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New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Old Jan 19th 2017, 2:39 pm
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Default New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Just bought a new Windows 10 PC & collected it fully boxed and all looked okay. Plugged it in and all worked fine.
On the desktop though there is a message in the corner which reads "Activate Windows. Go to settings to activate Windows".
Went to settings and there is a Product ID but the Product key is just a series of Xs.
Below that it states:- "We can't activate Windows on this device because the product has been used on a different device. Go to the store and buy genuine Windows"-
Called the store who have told me to bring it in and they will sort it out. Suspect the Windows OS fitted is not for my machine and has been installed on it from a disk installed on several machines. Can't be sure of course but somewhat suspicious and feel conned.
Is this something the police would be concerned about or is it solely a civil matter?
Waiting to see what happens when I take it in, but would welcome advice please before I do.
BTW, there is nothing on the casing indicating any Microsoft Windows 10 licence but I believe that is sometimes the situation nowadays, but not sure.
Thanks.
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Old Jan 19th 2017, 3:01 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Hola,

First step is to give the shop a chance - could be a genuine error. If it's not then you haven't lost anything more - just given yourself more ammo to shoot them with

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Old Jan 19th 2017, 3:44 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Odd that ain´t it?
I had occasion to cleanse my laptop completely, after loading the free Windows 10 upgrade. The guy who did it all (a pukka trader seemingly) got everything to rights, (using 10.2) but since sometime after I am plagued with requests from Microsoft to "activate Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010". As I am not a professional in that way I tend to ignore them but it is constant each time I enter an Office subsystem, and annoying. It also suggests that I "change product key" whatever that means.
Only close to the topic but I would like to hear if this problem is widespread.
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Old Jan 19th 2017, 3:51 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Originally Posted by marcbernard
Odd that ain´t it?
I had occasion to cleanse my laptop completely, after loading the free Windows 10 upgrade. The guy who did it all (a pukka trader seemingly) got everything to rights, (using 10.2) but since sometime after I am plagued with requests from Microsoft to "activate Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010". As I am not a professional in that way I tend to ignore them but it is constant each time I enter an Office subsystem, and annoying. It also suggests that I "change product key" whatever that means.
Only close to the topic but I would like to hear if this problem is widespread.
Did you buy an Office licence with your PC. It is not included in Windows 10. It is quite expensive.
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Old Jan 19th 2017, 3:53 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Well, back to shop and all sorted. A phone call to an automated Microsoft number and entering certain digits seemed to do the trick. I'm paranoid after a bad experience a few years back when I bought one over here. After a few days kept getting message telling me my copy of Windows was illegal. After that I got the black screen of death. The shop had gone out of business!
Thanks for the replies. Appreciated. Panic over!
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Old Jan 19th 2017, 3:54 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

A while ago I bought online (for 30€ as against Microsoft 100€) a Windows edition upgrade so as to have English available. I bought it thinking it was genuine, it installed and ran OK but would not take updates, then I had a message from Microsoft (genuine) to send them details on where/when/how I had bought the upgrade. This I sent to them and in return they sent me (Ok a few years ago) genuine Windows Ultimate installation disks for free.

Buying a computer without genuine version of Windows with unique Microsoft code number will only lead to problems.

I think the shop is ripping you off unless they fully disclosed the Windows was bootleg.

OK great, good news...

Last edited by spainrico; Jan 19th 2017 at 3:57 pm.
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Old Jan 19th 2017, 5:09 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Originally Posted by Biffta
A phone call to an automated Microsoft number and entering certain digits seemed to do the trick.
Hola

I have a genuine copy of Microsoft Office 2010; When I installed it on this new computer with Windows 10, it told me I had installed it too many times. I had to go through a couple of hoops and then enter a 50 digit code and it accepted that I had the genuine program. I have kept the validation 50 digit code so that I can install it if this computer has to be rebuilt

Good that the shop did it all for you though - sounds like a good shop

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Old Jan 19th 2017, 5:20 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Philat98
Not to my knowledge. I have always used Excel2010 and Word2010 (or at least earlier versions) and have never had these prompts before the recovery mentioned.
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Old Jan 19th 2017, 5:40 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

There is a limit to the amount of times Microsoft Office can be installed from disks, I think it is 4. Now I think you can only rent these products and and pay a monthly charge. Most new laptops do not have a disk reader so everything has to be downloaded.

BTW If you have Movistar Fusion you might have a 'free' (prices keep sneaking up) upgrade available I have just gone from 30MB to 50 MB internet speed. (Via Fibre Optic)
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Old Jan 19th 2017, 5:51 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Originally Posted by spainrico
There is a limit to the amount of times Microsoft Office can be installed from disks, I think it is 4. Now I think you can only rent these products and and pay a monthly charge. Most new laptops do not have a disk reader so everything has to be downloaded.
Hola,

I have copied my DVD / CD disks onto a USB stick and backed up onto a hard drive. I did a search for a stand alone DVD reader and found them reasonably cheap

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Old Jan 22nd 2017, 12:07 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Unless you are a "power" Office user, I despair why anyone would buy Microsoft Office.

Open Office by Apache is free and does everything the normal MS Office user would need and opens/saves to all the MS Office document formats, and more.....

https://www.openoffice.org/

I urge everyone to switch when the time comes.
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Old Jan 22nd 2017, 12:22 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Originally Posted by lgm1963
Unless you are a "power" Office user, I despair why anyone would buy Microsoft Office.

Open Office by Apache is free and does everything the normal MS Office user would need and opens/saves to all the MS Office document formats, and more.....

https://www.openoffice.org/

I urge everyone to switch when the time comes.
I agree. I also use open office, it runs MS office files with no problem.
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Old Jan 22nd 2017, 12:43 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Originally Posted by lgm1963

Unless you are a "power" Office user, I despair why anyone would buy Microsoft Office.
Because it was CHEAP - as in under £40 for the full office on DVD - and I can easily send documents in various formats that can easily be read by recipients. I know the open office can work and has got a lot better than when I last tried it.

Also the complete office suite has many more things than Word documents like Excel, Access and PowerPoint. Mine also came with a lot of programs for Students

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Old Jan 22nd 2017, 12:47 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

Open Office also has equivalents for Excel, Powerpoint, Access and several other programs....a whole office suite which is totally compatible with MS Office

No matter how cheap MS Office is, it is more expensive than free and as I said except for the users who need such bolt-ons as Mail Merge etc OpenOffice does it all.

Opens, edits, creates, saves.....and in all the MS formats....and more besides
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Old Jan 22nd 2017, 10:18 pm
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Default Re: New PC - possible "illegal" Windows

You could also try
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Completely free.
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