My plans for Vista are simple, if I can't crack it, I'll just use my sister's university connection to get a legitimate copy. She won't want to run it on her MacBookPro anyways.

On my desktop? No. Built from scratch, and I'm not gonna bother paying for Windows XP. Ever.

My laptop's copy was legit until about eight months ago - The first time I decided it was time for a reinstall. Yay for isos with SP2 slipstreamed in.

I'm currently using a burned version of Windows XP Professional Corporate, so I guess I don't have to bother with this activation shit. Some months ago, I actually took purchasing a legitimate version of Windows XP into consideration, but with the upcoming Windows Vista this just would have been wasted money. If Windows Vista has any advantages over Windows XP, I'll probably download it as well someday, as long as I don't have to activate anything.

yes I have a oem win xp pro

Mod Powerz!

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/7747/sealpup3si.jpg

I have a legite copy of xp pro oem, bought it a couple of months ago with my new computer. Before that it was a burned version of xp pro.

The version of XP on my notebook is probably one of the few times I've actually had a legal version of XP on any of my computers.

You mean people actually pay for their Operating Systems?

Yes, and every time you buy a PC from HP, Dell and company you still pay for the OS, which is why some pissed Linux users have asked Microsoft to pay them back for an OS they don't use.

Did they seriously do that? If so, I've lost even more respect for Linux users. :(

Seriously, but if you were charged over $100 for software you don't use, wouldn't you be mad too.

I find this ridiculous. It is not like they aren't disclosing that Windows is part of the package. If I go to Sony, I can't say, "Look, I bought this radio and I don't use the AM dial, so I'd like you to remove the AM functionality from this radio and refund me the price of what AM functionality costs." That's retarded.

And, besides, what the fuck kind of Linux user buys a Dell? These people are just being asses, plain and simple.

You can get systems from Dell Business and Education sites that don't come pre-installed with an OS, so I'm not really feeling any sympathy.

Not to mention that MS gives Dell and other large manufacturers discounts for the massive quantities of licenses they purchase (and additional discounts for making every computer come with Windows), making the price of a Windows license surely less than half of those you'd find in an OEM box. If they wouldn't put Windows preinstalled on all of their systems, the price of all other home boxes they'd sell would go up considerably. Personally, I doubt Dell minds pissing off the whole ten people in the country that want to buy a pre-built Dell and install Windows on it in order to save all their other clients money.

I mean, seriously, how many people do you know that use linux and don't build their own systems?

No one really, what self-respecting Linux user would buy a Dell in the first place? Only those 0.00001% of Linux users who have a hard on for Dell, HP, Sony, etc are going to complain about this. I'm sure though with $200 Dells now, you can be Damn sure the ~$90 (OEM WinXP Home Price), didn't fully factor into that $200; in fact I'm sure Intel charged Dell more for their shitty integrated video :milk:

(fuck it's strange how the dancing milk fits in with every song I listen to).

You should worry (about the milk).

On a side note: This refund thing goes back to the late 90s, when even fewer retailers were offering OS-less boxes. Today one does not have to go to such great lengths in order to obtain such a machine and there are even vendors who sell computers with a pre-installed Linux.

I voted no because this box isn't running a legit copy; however, I have two legit copies sitting my my drawer. One is a 64bit SP1 and the other is a regular old XP Professional. I only paid 10 bux for shipping. Thanks University. :skeet:

I installed my legit five years after had purchased it. I didnt realize I have xp home edition all long in my system cd!:doh:

i got a question for all u pirating peepz (btw this copy of XP Pro is legit, and my previous Home edition as well)

i like pirating.. (who doesnt?) getting shit for free is good. but I mean, the OS is the only thing I DONT pirate... cause it's your freakin' OS. u cant afford for it to crap out on you.

well say Windows do their updates, what do people who've pirated Windows OS do? I mean I probably would pirate myself, but the whole genuin-copy thing means u need a legit one or u cant update the OS... right? thats the only issue I got w/ pirating an operating system.

Thanks for exhuming this year-old thread. :/

I don't know what you're talking about when you say Windows will "crap out" on you if it's pirated. Some torrents out there are reliable. I have access to the Corporate Pro version of XP so I just copied the disc and used a fake key.

For updates: www.autopatcher.com

okay, but dont even start whining. why make a new thread to ask a short question? it's better using search function than just making a new thread when one exists already.

so that's how EVERY person who pirates their windows get their updates then?

Not everyone.

All my patches are official, my copy of Windows is cracked, but I have not had any trouble with updates. The only one that I haven't installed is the Windows Genuine Advantage one. I just skipped that one, and grabbed the rest and nothing has "crapped out" on me since I got this OS some 2-3 years ago.

I got me a $45 copy of Vista Ultimate through a friend at the Microsoft company store, so I have a legal copy of Windows.

I have the media center that came with my computer (both compaq and emachine) and a free copy of vista from MS (with upgrade coupon). So yes they are real.

Ever heard of WindizUpdate? It's not only a good way to bypass WGA, it also lets you update your OS using non IE browsers.

I got it with my pc as I bought it so yeah i got a legal version.
Problem is that I don't know if I misplaced the disc or I never got it because I don't have the key anywhere when i wanted to do a fresh install.
I have the home edition on a separate disc but I'd rather stick with Media Center. I don't suppose the key gets saved into the pc :/

My copy came with the notebook, although I have another copy that's only....semi-legit.