Microsoft Windows XP Pro with SP2 (CD w/ Key)79.99

OVERKILL

Platinum Member
Jan 28, 2005
2,103
2
0
after reading every single review about this company, i'd be afraid like hell to buy anything from them.
GL to anyone who takes a chance
 

daveybrat

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Jan 31, 2000
5,781
996
126
Wow, i agree with Overkill......PLEASE make sure you read the reviews on Resellerratings before you buy from this company.

The customer service at this place sounds horrific from the reviews and i can honestly say i'd never give them my business.

 

aircooled

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
15,965
1
0
Originally posted by: Oxides
http://www.edirectsoftware.com/WindowsXPP.html has it for the same price.
They have bad reseller ratings too (only 5 though).
They seem more informative and honest about what the product is though.

His says Dell is imprinted on the CD. Makes be believe this is OEM software, meaning it is illegal to resale without an also buying appropriate hardware (if I remember correctly).

even newegg doesn't sell OEM without you buying a mobo or hard drive, etc...


 

Cardio

Senior member
Jun 11, 2003
903
0
76
Just bought from this company, ordered last Friday and it was delivered on Monday. Shipping was only $4.43. Had not read reseller ratings on them but my experience was perfect. The software I ordered was as advertized and legit. Would not have ordered if I had checked their ratings but I probably will again. I have not always had good results using RRs I have had pretty bad experience with companies they had no complaints about several times and good service from poorly rated ones....luck of the draw I guess. I have seen quite favorable ratings on companies, especially electronic sellers, that are generally acknowledged to be awful.
 

John

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
33,944
1
0
Cardio, would you mind posting a picture of what you received?
 

knightc2

Golden Member
Jul 2, 2001
1,461
0
0
For what it's worth...I ordered a copy of Quickbooks or a few years ago from this place and had no problems. Of course it only cost me $10 total so I wasn't that concerned.
 
Jun 19, 2004
10,860
1
81
Originally posted by: knightc2
For what it's worth...I ordered a copy of Quickbooks or a few years ago from this place and had no problems. Of course it only cost me $10 total so I wasn't that concerned.

You got a legit version of quickbooks for $10?

What version?

 

PrayForDeath

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2004
3,478
1
76
Cardio, then perhaps you might wanna leave a positive review at resellerratings for the sake of the company.
 

Schadenfroh

Elite Member
Mar 8, 2003
38,416
4
0
Originally posted by: Oxides
http://www.edirectsoftware.com/WindowsXPP.html has it for the same price.
They have bad reseller ratings too (only 5 though).
They seem more informative and honest about what the product is though.

My father bought 2 of these, sent microsoft's antipiracy division a note about that site and asked if it were legal to buy a dell branded OEM CD and they did not seem concerned, but they just gave me the run around. My father's copies of xp pro from edirect activated without a problem on both of his athlon systems and they still works fine to this day.
 

Bite

Member
Apr 14, 2001
130
0
0
Just bought Wordperfect 12 from these guys a couple weeks ago with no problems and quick delivery. I wouldn't hesitate ordering again from them.

YMMV
 

marvdmartian

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2002
5,439
23
81
Originally posted by: aircooled
even newegg doesn't sell OEM without you buying a mobo or hard drive, etc...

Um, actually, Newegg (and a bunch of other companies out there, including ZZF) only have the MS requirement of a "piece of hardware" that has to accompany the oem software order. In the case of Newegg, they just throw in a cable (think the last time I ordered, it was a sound cable, like you'd put from an optical drive to your motherboard sound header) to make it legal. ZZF, I think, actually makes you spend $0.99 for the same cable.

Is it what MS would like these companies to do? No.....they actually want something like a mobo or hdd ordered, but it DOES follow the "letter of the law", if not the intent. :)

edit:
I just checked out the site. Softwareoutlet used to be one of the best online companies for getting oem products & coa's, before MS got the law changed this year (so that coa's can no longer be sold alone, without the cd & booklet, or "oem"). I can't say much about them for the past year, since it's been at least that long since I last ordered from them.

That being said, a word of warning about this version of windows xp pro. Notice that it's the cd with key, and no mention of a coa. That's cuz you're not going to get one with this. I know because I bought the same sort of item from another online retailer once, and thought it odd that I didn't get a coa, until I went back and really read their description, and noticed it was NOT an oem product. What you ARE going to get is a cd in a paper sleeve, with the keycode printed on that sleeve.

Will it work. Yep, ought to. It did for me, and I had no problems activating it with MS. I used it on my file server computer, since I know I'll never get rid of that one, so don't have to worry about it not having a coa sticker on it. If you're building a system for yourself, or someone in your immediate family, you'd do just fine with a product such as this. If, however, you're a system builder that builds for fun/profit, this likely wouldn't be a good choice for selling to someone else, unless you have a good heart-to-heart sit down with them beforehand, and explain the difference to them.

Is this form of windows legal? IMHO, it lives right on the edge, somewhere in that thin gray line. But since it activates just fine, and doesn't give any problems in that regard, I'd say you're just fine with it. And if it won't activate, you still have the microsoft piracy thing to fall back on. ;)
 

DaGeek

Member
Oct 27, 2005
70
0
0
Hey cardio is it possible to scan or take a picture of the cd so i can see what it looks like before purchasing? Would be very helpful in making my decision.
 

cubby1223

Lifer
May 24, 2004
13,518
42
86
These are unlicensed copies. The site specifically states they are "Not For Resale" copies. They will activate, but it is highly likely the packaging states that the software is illegal without a separate license from Microsoft.
 

DaGeek

Member
Oct 27, 2005
70
0
0
actually it says: *Note: The words "Not for Retail" is imprinted on the CD
which doesnt mean anything for the legality of the software. I have purchased microsoft office elsewhere and had that imprinted on the cd. and I do like how the company is telling you upfront what it will say, most companies just "misrepresent" it. I just wondered what the disk looked like, i understand there is no COA with it, just the key.
 

babuddha

Member
Feb 11, 2004
29
0
0
Originally posted by: Oxides
http://www.edirectsoftware.com/WindowsXPP.html has it for the same price.
They have bad reseller ratings too (only 5 though).
They seem more informative and honest about what the product is though.

I ended up ordering from edirectsoftware.com. Total with S&H was $81 or 82. There was no tracking number, but the CD came so quickly I didn't really have time to watch for it anyway.

I received A Dell CD with an actual COA -- only a key was promised. Installation was smooth and the puter I built is off to niece and moms for the holiday.

 

Installer

Member
Jan 13, 2001
48
0
0
I've been using two of these (XP Pro, no COA) for a month now, with no problems. I activated both by going through Microsoft's phone maze to live reps (just to be sure) who seemed puzzled that I didn't just do it online. Thanks, 'smoker.
 

John

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
33,944
1
0
*Note: The words "Not For Retail" and/or "Student Media" is imprinted on the CD, however this a full version software and is 100% genuine.

I think they meant to say Not for Retail or OEM Distribution. :p It's NFR software and purchasing such products by persons, who do not possess Open Licence or Open Subscription Licence, is illegal.

They also send Student Media.....that's another red flag. Their reseller ratings is putrid. Time to notify MS about this company.