Is this Ok? (Legal)

I just have a general question, and I don't mean to sound
stupid here but I don't want to get in trouble either so
if your not sure ask RIGHT? :)

I have a Compaq computer almost 3 years old, that I am
going to put in my duaghters room. It has windows ME.

I have had nothing but problems with me since day one
(sorry microsoft but its true) The stupid thing crashes
constantly, freezes up every little while and this has
been since day 1 out of the box, Compaq says its a
software problem and we didn't purchases software support!
Now, it won't even let you on line, (virus scans come
back clean consistently)

Anyway, I purchased a laptop, with it came xp. My
question is, is it ok to install xp on this other
computer, the laptop is gateway so the program did not
come with the compaq. Is this considered piracy?

The reason I am unsure is because, well, its mine right?
I mean by purchasing the laptop I also purchased the
operating system, right?

Please don't flame me, I just am unsure of if what I
woulld like to do is ok.

I just want to get rid of ME all together, I have
honestly had nothing but problems with it. I have kept
the updates current etc... nothing has helped and again,
the virus scans consistently come back clean NORTON and
Trend Micro both ran 2xs a week. Nothing wrong there.

Thank you.

Noel
Sun Feb 29 12:30:00 CST 2004

Deann
No - it's not legal - and it quite possibly wouldn't work anyhow.
Your best bet with the Compaq is to reformat and reinstall (or reset to
factory fresh, depending on the disks that came with it). Then go to Windows
Updates and install all the critical updates (2 or 3 at a time!)

Once you've done that - come back to us with any problems that you find with
it, and we'll try and get you sorted

Good Luck

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"DEANN" <DeAnnCummings@msn.com> wrote in message
news:498101c3fef1$03704a50$a101280a@phx.gbl...
> I just have a general question, and I don't mean to sound
> stupid here but I don't want to get in trouble either so
> if your not sure ask RIGHT? :)
>
> I have a Compaq computer almost 3 years old, that I am
> going to put in my duaghters room. It has windows ME.
>
> I have had nothing but problems with me since day one
> (sorry microsoft but its true) The stupid thing crashes
> constantly, freezes up every little while and this has
> been since day 1 out of the box, Compaq says its a
> software problem and we didn't purchases software support!
> Now, it won't even let you on line, (virus scans come
> back clean consistently)
>
> Anyway, I purchased a laptop, with it came xp. My
> question is, is it ok to install xp on this other
> computer, the laptop is gateway so the program did not
> come with the compaq. Is this considered piracy?
>
> The reason I am unsure is because, well, its mine right?
> I mean by purchasing the laptop I also purchased the
> operating system, right?
>
> Please don't flame me, I just am unsure of if what I
> woulld like to do is ok.
>
> I just want to get rid of ME all together, I have
> honestly had nothing but problems with it. I have kept
> the updates current etc... nothing has helped and again,
> the virus scans consistently come back clean NORTON and
> Trend Micro both ran 2xs a week. Nothing wrong there.
>
> Thank you.

war17
Sun Feb 29 12:31:45 CST 2004

You cannot use Windows XP on two different computers. The installation
procedure will not let you register the Operating System.

If you had problem with Compaq from day one, you should have returned it.

--
Warren
For additional help, post in
http://groups.msn.com/HelpforInternetExplorerorWindowsME/homepage

"DEANN" <DeAnnCummings@msn.com> wrote in message
news:498101c3fef1$03704a50$a101280a@phx.gbl...
> I just have a general question, and I don't mean to sound
> stupid here but I don't want to get in trouble either so
> if your not sure ask RIGHT? :)
>
> I have a Compaq computer almost 3 years old, that I am
> going to put in my duaghters room. It has windows ME.
>
> I have had nothing but problems with me since day one
> (sorry microsoft but its true) The stupid thing crashes
> constantly, freezes up every little while and this has
> been since day 1 out of the box, Compaq says its a
> software problem and we didn't purchases software support!
> Now, it won't even let you on line, (virus scans come
> back clean consistently)
>
> Anyway, I purchased a laptop, with it came xp. My
> question is, is it ok to install xp on this other
> computer, the laptop is gateway so the program did not
> come with the compaq. Is this considered piracy?
>
> The reason I am unsure is because, well, its mine right?
> I mean by purchasing the laptop I also purchased the
> operating system, right?
>
> Please don't flame me, I just am unsure of if what I
> woulld like to do is ok.
>
> I just want to get rid of ME all together, I have
> honestly had nothing but problems with it. I have kept
> the updates current etc... nothing has helped and again,
> the virus scans consistently come back clean NORTON and
> Trend Micro both ran 2xs a week. Nothing wrong there.
>
> Thank you.

Mike
Sun Feb 29 12:37:42 CST 2004

Not only is it not legal to install a second copy of XP on your Compaq it
simply won't work due to Microsoft's Windows Product Activation which in
effective means that each product key can be used on one machine only.

As for you problems with your Compaq. If it didn't work out of the box why
didn't you return it and ask for your money back on the grounds that the goods
weren't fit for the purpose for which they were sold or purchased? As to
software support Compaq are or were obliged to provide you with support as
this was a condition of their being allowed to buy copies of operating systems
for installation on their PCs at very heavily discounted rates.

I'm sorry to read you had problems with Win Me on your Compaq but feel that
your problems have in all likelihood little to do with the operating system
and could perhaps be hardware related or because Compaq did not install the
correct Win Me drivers for your hardware (which I feel is unlikely).
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP
mcmaltby@hotmail.com


DEANN <DeAnnCummings@msn.com> wrote:

> I just have a general question, and I don't mean to sound
> stupid here but I don't want to get in trouble either so
> if your not sure ask RIGHT? :)
>
> I have a Compaq computer almost 3 years old, that I am
> going to put in my duaghters room. It has windows ME.
>
> I have had nothing but problems with me since day one
> (sorry microsoft but its true) The stupid thing crashes
> constantly, freezes up every little while and this has
> been since day 1 out of the box, Compaq says its a
> software problem and we didn't purchases software support!
> Now, it won't even let you on line, (virus scans come
> back clean consistently)
>
> Anyway, I purchased a laptop, with it came xp. My
> question is, is it ok to install xp on this other
> computer, the laptop is gateway so the program did not
> come with the compaq. Is this considered piracy?
>
> The reason I am unsure is because, well, its mine right?
> I mean by purchasing the laptop I also purchased the
> operating system, right?
>
> Please don't flame me, I just am unsure of if what I
> woulld like to do is ok.
>
> I just want to get rid of ME all together, I have
> honestly had nothing but problems with it. I have kept
> the updates current etc... nothing has helped and again,
> the virus scans consistently come back clean NORTON and
> Trend Micro both ran 2xs a week. Nothing wrong there.
>
> Thank you.

Rick
Sun Feb 29 13:04:07 CST 2004

DEANN wrote:

> I have a Compaq computer almost 3 years old, that I am
> going to put in my duaghters room. It has windows ME.
>
> I have had nothing but problems with me since day one
> (sorry microsoft but its true)

This isn't microsoft, but frankly WindowsME is not usually the culprit.

> The stupid thing crashes
> constantly, freezes up every little while and this has
> been since day 1 out of the box, Compaq says its a
> software problem and we didn't purchases software support!

A computer which has problems "out of the box" almost certainly has
hardware not software problems. Compaq should have (and was probably
legally required to have) gotten you "up and running" with the
hardware/software combination you purchased regardless of the enhanced
support option you didn't purchase.

> Now, it won't even let you on line, (virus scans come
> back clean consistently)
>
> Anyway, I purchased a laptop, with it came xp. My
> question is, is it ok to install xp on this other
> computer, the laptop is gateway so the program did not
> come with the compaq. Is this considered piracy?

Yes it is.
Since you already have the media, you only have to purchase an
additional license: http://shop.microsoft.com/special/wal/walinfo.asp
(your neighborhood retailer may have better pricing

> The reason I am unsure is because, well, its mine right?
> I mean by purchasing the laptop I also purchased the
> operating system, right?

No, what you purchased was limited rights to use the OS. Read the EULA
that came with your XP edition.

> I just want to get rid of ME all together, I have
> honestly had nothing but problems with it.

Should have come here sooner <g>.

While it's certainly easier to have the same OS on both your computers,
I'd *very* strongly suggest finding out what the problem (if any) is
with your other computer before making that decision.

>I have kept
> the updates current etc... nothing has helped and again,
> the virus scans consistently come back clean NORTON and
> Trend Micro both ran 2xs a week. Nothing wrong there.
>
> Thank you.

Personally, I feel that if you have had numerous problems (of different
natures) you should consider reinstalling your computer OS/software fresh.

So,
what kind of errors are you getting ?




Rick