Legality of "Restore/Recovery" Discs?

[BDawg]

Everyone's seen these before. The manufacturer gives you a CD-ROM that has an image of the original configuration. No install CDs, nothing.

This is a real pain in the butt if you only want 1 of the programs, or you're changing hardware (like me).

If I request a regular copy (even willing to pay for the media) of their program/s, are they obliged to provide me with one? I already have a Win98 lisence, it seems silly to force me to buy another one just so I can change the MB and start from scratch.

If they're not required to provide me with them, do I have any other recourse?

 

[Workin']

<<If I request a regular copy (even willing to pay for the media) of their program/s, are they obliged to provide me with one? I already have a Win98 lisence, it seems silly to force me to buy another one just so I can change the MB and start from scratch.>>

Unfortunately they aren't obligated to do a damn thing about this. Regarding the Win 98 license, the incredibly unbelievable thing is that legally you would be required to buy another license if you want it on a CD all by itself. Do a search on the web for UCITA and see what other bullsh!t the greedy mofo's are trying to force on consumers.

<<If they're not required to provide me with them, do I have any other recourse?>>

None at all. If I were you I would just find a convenient disc and copy it. And write a scathing letter to whatever company inflicted that frickin' &quot;restore&quot; disk on you telling them how much it sucks.

Now I'm angry.....

 

[BDawg]

Oh, I burned a copy of Win98SE from work. Then I was told my OEM number wouldn't work with a retail Win98 copy. I just feel guilty about pirating a number...even though I have my own lisence.

The other thing is I lose my Mediamatics DVD player if I reinstall from scratch. It's on the recovery disc too.

 

[BDawg]

Just for the lazy, here's a brief on UCITA

PCWorld Article

UCITA is a proposed law for applying consistent rules to computer software licenses across all 50 states. It would: give vendors the right to repossess software by disabling it remotely, make the terms of shrink-wrapped licenses more enforceable, prevent the transfer of licenses from one party to another without vendor permission, allow vendors to disclaim warrantees, and outlaw reverse engineering.


That really sucks...and I thought things were bad now.

 

[Workin']

<< I just feel guilty about pirating a number...even though I have my own lisence. >>

Do you think MS and your computer vendor feel guilty about putting you in the situation you are in?

That sucks about the DVD thing.

Now I'm really angry....

 

[chemwiz]

Is it really illegal to make a copy of software you have a license for? Just as an example, if I gave a copy of an OEM Win98 to somebody with a restore CD, would I be committing a crime? I checked with the SPA, and as far as I could tell it's perfectly legal to do anything you want with your software as long as you only run it on one computer at a time (the exact quote was &quot;it's like a book, only one person can read it at a time&quot. Most of the garbage they put it licensing agreements isn't currently enforcable, which is why they have a disclaimer saying you might have more rights than listed.