Software with new computers

Z

zac

Likes Dirt
G'day folks,

Does anyone know whether shops selling new computers are legally obligated to give hard copies (ie a CD) of the software installed on said computer at the time of sale (eg Windows Vista)? I was always under the impression they were, but we purchased a new laptop and it came with nothing in a hard copy... Any ideas?

Cheers - Zac
 
S

smeck

Likes Dirt
My Toshiba laptop came with the registration code for the OS but only a recovery disc. There were a few add on CDs for Office and the like but no hardcopy of the OS.
 
Binaural

Binaural

Eats Squid
zac said:
G'day folks,

Does anyone know whether shops selling new computers are legally obligated to give hard copies (ie a CD) of the software installed on said computer at the time of sale (eg Windows Vista)? I was always under the impression they were, but we purchased a new laptop and it came with nothing in a hard copy... Any ideas?

Cheers - Zac
Click to expand...

At least a recovery CD is required if vista is preinstalled. But there is no legal obligation anywhere I know of for suppliers to include hard copies of bundled software, however good an idea it is in practice.
 
3viltoast3r

3viltoast3r

Likes Bikes and Dirt
WHEN it crashes and you need the disc to reinstall windows, Which will happen Just rock up to the computer store and put on the angry customer act.
 
TheBofh

TheBofh

Likes Dirt
A lot of computers don't come with recovery CDs now, you have to make your own. There should be a utility somewhere on the Start menu to do it. A lot of them won't allow you to make more than one copy of the recovery CDs either. Sneaky bastards.
 
Spike-X

Spike-X

Grumpy Old Sarah
Isn't proprietary software awesome?

"We'll make it ten times harder than it has to be to reinstall software that you paid good money for, all in the name of preventing piracy, even though you can easily find a cracked version of anything you want on the Internet. You're welcome!"
 
slip

slip

Beefcake...BEEFCAKE!!!
Oh my, funny!

You just made me realise they are fighting software piracy like it's the 90's.

For a technological industry, that is outstandingly amusing!
 
sawtell

sawtell

The Great White Rooks Hunter
ive always just downloaded it of the net, and used "my" serial number that came with the computer..
 
shane_2Kona

shane_2Kona

Likes Dirt
I found this out the long way. When a computer is bought that comes pre-installed with vista a hidden partition on the HDD is there. it is accesed by pressing alt+f10 at the first screen when turning on the computer, or whichever screen has the commands to access BIOS etc. This will show a screen loading XP and a recovery service will start. All you have to do is cilck next a couple of times after it warns you you will lose all data. This restores the system to its factory default. Just like reformatting a HDD but heaps quicker and easier. speed of it varies, my 80GB HDD takes about 10mins.
 
S.

S.

ex offender
Spike-X said:
Isn't proprietary software awesome?

"We'll make it ten times harder than it has to be to reinstall software that you paid good money for, all in the name of preventing piracy, even though you can easily find a cracked version of anything you want on the Internet. You're welcome!"
Click to expand...
There was a good article a few years back (no chance that I'll be able to find it however) that basically elaborated on that argument. The contention of the article was that most software anti-piracy measures and laws actually only disadvantage the people who have legitimate reasons to copy software, because all the serious pirates manage to get around whatever measures are in place anyway.
 
Spike-X

Spike-X

Grumpy Old Sarah
S. said:
There was a good article a few years back (no chance that I'll be able to find it however) that basically elaborated on that argument. The contention of the article was that most software anti-piracy measures and laws actually only disadvantage the people who have legitimate reasons to copy software, because all the serious pirates manage to get around whatever measures are in place anyway.
Click to expand...
Pretty much, yeah. And as a result, otherwise legitimate users are driven towards piracy; "This thing's too bloody hard to install, I'll just go get a cracked version!"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top