Need help from the pro's on windows installs

B

Big_O

New Member
Hi friends, run a computer shop and noticing a trend of people bringing in desktop computers (and laptops) with either Windows XP Home retail and/or OEM. There's quite a widespread amount of versions for Windows (OEM, Retail, Dell, HP, Vista Home / Media etc). The clients all have license keys but no disks! Nobody wants to buy a new license and it seems that most retailers today do not include disks with the purchase. People don't think they'll ever have to format their computer - but it's now time. Have a line of people that need servicing and not sure the most economic way to proceed.

What's the best way to handle this? Where can I locate all the different Windows disks? Licenses are not required and buying them is not an option.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Not to make you sound stupid or anything but...Let me get this straight... You run a computer business but don't know where to get installation disks? You should know this stuff if you run a repair business. Most OEM computers come with a recovery partition on their system. You use that to restore windows to factory state. Also, some systems allow you to burn reinstallation cd's from the program menu. If there is no recovery partition, most companies will allow you to order recovery cd's for that specific model of computer, comes at a slight cost though. If the owner doesn't have an OEM machine, meaning custom built, and has lost the install cd then they will have to borrow the same flavor of windows cd they used to install the first time but they will have to use their own key to activate. Also, sometimes people are just SOL and have to buy another copy of the OS.
 
Here's a typical scenario: Joe Customer comes into our shop with a 5 year old computer. Some virus corrupted the operating system and all that boots is the famous blue screen of death. The machine is DOA. There is a valid windows license key on the side of the case. The machine is worth nothing. The customer will not want the repair costs to exceed the cost of a new computer. There is no way a 2nd Windows license will be purchased and they never obtained the original installation disk. Don't worry we aren't stupid lol, and do have other means of handling this. Just wondered if any community members had a professional recommendation that was cost effective for the shop and the customer.

Thanks,
 
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You don't have any of your own XP/Vista discs lying around? Usually you can use them to install, and then just use the customer's key to activate it.

If you don't I guess you could buy yourself a copy and use the disc for the installs... though I think different SPs have different sets of valid activation keys, anyone clear this one up?
 
Honestly, I'm pretty sure that most small computer shops just keep pirated versions of all major operating systems. While it may not be 100% legal, there no real harm being done as long as you're still using valid product keys on the machines that they were meant to be used on. It sure beats buying thousands of dollars worth of software that you're going to use just for the discs and not for the actual licensing.


Edit: Oh, and to the above question, yes and no. I think that keys are interchangeable between SP1 and SP2, but SP3 has it's own set.
 
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I've tried using a retail disc to install and entering the OEM key on the side of the case, and it didn't work. :(
 
Big_O said:
Here's a typical scenario: Joe Customer comes into our shop with a 5 year old computer. Some virus corrupted the operating system and all that boots is the famous blue screen of death. The machine is DOA. There is a valid windows license key on the side of the case. The machine is worth nothing. The customer will not want the repair costs to exceed the cost of a new computer. ,
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I don't have an answer to your question - but if the PC is 5 years old but they probably came with the PC. Both my Dell's came with the Disks.
 
Jamin43 said:
I don't have an answer to your question - but if the PC is 5 years old but they probably came with the PC. Both my Dell's came with the Disks.
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And if they didn't, they should have come with a recovery partition.

They can't sell you a computer with no option of restoring the OS.
 
Bodaggit23 said:
I've tried using a retail disc to install and entering the OEM key on the side of the case, and it didn't work. :(
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You have to use a retail disk with a retail key and so on. They have had to match up to work for me. Some people claimed they have done it without matching disks and keys, but I have my doubts.
 
StrangleHold said:
You have to use a retail disk with a retail key and so on. They have had to match up to work for me.
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That was my point. It was suggested earlier in the thread that it be done that way. They could have meant OEM copies, instead of retail discs I guess.
 
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