Confession of an XP user.

[Lifixs]

I don't upgrade because I fear vista/win7 will deactivate randomly.

I'm seriously considering buying win7 but am having trouble getting past my fear of deactivation.

Justified or No?

 

[pcgeek11]

I don't upgrade because I fear vista/win7 will deactivate randomly.

I'm seriously considering buying win7 but am having trouble getting past my fear of deactivation.

Justified or No?

NO. That is about the silliest thing I have ever heard. Really.

I refuse to ride in a car as it may have a flat tire.

I will not eat because it might make me sick.

I can't sleep because I'm afraid I won't wake up.

Get my drift.

 

[Ben90]

Why would Microsoft deactivate their own operating system?

50 Years into the future:
Bill Gates: "Well, Linux finally stopped sucking so we are out of business. What will I ever do with myself?"
M.S. Engineer: "We could deactivate every product we ever created, that would be pretty funny"
Bill Gates: "Nah, lets just deactivate everything but XP. XP is like my hot wife I never had."

 

[TJCS]

I don't upgrade because I fear vista/win7 will deactivate randomly.

I'm seriously considering buying win7 but am having trouble getting past my fear of deactivation.

Justified or No?

No.

My Xp, Vista, and W7 has never been deactivated randomly. If there is ever trouble just call them up, it will be resolved very fast.

 

[Phoenix86]

Justified or No?

Not only no, hell no.

A simple phone call will "fix" any issue a legit user would have.

 

[Nothinman]

I don't upgrade because I fear vista/win7 will deactivate randomly.

I'm seriously considering buying win7 but am having trouble getting past my fear of deactivation.

Justified or No?

You have to activate XP as well, so what's the difference?

 

[Fear No Evil]

I never even HEARD of a legit activation being deactivated.

 

[Snapster]

You have to activate XP as well, so what's the difference?

This. There is no reason to not move to W7 due to activation issues.

 

[mvbighead]

You have to activate XP as well, so what's the difference?

Not true if you have a volume license copy.

 

[Nothinman]

Not true if you have a volume license copy.

That's the exception, not the rule. And just from the wording of the OP it sounds like he's talking about a single personal license, not a volume corporate license.

 

[SimMike2]

So why didn't you stay with Windows 2000 or Windows 98, which didn't require activation?

 

[mvbighead]

That's the exception, not the rule. And just from the wording of the OP it sounds like he's talking about a single personal license, not a volume corporate license.

Not sure how much you delve into the Windows world, but I know countless people who have received copies of volume license Windows XP OS's from either their school, place of work, etc. etc. Typical retail/oem copies of XP require activation, there is no doubt to this. But a majority of technical people (possibly like the OP), have received a copy from a buddy who works for a university or business.

I do not believe that Windows 7 is available in the "no activation required" capacity that XP is.

 

[Nothinman]

Not sure how much you delve into the Windows world, but I know countless people who have received copies of volume license Windows XP OS's from either their school, place of work, etc. etc. Typical retail/oem copies of XP require activation, there is no doubt to this. But a majority of technical people (possibly like the OP), have received a copy from a buddy who works for a university or business.

I do not believe that Windows 7 is available in the "no activation required" capacity that XP is.

I wasn't aware that educational licenses didn't require activation and if he got a license from work he would probably just ask the IT person that gave him the XP license. And all the people that got licenses from buddies that work at those places are already illegal so who cares?

 

[mvbighead]

I wasn't aware that educational licenses didn't require activation and if he got a license from work he would probably just ask the IT person that gave him the XP license. And all the people that got licenses from buddies that work at those places are already illegal so who cares?

It's not necessarily an education license type of thing, it all depends on the size of the organization and their level of purchase involvement with MS. Larger companies typically buy higher end memberships (MS Gold Member, etc.) and therefor don't have to keep track of licensing.

As for being illegal, well it certainly violates what Microsoft intended, but it is far less notable than someone's personal key being found on three machines, vice someone using a corporate key that is already found on 1000s of other systems, legally. Not saying it is right, but MS would be none the wiser if the use of that OS was legitimate or not.

 

[M0RPH]

Not sure how much you delve into the Windows world, but I know countless people who have received copies of volume license Windows XP OS's from either their school, place of work, etc. etc. Typical retail/oem copies of XP require activation, there is no doubt to this. But a majority of technical people (possibly like the OP), have received a copy from a buddy who works for a university or business.

I do not believe that Windows 7 is available in the "no activation required" capacity that XP is.

Translation: Its easier to find a pirate copy of Windows XP that doesnt require activation. So go ahead and use that 9-year old OS if youre too cheap to buy a valid copy of Windows 7.

 

[mvbighead]

Translation: Its easier to find a pirate copy of Windows XP that doesnt require activation. So go ahead and use that 9-year old OS if youre too cheap to buy a valid copy of Windows 7.

Yes, that is pretty much the translation. And with a 9 year old OS, does anyone really care?

 

[Chiefcrowe]

nope, never heard of this happening or seen it myself. You should be fine if you're buying Windows 7.

 

[Nothinman]

It's not necessarily an education license type of thing, it all depends on the size of the organization and their level of purchase involvement with MS. Larger companies typically buy higher end memberships (MS Gold Member, etc.) and therefor don't have to keep track of licensing.

As for being illegal, well it certainly violates what Microsoft intended, but it is far less notable than someone's personal key being found on three machines, vice someone using a corporate key that is already found on 1000s of other systems, legally. Not saying it is right, but MS would be none the wiser if the use of that OS was legitimate or not.

I understand how the volume licensing works (well, as well as any non-lawyer can) and I know that it can apply to employees home PCs as long as it's used for work. But none of them cover friends' PCs and that sort of use is a violation of the license and as such illegal. Sure, MS probably won't come after you personally, although they might go after the school/company if they find out, but it's still illegal whether someone considers it right or not.

Yes, that is pretty much the translation. And with a 9 year old OS, does anyone really care?

Of course MS cares. If you're stealing XP then you're not buying Win7.