Windows XP- A big problem!!!!

T

The Nightingale

New Member
I'm wanting to re-format my drive. Unfortunately, a few years ago my computer was taken away by a local company who got rid of a few bit of spywear etc. Whilst they were doing that they installed Windows XP Proff. They charged us about £60 at the time, that's including new parts that they bought for the computer.

Anyway, to get to the point, I'm really worried that it may not be a legal copy of windows. They didn't seem to charge us that much at the time, we've never had any real problems with it but I'm still a little worried. If it wasn't legal I guess I would have to wipe the drive and go and buy a new copy.:confused:

I have a few questions first though:

1. Are there any "tell tale" signs that the OS isn't a legal copy, such as the disc, behaviour of windows etc.

2. Is it true that if you install a illegal copy of windows your computer breaks down after 30 days and you are unable to use it again?

I really don't know whether it is, I was given a disc at the time so I'll be able to check that out!

Any help is hugely appreciated....:D :D
 
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go to microsofts website and look for the genuin windows check, or something like that. You download it, then run it, and it tells you whether you XP is a legal copy or illegal.
 
The disk they gave you should be a hologrammed disk, kind of a gold colour, with the Windows logo on it etc. If you have one of those, then it's almost certainly a genuine copy.

The OS doesn't break down after 30 days if it's illegal, that really only happens if it's not registered. If they managed to register it successfully then you won't be getting any popups telling you to register it, but that could have been worked around illegally by them.

Having said that, it's usually impossible to obtain updates from Windows Update if it's an illegal copy. That may be one way to check.

As far as the price is concerned, I have got official and legal copies of Windows XP for around that price, they would have got it OEM meaning there's no fancy box but nevertheless it's legal.

Hope this all helps. :)
 
When you run Windows Update, it'll ask you to validate windows. If it passes, chances are you have a good legal copy, if it fails, then you dont.
 
Thank you for all the replies- I will follow the advice given. :)

I did manage to install Windows service pack two and I've done serveral windows updates in the past without any problems.:D

Thanks again. :)
 
LOL ilegal copies work exactly the same. there is no difference. even with the updates. I mean windows has only one serial number. LOL!!!
 
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