After the original message, all posts and replies are shown in reverse order, with the most recent post at the top. i.e. your latest post will always appear under the original message, at the top of the first page.
To display oldest posts first, click 'Flip Order - Oldest First' above.
|
|
|
"Spoooooon!"
Moderator
on 27/08/2008 at 2:05:26PM
Total Posts: 7733 |
So, a friend is clearing out his flat to go to London and gave me a few things, including a base unit for a PC.
Surprisingly it has a better processor/graphics card than mine and the motherboard can take more memory! Only...it doesn't have a hard drive.
Now this is one of those PCs that doesn't have any driver discs, they're all stored on the hard drive (that it doesn't have), I can buy a backup of Windows and the drivers for it for £35 from pctechguys but does anyone know if this would require the Windows serial code?
It's obviously had XP on it with a fully legal code, but my friend doesn't know where the manuals are, which may have the code on.
Basically: Any ideas how I can (legally) sort this out? I'll be buying a hard drive tonight at PC World. I could always ask them if they have a disc lying around, but I suspect they'll try and charge me £75 for doing it, or some such price.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon
|
|
pb
"Spoooooon!"
Moderator
on 28/08/2008 at 3:36:45PM
Total Posts: 7733
|
|
Vista would be very useful.
|
|
|
|
jubbachainsaw
"IAppearToBeOnFire!!"
Staff Moderator
Send a message
on 28/08/2008 at 2:43:18PM
Total Posts: 453
|
|
Ive got official XP and Vista discs if you have your COA label as I used to work as a laptop and desktop techy so I have all the legit discs.
|
|
|
|
Garin
"Devil in disguise"
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 11:55:39PM
Total Posts: 1738
|
|
pb wrote:
> Question is, if I had a copy of Vista, would that suffice, I can
> always add in drivers later.
Depends on the machine. If you've got a machine from a large vendor you might find your vista key wont work with a generic vista installation dvd.
No chance you can scavenge one from work's IT dept? Even if they dont use Vista in the company yet, they may well have an MSDN account (or action pack account or whatever its called these days) where you can download ISOs for all microsoft products.
|
|
|
|
pb
"Spoooooon!"
Moderator
on 27/08/2008 at 11:17:39PM
Total Posts: 7733
|
|
If the internet was any good then there would be people who were sensible enough to make a recovery CD and post the ISO on a website.
Looks like TheTechGuys website isn't working as I can't get to my PC model's recovery software. I'm assuming it's in the region of £40+ though.
Question is, if I had a copy of Vista, would that suffice, I can always add in drivers later.
|
|
|
|
Nin
"Karma Drama"
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 10:29:28PM
Total Posts: 6170
|
|
Grix Thraves wrote:
> Is it possible to download it without having to get the CrAcK
> and KeYgEn etc? Illegal download but, full version that allows
> you to install it.. almost legally? Maybe, I have no idea what
> the legal terms are on that
I'm not sure about Vista but it's quite easy to download and find the activation code. What you cant do is get Windows Genuine Advantage which allows you to download from Microsoft. Well not unless you somehow hack it. As for legality, nope, although i guess if you could prove purchase then Microsoft might be able to help you.
|
|
|
|
pb
"Spoooooon!"
Moderator
on 27/08/2008 at 10:21:56PM
Total Posts: 7733
|
|
Not sure. There are torrents, but I don't want to go down that route just yet.
I'll pop into the local PC shop tomorrow and see if they have any options, even if it means convincing them to borrow a CD!
|
|
|
Grix Thraves
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 9:08:12PM
Total Posts: 980
|
|
pb wrote:
> It didn't, otherwise it would partially solve the problem. But,
> guess what? We found the sticker somewhere else (and I promptly
> stuck it on the case).
>
> So now all I need is a standalone copy of Vista Home Premium...
Is it possible to download it without having to get the CrAcK and KeYgEn etc? Illegal download but, full version that allows you to install it.. almost legally? Maybe, I have no idea what the legal terms are on that
|
|
|
|
pb
"Spoooooon!"
Moderator
on 27/08/2008 at 9:06:41PM
Total Posts: 7733
|
|
It didn't, otherwise it would partially solve the problem. But, guess what? We found the sticker somewhere else (and I promptly stuck it on the case).
So now all I need is a standalone copy of Vista Home Premium...
|
|
|
Grix Thraves
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 8:15:02PM
Total Posts: 980
|
|
Eccles wrote:
Windows activation
Ah yeah right
I wonder how helpful Microsoft are about doing something like that
|
|
|
Grix Thraves
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 8:13:46PM
Total Posts: 980
|
|
Eccles wrote:
Your machine will be legal as long as it still has the OEM Windows license key sticker for the OS stuck somewhere on the case.
Wouldn't this solve the problem anyway? But that's a good idea, I always thought it was just laptops that did that (but I built all my pcs because I'm cheap and I did not put ANY stickers on them, apart from a sticker off a Golden Delicious apple one time but I think that's it)
|
|
|
|
Eccles
"Aargh! Broken..."
Staff Moderator
Send a message
on 27/08/2008 at 8:01:54PM
Total Posts: 419
|
|
What make is the machine?
If you've got as far as contacting the TechGuys then I assume it's one purchased from the DSG Group (PC World, Currys or Dixons when they sold PCs). If this is so and it's Packard Bell, Advent or similar then the easiest thing to do is to purchase the Recovery disks from TechGuys. You may also need to perform another procedure called retatooing if you do this but they should inform you of that. Make it clear that you will be performing a restore onto a new drive. If you do it this way then you should not have to worry about Windows activation. Your machine will be legal as long as it still has the OEM Windows license key sticker for the OS stuck somewhere on the case.
|
|
|
|
Silent Thunder
"WhaleOilBeefHooked"
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 5:13:58PM
Total Posts: 1123
|
|
Buy a hard drive on eBay, you might get a few banking details too, then you can charge the rest to whoever you choose. :-)
|
|
|
YH
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 3:31:14PM
Total Posts: 666
|
|
If it's causing you a problem, just give the PC to me :-)
|
|
|
|
Nin
"Karma Drama"
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 3:30:20PM
Total Posts: 6170
|
|
You're probably best off asking someone with a bit more knowledge. I've managed to rebuild my pc and the only issue i have with this at the moment is WGA, means i cant download anything from Microsoft unless i hack it, i cant be bothered. I would imagine that shouldnt be a problem though if you're going to but a legitimate version of windows.
|
|
|
|
pb
"Spoooooon!"
Moderator
on 27/08/2008 at 3:19:02PM
Total Posts: 7733
|
|
hm. I can get the current code for Vista on my other PC, that's fine, but I thought they cracked down on using one code for more than one PC?
|
|
|
|
Nin
"Karma Drama"
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 2:59:10PM
Total Posts: 6170
|
|
Well i can tell you how to get the activation code, no idea whether it's legal or not but it's not been shut down yet. Belarc have a lovely system scanner which will give you the activation code and a load of other useful details. All you need to do is put your current harddrive in your new pc, run the scanner and it'll give you the code. Then switch to your new harddrive and set Windows up as normal.
|
|
|
|
pb
"Spoooooon!"
Moderator
on 27/08/2008 at 2:49:01PM
Edited: 27/8/08 14:50 Total Posts: 7733
|
|
Yes, the activation code for Windows.
ie: It legally had a copy of windows on it, with a backup on the drive, but the hard drive corrupted and the activation code, which I've usually found on a seperate piece of paper or stuck to the PC case is lost.
I know how to get the drivers, not a problem, and I could (if I wanted) install Windows illegally or even buy Vista, but I wondered if there was another, cheaper but legal, way to get windows back on the PC.
|
|
|
|
Nin
"Karma Drama"
Regular
on 27/08/2008 at 2:18:32PM
Total Posts: 6170
|
|
Could you not just download the drivers free from the motherboard manufacturers?
As for the serial code, i'm assuming you dont mean the product activation code, because there are programmes that you can work that out with. Anyway i would expect that if you'd paid for it, it wouldnt be an issue but i'm probably missing something.
|
|
|
|
pb
"Spoooooon!"
Moderator
on 27/08/2008 at 2:05:26PM
Total Posts: 7733
|
|
So, a friend is clearing out his flat to go to London and gave me a few things, including a base unit for a PC.
Surprisingly it has a better processor/graphics card than mine and the motherboard can take more memory! Only...it doesn't have a hard drive.
Now this is one of those PCs that doesn't have any driver discs, they're all stored on the hard drive (that it doesn't have), I can buy a backup of Windows and the drivers for it for £35 from pctechguys but does anyone know if this would require the Windows serial code?
It's obviously had XP on it with a fully legal code, but my friend doesn't know where the manuals are, which may have the code on.
Basically: Any ideas how I can (legally) sort this out? I'll be buying a hard drive tonight at PC World. I could always ask them if they have a disc lying around, but I suspect they'll try and charge me £75 for doing it, or some such price.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
