Pirated Windows XP software

[Earl]

I have always tried to do things correctly.
I recently reformatted my hard drive and installed windows from the original disk that came with my laptop.
After the installation it would not activate.
I had to call Microsoft and get a code to do this.
I could have walked across the street and bought a pirated version for 4 USD.
That would have given me all the updates and saved a lot of money.
No one here in the middle east buys original software and plays by the rules.
This phone call with the heavy wait time cost me 35 usd.
Whats up with this.
If windows was to verify every copy of its operating system then half the world would shut down to include some major companies.
Microsoft is forcing people to go the Ali Babba route. (thief)
Being a westerner I tried to do this correctly, not so sure any more.

[Snoopy]

Interesting issue. However, I think that MS code activation is quite sophisticated. I had installed MS Outlook on 2 computers (desktop and laptop) which is allowed, but had some problems with my desktop. I had to re-install it a couple of times and finally got a message saying that I had tried to activate it too often and had to call MS to get a special code. I was lightly grilled and finally got my code.

However, how would that work with pirated software if 50 people are trying to activate with the same code? Is XP less stringent than some of the more expensive MS Office software?

[goates]

There are corporate or enterprise versions of Windows XP that don't need to be activated quite the same way. Can you imagine a company with a few thousand machines having to indiviudally activate each machine? Didn't think so, and neither did Microsoft. Companies will quite often have one code that can be used on all of their PC's. There are corporate versions of MS Office that work this way as well.

The phone activation isn't that big of a problem in North America though as there is a toll free number you can call. I had to do this separately for both WinXP Pro and Office 2003 as I had re-installed too many times. Doesn't sound like this works as well else where though.

goates

[mutt]

snoopy,

Bootleg copies of Windows XP Professional do not need an activation code!

Mutt