locked
need help please 'get genuine' message. RRS feed

  • Question

  • what's it all about please i got this message earlier - i've had the computer a while and no probs as yet- untill this it doesnt keep flashing up or anything.

    can i get in trouble becasue of this? i had no idea anything was wrong and as a student i can barely afforrd to fork out £250 to install new - can you help me i don't wanna get arrested or anything

    thanks alice

    Monday, June 5, 2006 8:25 PM

Answers

  • Your copy of Windows hasn't been properly bought and licensed. Unless you make special arrangements with Microsoft (for example if you are a business) you must buy a single copy of Windows and install it on a single computer.

    Don't stress too much about getting arrested, if you got arrested for having a single copy of Windows that isn't properly licensed you would be the first person ever!; I think Microsoft is more interested in helping people get a proper copy of Windows XP on their computers than trying to put people in jail   It seems Microsoft recognises that it may not be directly your fault that your copy of Windows isn't genuine, it may have been installed by a unscroupulous friend, a computer shop tech cutting corners or even a company confused about it's responsibilities.  Your copy of Windows doesn't "phone home" or in any way let Microsoft know anything about you, neither Microsoft nor any other company have policies of reporting individuals with licensing problems to police and it's only really in the US where the police would care.

    I know what it's like to be a student, It's unfortunate that at some point you'll need to pay the about £130 for Windows XP home or about £190 for Pro, but it's another normal student expense like your books, tuition etc but thankfully you only need to pay it once!

    Check out http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/WhyValidate.aspx?displaylang=en for the full details of what genuine Windows means, how it is so much better and what some of your options are for making sure that you use software that you paid for.

     

     

     

     

    Monday, June 5, 2006 9:03 PM