[hjtrbo]

Hi all, this is my first post so please go easy on me. I have done a bit of searching around but I have not found what I am looking for yet.

I have bought a (supposed) genuine copy of Windows XP Pro SP2 OEM off ebay. It came as brand new with an included damaged hard drive (to meet seller agreement), in sealed packaging, with holographic disc (cleary marked XP Pro SP2), COA sticker, and small manual.

I have changed my boot order in Bios and I have proved this works as I have a another bootable OS disc that had the press any key to boot from cd message when I was fault finding my problem.

When I put the new XP disc in when the computer is running it appears to be a microsoft office pro 2003 disc. So weird, have I bought a clever copy of something that isn't what it says it is? :4-dontkno

Any thoughts or comments appreciated.

Nathan
Melbourne

 

[hjtrbo]

I have just been on the MS website. My media and COA appear to be genuine according to their interactive 'is it geniune' check list. All security feeatures are present and are a good representation of what would be deemed a genuine copy.

Looking forward to some further ideas with this one

 

[sobeit]

since its oem, its only good for a newly built computer,

you said it was office 2003? give more info as to how you determined this. Also what does it say on the cd?

 

[hjtrbo]

The CD face is clearly marked with the words "XP Professional, Includes service pack 2, version 2002"

As to getting MS Office, when the disc is inserted into the CD Rom drive, go to my computer and the icon name becomes, Office Pro 2003. Open it up, I ran the setup, it prompted me for my 25 key product id, I entered that, and set up ran. "Set up is now installing your microsoft office 2003 product"


As a said earlier, this disc contains the MS security features at a very high quality of visual appearance. Its just so hard to believe someone would go to this trouble to produce a counterfeit disc when others are so readibly available.

So been an OEM disc there is a different procedure to getting it installed. I am in experienced, but I am guessing that the hard drive needs to be made virgin again? Then the disc will run.

Thanks Nathan

 

[blah789]

Open up the CD in Windows Explorer (right click and choose open if double-click autoruns setup). Do you see a I386 folder? Or do you see an OFFICE folder?

 

[hjtrbo]

Open up the CD in Windows Explorer (right click and choose open if double-click autoruns setup). Do you see a I386 folder? Or do you see an OFFICE folder?

Office folder and a search reveals no I386 folder.

 

[hjtrbo]

Interesting reply from the e bay seller today

Dear 05vpss,

Hello,
It has recently come to my awareness that some of the discs have accidentally been mixed up during manufacturing and have Office 2003 on them instead of Windows XP. If this is the case when you receive your package then a refund will be made. If it is correct, and I'm going on trust, please also let me know.

Thank you.


- mysterytek

Anyway got my money back :grin:and a genuine unused office 2003 pro disc with COA and licence if anyones interested. $50+postage ha ha

Thanks to all those that assisted with your replies

 

[Fren Banklin]

"mixed up" "during manufacturing" ?

So... during manufacturing Microsoft somehow sent MS Office disks instead of XP Operating System disks ? Sounds unlikely.

Or, during "manufacturing", someone other than Microsoft mixed up the disks. Either way, I'd be calling Microsoft. I think they have some kind of incentive to encourage people to report piracy.

The part about the "damaged" hard drive sounds odd too.

Has the O/S passed Windows Validation & Activation ?

 

[hjtrbo]

It is weird. As I said above it passes all visual security checks for a XP Pro installation disc.
Theres a tonne of them for sale at the moment all going for $AUD110. Certainly be intersting to see how others get on. I'm just stoked I got my cash back and a free copy of office pro. Which by the way installs fine using the provided product ID AND passes validation for updates:grin:. So in the end I won.
I'm still looking for a XP OEM disc, think i'm gonna but the bullet and buy one for $AUD250 from a retailer. Least then i'll have someone physical to comunicate with should the need arise.

You know the story, buyer beware.

edit:

The part about the "damaged" hard drive sounds odd too.

The sellers are required to sell an OEM disc with a piece of hardware to meet microsofts policies. Wether the hardware works or not I believe is not defined.

 

[Fren Banklin]

Well that was interesting, but still sounds weird to me. The OEM isn't licenced for a PART of a system, but rather the whole thing. That's why you have to call MS everytime you change a HD or motherboard.

Anyways, if I were in your situation, I'd pick up a copy used somewhere, like off of craigslist, rather than risk the low-lifes on flea-bay.

Also, that copy of Office might not be legit, is what I'm saying. A very good forgery, perhaps.