Did I get ripped off? XP question

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leoblob · #1 Post by **leoblob** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:18 pm

I bought what I though was a LEGAL copy of XP. I loaded it, everything perfect, programs all seem to run perfectly, went on line to get Windows Updates, it fetched them all, but when it tried to install them, every one failed.

Did I get ripped off (a bad copy of XP) or could there be some other problem? (I am an XP newb)

#2 Post by **Kyocera** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:26 pm

Did you get an error code or something explaining why the updates failed. I've had that before but it was a problem with i.e.

ThinkPad · #3 Post by **ThinkPad** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:44 pm

Where did you purchase from?

leoblob · #4 Post by **leoblob** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:45 pm

I think I got an error code, can't quite remember. This was a few days ago and I was so [censored] I don't remember exactly what happened.

Whatever information it gave me (either I tried to look up the error code, or else there was just some sort of comment) seemed to be very general and quite useless.

I know that when it asked to install the Active X controls I got a "pop-up" blocker kind of thing, and I do believe I gave it the OK to load the controls ... ??

... but this was on a machine already running WIN2K fine, and which I had updated many times in the past with no problems (so I assume Active X was already installed, yet it asked permission to install it anyway??)

leoblob · #5 Post by **leoblob** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:46 pm

Bought from a friend of a good friend. This is what's making me nervous.

ThinkPad · #6 Post by **ThinkPad** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:49 pm

Perhaps the license code is already in use? (by your friend?)

I think you can only use the software license on one computer (legally)

#7 Post by **carbon_unit** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:53 pm

If you got ripped off your XP install wouldn't activate or it would tell you that it is not genuine. Maybe you had a glitch when installing or you might have a memory problem causing glitches. If you upgraded from Win2k to XP be aware that upgrades rarely go well especially on installs that have been run for a long time.

leoblob · #8 Post by **leoblob** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:22 pm

The irony here is this is the first time since I moved on from WIN3.1 that I just did an upgrade. Every other time I moved to a new OS, I started out with a bare drive.

This upgrade went so incredibly smoothly that I thought it was too good to be true... I just didn't feel like the hassle of starting with a bare drive this time.

davidspalding · #9 Post by **davidspalding** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:25 pm

But did you ACTIVATE this upgrade to XP? I dont' see here if you specified that.

I suspect that Carbon unit's right, if you were able to select updates from Windows Update (the web site, not the control applet), then you would've already passed the dreaded Windows Genuine Advantage gauntlet. Still ... it helps to know if you the FOAF deactivated his copy, or just passed it around. IIRC (and IANAL) MS allows you to sell a copy of your XP to someone, and they can activate it, but your installation is inactivated. This is how they handle upgrades of significant hardware components that XP flags as a "different machine" and invalidates.

leoblob · #10 Post by **leoblob** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:47 pm

To be honest, I don't know if I activated it or not

I installed it, put in the key code #, everything seems fine, got onto the M$ site OK, it checked which updates I needed, it listed which ones, they seemed to download fine, but when my computer tried to install them, they all failed.

All kidding aside, I am surprisingly clueless when it comes to "new" software. This is one reason I hang onto things so long. I've only been on WIN2K (vs WIN98SE) for about 2 years.

I could start over (with a bare drive this time), but if I can salvage what I have, that naturally would be better.

Nick Y · #11 Post by **Nick Y** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:04 pm

I suggest that you go back to the Microsoft website and simply try and get one, fairly simple, update. See if that works.

If it fails look for, and note, the error code.

dsigma6 · #12 Post by **dsigma6** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:15 pm

After reading the thread on opening up a power brick, I shall start with what I'm going to say is my own opinion, and neither the forum, it's owner/operator/admin/moderators etc., etc., share my opinion.

Anyways, that wasn't necessary, but that thread annoyed me.

Reinstall XP using the same product key, but this time turn off automatic updates, and head on over to windizupdate.com for all your update-y needs. Don't register with Microsoft.

leoblob · #13 Post by **leoblob** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:15 pm

Thanks.

@Nick, I tried that (one small update) and it failed. I may try again and make note of the error message.

@dsigma6, I'll give that a shot, somehow it "feels" like it might work. Ironic you mentioned the power brick thread since it was me who offered up the "technique" in question.

Uncletoad · #14 Post by **Uncletoad** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:10 am

What machine were you attempting to put it on? Some of those old birds in your sig line don't have the minimum required guts for XP.

leoblob · #15 Post by **leoblob** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:05 pm

There's no way I'd put XP on any of my ancient Thinkpads. In fact, on the i1400 I am considering going back to WIN98SE.

XP will be going on one of the PC-300GL's.

leoblob · #16 Post by **leoblob** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:17 pm

dsigma6 wrote:Reinstall XP using the same product key, but this time turn off automatic updates, and head on over to windizupdate.com for all your update-y needs. Don't register with Microsoft.

Yeah, baby. That did the trick

I didn't even reinstall, I just went to that site, did what they said, and all appears good.

Thanks to dsigma6... and to everyone who's helped me over the last couple of years. I wish I knew enough to give back even a fraction of all the help and advice I have received on this board.

Nick Y · #17 Post by **Nick Y** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:22 am

leoblob wrote:...I wish I knew enough to give back even a fraction of all the help and advice I have received on this board.

Just asking is a help to others. Reading the posts, I found out about windizupdate.com

thinkpad adrian · #18 Post by **thinkpad adrian** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:35 pm

updates can fail for simple reasons. if you date and time on your computer are off by much, it will fail. sometimes you need to
delete temp internet files and history, sometimes just re-booting,
sometimes take down firewall. with windows 98, you need to update to internet explorer 6.0 BRFORE any updates. (get I.E. from a 3rd party site found on google) its hit and miss. i also ALLWAYS turn off automatic updates. and pick the custom install
option instead of the automatic. i also NEVER install the windows genuine advantage utility. its a wast. adrian

leoblob · #19 Post by **leoblob** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 3:10 pm

Last night, I went back on line to the M$ site to try for the newest updates. This time when I got the list of updates, instead of "installing" all of them, I clicked on the link for more information on each listed update, then clicked on the link in that "more information" box. Got a "download" button, downloaded it, installed it, perfect.

Using this process, some of the downloads even said that genuine verification was needed, I said OK, it checked & passed, then downloaded and installed.

It's got to be some weird configuration problem, but I'm OK if I don't figure it out soon (or ever). I now know I have a legal copy and I can get all the updates. With Windows there's always some aberrant behavior that you never figure out... you just live with it.

Other than that, XP seems good. Took a little while figure out how to turn off all the Fischer-Price graphical garbage, but now it looks like WIN98 again (

) and everything else handles like WIN2K so I am more pleased with this OS upgrade than I thought going into it.

It does seem to boot faster than WIN2K, but otherwise, the "speed" feels the same.

Did I get ripped off? XP question

Did I get ripped off? XP question

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