only box using that ‘98 license. )

I think almost every part in that computer has changed at least twice ( including the power supply ) except the case, 3 ½ and 5 1/4 floppy drives.

So what they want me to do is, if I decide to upgrade my ( sorry, my wife’s ) AMD 2500+ to a duel core I should throw out my current XP Pro OS and buy another one?

At that point I would teach my wife Linux! Either that, or accidently put a screwdriver through the motherboard like my son did recently and then it would be a repair. That just doesn’t make sense.

BTW for anyone interested, just checked again, the EULA for the WGA update KB905474 still says

MICROSOFT PRE-RELEASE SOFTWARE LICENSE TERMS
MICROSOFT WINDOWS GENUINE ADVANTAGE VALIDATION TOOL ...

[nihil]

So what they want me to do is, if I decide to upgrade my ( sorry, my wife’s ) AMD 2500+ to a duel core I should throw out my current XP Pro OS and buy another one?

In a word Y€$$$$$

I think that their only hope is that the big OEMs (Dell, HP, IBM etc) can be bullied into this. They probably pay no more than $25 per installation, so when they get a machine back for upgrade and it involves changing the MoBo, M$ want a slice of the rip-off?

It is really a load of Ballmer Bollix as far as I am concerned................anyone who returns a computer to a major OEM for that sort of upgrade should not be allowed access to complex equipment and alternating current.

The only, upgrades you see in industry/commerce etc is RAM and the occasional HDD. In reality, major purchasers can dictate to the OEMs, and their expenditure is tax deductible.

Private individuals would just trade their old equipment or sell it and then go and buy new. Or, they would take it to a local shop or do it themselves.

I don't see M$ making anything out of this, but they sure as hell are justifying anti-trust actions, and winning sympathy for people who pirate stuff? It was a very bad PR move IMO.

Seriously, buy yourself a proprietary OEM box these days and try to upgrade it ...........that "recovery disk" won't hack it!!!!

[rmlj63]

All I have to say is that Unix ROCKS! :P

[nihil]

Well,

All I have to say is that Unix ROCKS! :P

In which case, might it not be better if you said nothing at all ?

What we were discussing is the industry, and Microsoft's grip on the major OEMs ?

Unix/Linux is really not an off the shelf option at the moment, and that is what keeps Billy Gates Gruff safe from the Troll in the high street stores.

Trolls? Penguins? ack phtt! I never was very good at lepidoptery

As it is Sunday, here is something to reflect upon, as it is written:

"A house that is divided amongst itself shall surely fall"

That is why "closed source" wins, and will continue to do so

just my £0.02