Previously Installed XP

[macx]

My C drive crashed, needed some of the data, so took
it to a data recovery firm.

Had also lost my hard copy of the product code (XP), so
asked if they could try to recover that. No luck.
(For what they charged, they should have provided me
with a new drive and a new XP!!)

Anyway, they sent me a copy of XP on a non-original
disc with the loaner drive they had put my recovered
data in. When I told them I didn't believe I could use
it as it had been installed on one or more other machines,
they said it would be no problem, even with getting
MS updates etc.

I really don't feel "comfortable" installing it or esp.
getting online with that in my machine.

Opinions?

 

[iss]

if they could retrieve data they should have been able to get the key.
as far as the disc they sent go ahead and try it. if micorosift says it isnt legal it;s not your fault it's the data recovery places problem.

 

[toothmkr57]

correct me if I'm wrong, but about 4 or so months ago Microsoft sued someone and lost on this very issue. The ruling was that the disk itself is just a data disk, anyone can use anyone's at anytime. The purchase is for the Key, and the key only. If you purchased an oem copy from a Dell or Gateway, it only accepts certain key code strings (something about a different algorithm?). So your original key, if you had it or not, only works with certain installs. And similarly for retail purchases, however, either way you should be able to contact Microsoft and talk to a customer service person. Just my experience, with the company and things I have been told. SO I would say yes to your ability to use the disk teh revocery company sent you, but without a key you may be out of luck???

P.S. Out of curiosity what did your data recovery place charge, I am sort of having the same problem, PM me if you don't want to share publicly.

 

[macx]

They did send the key for the XP they sent.


When I took it to them, they made a fairly big
deal about a "free evaluation".

They did, of course, say the cost would depend
on how much work they had to go thru, what
processes/applications, etc, they had to use.

However, they said generally $600 & up.

As this was strictly personal, non-business use,
the only value was in how much I wanted the
data, and I told them that $600 was really more
than it might be worth just for personal use.

So they proceeded with the evaluation, but
did NOT call and inform me of what the cost
would be, but went ahead and retrieved the data.

THEN they called me with a price of $1125.00!!

I immediately protested, so they "graciously"
knocked off $200 (wow!).

As they took my credit card info when I filled
out their info form when I brought the drive in,
not much I could do at that point.

Seemed like a pretty deliberately established
procedure to, at best, allow them to charge
more than what they lead me to believe.
And not informing me about the results of
their "free evaluation" before they proceeded
to retrieve the data seems like the old
"bait and switch" routine.

The outfit's name is Reynolds in Longmont CO.